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NEW REPORT: Freedom in the Asia-Pacific Saw Challenges Amid Attempts to Undermine Election Integrity [1]
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Date: 2024-02
WASHINGTON—Freedom remains out of reach for many in the Asia-Pacific as only 5 percent of people live in Free countries, and efforts to undermine political opposition threatened electoral integrity in 2023, according to a new report released today by Freedom House.
The new report, Freedom in the World 2024: The Mounting Damage of Flawed Elections and Armed Conflict, found that global freedom declined for an 18th consecutive year in 2023 as political rights and civil liberties deteriorated in 52 countries, representing a fifth of the world’s population. The declines were both widespread and severe, eclipsing the improvements observed in 21 other countries.
Among other instances of electoral manipulation during the year, prodemocracy candidates were kept out of district council elections in Hong Kong, and Cambodia’s main opposition party was disqualified from parliamentary elections. Despite the region’s overall deterioration, however, there were several meaningful gains. Fiji experienced the world’s largest score improvement for 2023 thanks to a smooth transfer of power after watershed elections in late 2022, moving the country further away from the antidemocratic legacy of a 2006 coup. It was followed by Thailand, where more competitive elections led to significant opposition victories in the parliament, even if unelected forces kept the leading opposition party out of government.
Freedom in the World includes scores and detailed country reports on political rights and civil liberties for 195 countries and 15 territories around the globe. Scores are based on a 100-point scale, with 0 representing the lowest level of freedom. This report, the 51st annual edition, covers developments in 2023 and provides a brief analysis of long-term trends.
Key regional findings include the following:
Freedom in countries in the region remained unchanged as 7 countries experienced score declines, and 7 countries recorded score improvements.
Fiji earned the report’s largest score improvement (+7 points) for 2023, followed closely by Thailand (+6 points). Thailand also moved from Not Free to Partly Free status.
Pakistan and Afghanistan suffered the largest declines (−2 points) in the region, falling to scores of 35 and 6, respectively.
New Zealand (99), Japan (96), Australia (95), and Taiwan (94) have the highest scores in the region.
China (9), Myanmar (8), North Korea (3), and Tibet (0) have the lowest scores in the region. Myanmar and Tibet both experienced new declines (−1 point) for 2023.
Overall, just 5 percent of the people in the region live in Free countries, while 39 percent live in Not Free countries.
The report identifies a number of steps that democratic governments can take to protect and expand political rights and civil liberties around the globe. The recommendations include:
Provide steady support and flexible funding to those on the front lines of the struggle against tyranny. Democratic governments and donors must increase and sustain support for those working to defend and promote fundamental freedoms around the world. Failure to do so emboldens autocrats and can result in the loss of hard-won progress.
Uphold the rights of people living in disputed territories. The events of the past year in places such as Nagorno-Karabakh and the Gaza Strip provided stark evidence that populations without self-determination are at greater risk of extreme human rights abuses or atrocities.
Protect free and fair elections in 2024. At least 40 countries—representing more than two-fifths of the world’s population—are holding national-level elections in 2024, with many more conducting other types of balloting. Free and fair elections are a cornerstone of any democracy, and independent and transparent electoral processes are necessary to foster genuine competition and public trust.
View the report’s complete recommendations here.
Click here to read the global and other regionally focused press releases: Global, Africa, Americas, Eurasia, Europe, Middle East.
To schedule an interview with Freedom House experts, please contact Maryam Iftikhar at [email protected].
Freedom House is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works to create a world where all are free. We inform the world about threats to freedom, mobilize global action, and support democracy’s defenders.
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https://freedomhouse.org/article/new-report-freedom-asia-pacific-saw-challenges-amid-attempts-undermine-election-integrity
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