Where press freedom falls, impunity rises

The world is splitting into two camps: countries that hold power accountable, and those that don’t.

Deteriorating press freedom offers the starkest example. Where trusted information is scarce, abuses of power stay hidden, corruption flourishes, and citizens lose the ability to demand accountability.

This is a key finding in the fourth edition of the Atlas of Impunity – released yesterday and developed in partnership between Eurasia Group and a global advisory board of human rights experts – mapping accountability gaps across nearly 200 countries.

In simple terms, impunity is power without accountability. At its most extreme, it means the ability to commit crimes without facing consequences.

The Atlas is intended as a tool to educate and encourage action by policymakers. But impunity is not only a concern for governments or institutions — its consequences are felt worldwide. Where accountability is robust, citizens benefit from institutions that safeguard human rights and personal freedoms and check those who abuse power. Where accountability is weak or absent, repression takes hold, conflict escalates, and the most vulnerable are left exposed to violence and exploitation with little prospect of justice or redress.