Asia-Pacific

Countries & Territories: 45
3.9 billion people
37% free
Press:
35% free

News & Updates

China Media Bulletin

China Media Bulletin: Issue No. 47

Feb 17 2012 - 2:04pm

Freedom House’s weekly update of press freedom and censorship news related to the People’s Republic of China.

HIGHLIGHTS
* Mum press sheds little light on Chongqing party intrigue
* Foreign TV series curtailed, banned from prime time
* Party commissars set up shop inside microblog firms
* Chinese American online activist abducted, beaten in China
* China-based Nortel hacking, digital thievery risks reported

Issues: 
Internet Freedom, Media Freedom
Regions: 
Asia-Pacific
Press Release

Obama Should Press Chinese Vice President on Human Rights

Feb 13 2012 - 3:19pm

Freedom House today calls on President Barack Obama to press Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping to improve human rights conditions in China. Vice President Xi, who is expected to become China’s president in 2013, will be visiting Washington D. C. tomorrow.

Issues: 
Civil Society, Human Rights, U.S. Foreign Policy
Regions: 
Asia-Pacific

Saudi Writer Kashgari Deported

Feb 13 2012 - 12:11pm

Freedom House is alarmed by the deportation of Saudi writer Hamza Kashgari from Malaysia after fleeing Saudi Arabia to escape death threats for allegedly insulting the prophet Mohammad on Twitter. Kashgari was detained in Malaysia on February 9 and taken back to Saudi Arabia by Saudi authorities on February 12.

Issues: 
Civil Society, Freedom of Expression, Internet Freedom, Religious Freedom, Rule of Law
Regions: 
Asia-Pacific
Press Release

Detention of Saudi Writer for Twitter Posts Raises Concerns

Feb 10 2012 - 4:02pm

Freedom House is deeply concerned about the detention by Malaysian authorities of Saudi writer Hamza Kashgari, who fled Saudi Arabia to escape death threats for allegedly insulting the prophet Mohammad on Twitter. The 23-year-old Kashgari is at imminent risk of extradition to Saudi Arabia, where he faces charges of blasphemy that can carry the death penalty.

Issues: 
Freedom of Expression, Internet Freedom, Media Freedom, Religious Freedom, Rule of Law
Regions: 
Asia-Pacific

Experts

Gunawardena-Vaughn, Sue

Dr. Gunawardena-Vaughn is director of the International Religious Freedom Consortium and the Southeast Asia programs at Freedom House.

Cook, Sarah

Sarah Cook is a senior research analyst for Freedom on the Net and East Asia at Freedom House.

Karlekar, Karin Deutsch

Dr. Karlekar is the project director of Freedom of the Press, an annual index that tracks trends in media freedom worldwide.

Afghanistan
32 million people
Press:
Not Free
Status
Not Free
Scores Overview
6.0 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Australia
23 million people
Internet:
Free
Press:
Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
1.0 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
18 / 100 (most free)
Internet Freedom
Bangladesh
151 million people
Press:
Partly Free
Status
Partly Free
Scores Overview
3.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Bhutan
708 thousand people
Press:
Partly Free
Status
Partly Free
Scores Overview
4.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Brunei
410 thousand people
Press:
Not Free
Status
Not Free
Scores Overview
5.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Burma
50 million people
Internet:
Not Free
Press:
Not Free
Status
Not Free
Scores Overview
6.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
88 / 100 (most free)
Internet Freedom
Cambodia
15 million people
Press:
Not Free
Status
Not Free
Scores Overview
5.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
China
1.3 billion people
Internet:
Not Free
Press:
Not Free
Status
Not Free
Scores Overview
6.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
83 / 100 (most free)
Internet Freedom
Taiwan
23 million people
Press:
Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
1.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Fiji
852 thousand people
Press:
Partly Free
Status
Partly Free
Scores Overview
5.0 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
India
1.2 billion people
Internet:
Partly Free
Press:
Partly Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
2.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
36 / 100 (most free)
Internet Freedom
Indonesia
238 million people
Internet:
Partly Free
Press:
Partly Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
2.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
46 / 100 (most free)
Internet Freedom
Japan
128 million people
Press:
Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
1.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
North Korea
24 million people
Press:
Not Free
Status
Not Free
Scores Overview
7.0 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
South Korea
49 million people
Internet:
Partly Free
Press:
Partly Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
1.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
32 / 100 (most free)
Internet Freedom
Laos
6.3 million people
Press:
Not Free
Status
Not Free
Scores Overview
6.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Malaysia
29 million people
Internet:
Partly Free
Press:
Not Free
Status
Partly Free
Scores Overview
4.0 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
41 / 100 (most free)
Internet Freedom
Maldives
325 thousand people
Press:
Partly Free
Status
Partly Free
Scores Overview
3.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Mongolia
2.8 million people
Press:
Partly Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
2.0 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Nepal
30 million people
Press:
Partly Free
Status
Partly Free
Scores Overview
4.0 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
New Zealand
4.4 million people
Press:
Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
1.0 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Pakistan
177 million people
Internet:
Partly Free
Press:
Not Free
Status
Partly Free
Scores Overview
4.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
55 / 100 (most free)
Internet Freedom
Papua New Guinea
6.9 million people
Press:
Free
Status
Partly Free
Scores Overview
3.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Philippines
96 million people
Press:
Partly Free
Status
Partly Free
Scores Overview
3.0 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Solomon Islands
545 thousand people
Press:
Free
Status
Partly Free
Scores Overview
3.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Sri Lanka
21 million people
Press:
Not Free
Status
Partly Free
Scores Overview
4.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Thailand
70 million people
Internet:
Not Free
Press:
Not Free
Status
Partly Free
Scores Overview
4.0 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
61 / 100 (most free)
Internet Freedom
Vanuatu
252 thousand people
Press:
Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
2.0 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Vietnam
88 million people
Internet:
Not Free
Press:
Not Free
Status
Not Free
Scores Overview
6.0 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
73 / 100 (most free)
Internet Freedom
New Caledonia
Scores Overview

Countries & Territories

Afghanistan
Australia
Bangladesh
Bhutan
Brunei
Burma
Cambodia
China
East Timor
Fiji
French Polynesia
Hong Kong
India
Indian Kashmir
Indonesia
Japan
Kiribati
Laos
Malaysia
Maldives
Marshall Islands
Micronesia
Mongolia
Nauru
Nepal
New Caledonia
New Zealand
North Korea
Pakistan
Pakistani Kashmir
Palau
Papua New Guinea
Philippines
Samoa
Singapore
Solomon Islands
South Korea
Sri Lanka
Taiwan
Thailand
Tibet
Tonga
Tuvalu
Vanuatu
Vietnam

Programs

Cambodia

In Cambodia, Freedom House enhances indigenous expertise in conducting policy research and analysis on critical issues through targeted trainings and on-going capacity building.

Issues: 
Democratic Governance
Regions: 
Asia-Pacific

Southeast Asia Human Rights

Freedom House has established partnerships with a number of leading regional human rights defender networks in Southeast Asia and provides funding, advocacy support, training, and networking opport

Issues: 
Freedom of Association, Freedom of Expression, Intergovernmental Bodies, Media Freedom
Regions: 
Asia-Pacific

Asia Pacific

Over the past five years, the Asia-Pacific region has been the only one to record steady gains in political rights and civil liberties as measured by Freedom House.

Regions: 
Asia-Pacific