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The Messenger, Georgia
Dec 22 2004
Freedom House praises Georgia's improvements
Progress of Ukraine, Georgia praised while Russia criticized for
authoritarian slide
By Warren Hedges
In its annual Freedom in the World survey, the U.S.-based human
rights organization Freedom House found that Georgia, by improving
political rights in the country, has improved its rating as a 'partly
free' country.
Meanwhile the report downgraded both Armenia and Russia, stating that
these countries have both regressed in their conduct of elections and
overall civil liberties.
"The positive experiences in Georgia and Ukraine indicate that
democratic ferment and non-violent civic protest are potent forces
for political change," said Freedom House Executive Director Jennifer
Windsor while presenting the report on Monday, December 20. "They
also reinforce freedom's gradual global advance."
In explaining the improvement, Freedom House stressed Georgia's "well
administered" elections in 2004.
"In Georgia, the January election of Mikhail Saakashvili as
president, and a well administered parliamentary election in March,
improved the country's political rights score after international
monitors deemed voting free and fair," Freedom House states in its
press release.
The survey uses a scale from 1 (highest level of freedom) to 7
(lowest level of freedom) in both civil liberties and political
rights. In 2003, Georgia was considered a 'partly free' country with
score of 4 in each category. In 2004, Freedom House also gave Georgia
a score of 4 for civil liberties but said the country had shown an
improvement in political rights earning it a score of 3. The country
retained the combined rating of 'partly free.'
While Georgia nudged forward, both Russia and Armenia were marked
down. Azerbaijan retained its rating as 'not free' in both 2003 and
2004.
"Russia's step backwards into the Not Free category is the
culmination of a growing trend under President Vladimir Putin to
concentrate political authority, harass and intimidate the media, and
politicize the country's law-enforcement system," said Freedom
House's Windsor.
"These moves mark a dangerous and disturbing drift toward
authoritarianism in Russia, made more worrisome by President Putin's
recent heavy-handed meddling in political developments in neighboring
countries such as Ukraine," she added.
Freedom House notes that the downgrading of Russia "marks a low point
not registered since 1989" when the country was still in the Soviet
Union.
The organization, which has been conducting the survey since 1972,
criticizes the Armenian government for its "violent suppression of
peaceful civic protestors" during 2004, a gesture that "underscored
its increasingly unresponsive and undemocratic rule."
But thanks to Georgia and Ukraine, Freedom House states, "The region
was not devoid of positive developments."
The Freedom in the World Survey covers global events from December 1,
2003 through November 30, 2004 and is based on a wide range of
sources. According to Freedom House, the most valued sources are "the
many human rights activists, journalists, editors, and political
figures around the world who keep us informed of the human rights
situation in their countries."
The report released Monday includes only rankings but in spring 2005,
Freedom House will release more in-depth country narratives.
Dec 22 2004
Freedom House praises Georgia's improvements
Progress of Ukraine, Georgia praised while Russia criticized for
authoritarian slide
By Warren Hedges
In its annual Freedom in the World survey, the U.S.-based human
rights organization Freedom House found that Georgia, by improving
political rights in the country, has improved its rating as a 'partly
free' country.
Meanwhile the report downgraded both Armenia and Russia, stating that
these countries have both regressed in their conduct of elections and
overall civil liberties.
"The positive experiences in Georgia and Ukraine indicate that
democratic ferment and non-violent civic protest are potent forces
for political change," said Freedom House Executive Director Jennifer
Windsor while presenting the report on Monday, December 20. "They
also reinforce freedom's gradual global advance."
In explaining the improvement, Freedom House stressed Georgia's "well
administered" elections in 2004.
"In Georgia, the January election of Mikhail Saakashvili as
president, and a well administered parliamentary election in March,
improved the country's political rights score after international
monitors deemed voting free and fair," Freedom House states in its
press release.
The survey uses a scale from 1 (highest level of freedom) to 7
(lowest level of freedom) in both civil liberties and political
rights. In 2003, Georgia was considered a 'partly free' country with
score of 4 in each category. In 2004, Freedom House also gave Georgia
a score of 4 for civil liberties but said the country had shown an
improvement in political rights earning it a score of 3. The country
retained the combined rating of 'partly free.'
While Georgia nudged forward, both Russia and Armenia were marked
down. Azerbaijan retained its rating as 'not free' in both 2003 and
2004.
"Russia's step backwards into the Not Free category is the
culmination of a growing trend under President Vladimir Putin to
concentrate political authority, harass and intimidate the media, and
politicize the country's law-enforcement system," said Freedom
House's Windsor.
"These moves mark a dangerous and disturbing drift toward
authoritarianism in Russia, made more worrisome by President Putin's
recent heavy-handed meddling in political developments in neighboring
countries such as Ukraine," she added.
Freedom House notes that the downgrading of Russia "marks a low point
not registered since 1989" when the country was still in the Soviet
Union.
The organization, which has been conducting the survey since 1972,
criticizes the Armenian government for its "violent suppression of
peaceful civic protestors" during 2004, a gesture that "underscored
its increasingly unresponsive and undemocratic rule."
But thanks to Georgia and Ukraine, Freedom House states, "The region
was not devoid of positive developments."
The Freedom in the World Survey covers global events from December 1,
2003 through November 30, 2004 and is based on a wide range of
sources. According to Freedom House, the most valued sources are "the
many human rights activists, journalists, editors, and political
figures around the world who keep us informed of the human rights
situation in their countries."
The report released Monday includes only rankings but in spring 2005,
Freedom House will release more in-depth country narratives.