DUSHANBE, January 21, 2012, Asia-Plus — Like the previous years,
Freedom in the World 2012
has designated Tajikistan as “Not Free” country.
Freedom in the World 2012
reportedly examined the ability of individuals to exercise their political and civil rights in 195 countries and 14 territories around the world.
Tajikistan with 6.0 scores in the “political rights” category and 5.0 scores in the “civil liberties” category is ranked among countries where basic political rights are absent, and basic civil liberties are widely and systematically denied.
Russia also has 6.0 scores in the “political rights” category and 5.0 scores in the “civil liberties” category. Azerbaijan (6;5), Kazakhstan (6;5), Belarus (7;6), Turkmenistan (7:7), and Uzbekistan (7;7) have also been designated as “Not Free” countries.
According to the survey, a total of 26 countries registered net declines in 2011, and only 12 showed overall improvement, marking the sixth consecutive year in which countries with declines outnumbered those with improvements.
The number of countries designated by
Freedom in the World
as “Free” in 2011 stood at 87, representing 45 percent of the world’s 195 polities. The number of “Free” countries did not change from the previous year’s survey.
The number of countries qualifying as “Partly Free” stood at 60, or 31 percent of all countries assessed by the survey. The number of “Partly Free” countries did not change from the previous year.
A total of 48 countries were deemed “Not Free,” representing 24 percent of the world’s polities. The number of “Not Free” countries increased by one from 2010 due to the inclusion for the first time of South Sudan, a new state that was given a “Not Free” designation.
Freedom in the World
is a yearly survey and report by U.S.-based Freedom House that attempts to measure the degree of democracy and political freedom in every nation and significant disputed territories around the world.
Freedom in the World
was launched in 1973 by Raymond Gastil. It produces annual scores representing the levels of political rights and civil liberties in each state and territory, on a scale from 1 (most free) to 7 (least free). Depending on the ratings, the nations are then classified as “Free,” “Partly Free,” or “Not Free.”
A “Free” country is one where there is open political competition, a climate of respect for civil liberties, significant independent civic life, and independent media.
A “Partly Free” country is one in which there is limited respect for political rights and civil liberties. Partly Free states frequently suffer from an environment of corruption, weak rule of law, ethnic and religious strife, and a political landscape in which a single party enjoys dominance despite a certain degree of pluralism.
A “Not Free” country is one where basic political rights are absent, and basic civil liberties are widely and systematically denied.
