Freedom House recognizes South Ossetia and Azerbaijan as non-free

On January 31, the Freedom House published a report "Freedom in the World-2017" on the situation of human rights in independent and partially recognized countries, which are treated by rights defenders as "disputed territories". According to the report, no country or disputed territory of the Caucasian region has a relatively high rating to recognize it as a free country.

The highest rating of all Caucasian countries belongs to Georgia – 64 points, while generally the Freedom House recognized country with 71-72 points and up as free. According to the report, Georgia is a country with a free Internet, but with only partly free press.

Armenia has received 45 points. The Freedom House considers it a country with non-free press, but with free Internet.

Nagorno-Karabakh and Abkhazia are also partially free with 33 and 41 points accordingly.

Azerbaijan has been treated by the Freedom House as a non-free country with 14 points in the rating of freedom. According to rights defenders, this country has no free press and partially free Internet, which regularly and everywhere violated political rights and civil liberties.

Still lower, with 11 points, appears South Ossetia. Besides, Russia in the report is also treated as a non-free country with 20 points out of 100 received from rights defenders.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.