Freedom at Issue: Insights on the global struggle for democracy | Freedom House

Freedom at Issue:

Insights on the global struggle for democracy

Terrorism Remains Rare in Democracies

January 9, 2015

This week’s attacks and hostage-takings in Paris are the latest in a series of terrorist incidents in established democracies. But the overwhelming majority of terrorist violence continues to take place in countries that lack democratic governance.

The Forgotten Five: Autocratic Regimes That Avoid International Criticism

January 7, 2015

Many authoritarian regimes have managed to avoid serious criticism by exploiting strategic partnerships with the United States and its allies.

The Best and Worst Human Rights Developments of 2014

December 16, 2014

It has been a grim year on the whole, but 2014 was not without its bright spots. The following were some of the best and worst human rights developments of the past 12 months. 

The End of Turkey in Europe

Nate Schenkkan
December 16, 2014

The latest politicized crackdown on the press adds to abundant evidence that Turkey’s leadership has rejected the European Union and its democratic values.

Redefining Democracy to Undermine Democracy

Arch Puddington
December 5, 2014

It is a testament to the power of the democratic idea that authoritarian leaders around the globe claim the mantle of democracy for forms of government that amount to legalized repression. 

Eurasia’s Place in Global Corruption Rankings

December 3, 2014

Transparency International released its latest Corruption Perceptions Index today, and the results for Eurasian countries are not encouraging.

Russia’s Information Controls Reach Far Beyond the News Media

Elen Aghekyan
November 25, 2014

International attention has focused on growing propaganda and censorship in the Russian news media, but the Kremlin is pursuing much broader ambitions to control the information landscape.

Yeas and Nays on North Korea

Arch Puddington
November 20, 2014

Many of the countries voting against this week’s UN resolution on North Korea were inveterate human rights abusers themselves. Disappointingly, however, some major democracies also withheld support for the measure.

A Queen’s Gambit in Zimbabwe

Vukasin Petrovic
November 13, 2014

In Zimbabwe’s authoritarian system, court intrigue rather than open competition is dominating the contest to succeed 90-year-old strongman Robert Mugabe.

Despite Orbán’s Retreat, Net Freedom in Hungary Still Under Threat

November 7, 2014

Last week, the Orbán government’s proposed tax on the internet sparked the largest protest in Hungary since 2010. Faced with this massive backlash, Orbán withdrew the proposal rather quickly, but hinted at reintroducing the proposal in early 2015, a move which could have negative effects on internet and media freedom.

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