On 4 March, the US-based NGO Freedom House published their report on freedoms in the world for the year 2019. Armenia and Georgia were classified as being partially free countries in regard to the situation of civil liberties and political rights in contry, while Azerbaijan was classified as a not free country. The report covered the developments in 195 countries and 15 territories. 

Armenia’s overall score was 53 points out of 100, scoring 21 out of 40 points in political rights and 32 out of 60 points in civil liberties. Azerbaijan had an overall score of 10 points, scoring 2 in political rights and 8 in civil liberties. Georgia’s overall score was 61, scoring 24 points in political rights and 37 in civil liberties. According to the report, only Armenia recorded an increase in its overall score in comparison to the previous year, while Azerbaijan and Georgia recorded a decline.

The report also covered the South Caucasus breakaway territories of Abkhazia, Nagorno-Karabakh and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia). Abkhazia and Nagorno-Karabakh were classified as being partially free, while Tskhinvali was classified as being not free. 

Iran, Turkey and Russia were all classified as being not free countries. Finland, Norway and Sweden were the only countries who had the maximum score in the report. Syria (0 points), Tibet (1 Point), Turkmenistan, Eritrea and South Sudan (2 points each) were the worst ranked countries\territories.

“Freedom House found that 2019 was the 14th consecutive year of decline in global freedom. The gap between setbacks and gains widened compared with 2018, as individuals in 64 countries experienced deterioration in their political rights and civil liberties while those in just 37 experienced improvements,” the report read.  

Freedom House is a surveillance organization dedicated to the worldwide expansion of freedom and democracy. The organization analyses the challenges for freedom, campaigns for more political rights and civil liberties, and supports activists at the front line in defending human rights and promoting democratic change. Freedom House was the first American organization to promote freedom worldwide. Although Freedom House is an NGO with a global reach, it is often criticized by scientists and governments as being biased against US interests because the organization is 86% funded by the US government.