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Freedom in the World 2013

Freedom in the World 2013. Akimi Miki Taku Omori Emiri Kigasawa. 2 Trends in the Middle East. 1. Democratic movement 2. Authoritarian response Marks the seven consecutive year in which countries with decline outnumbered those with improvments Free: increased by three

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Freedom in the World 2013

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  1. Freedom in the World 2013 Akimi Miki Taku Omori EmiriKigasawa

  2. 2 Trends in the Middle East 1. Democratic movement 2. Authoritarian response Marks the seven consecutive year in which countries with decline outnumbered those with improvments Free: increased by three =90 Free countries

  3. Development in Egypt Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Gain for freedom were threated by opposition from governments, security forces, ruling families, or religiously based political factions. Notable but flawed Despite the shift to civilian rule and energy of civil society, the country faced daunting problems

  4. MENA More countries endured declines than made gains in 2012 Syria: murderous war waged Optimistic? Tunisia & Libya: expelled longtime dictators Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamist groups Middle Eastern Countries: resilient and willing to push for freedom

  5. Reaction of the Authoritarian Leaders Events in the Middle East Ongoing campaign in Russia, Venezuela, and Iran

  6. Freedom’s Trajectory in 2012 • Gains: 16, declines: 28 • Greatest gains in the past five years is in Asia-Pacific and MENA regions. Most declines in sub-Saharan Africa. • Major developments and trends: • Volatility in West Africa • Gulf State Retreat • Civil Liberties at Risk in Turkey • Muslim-on-Muslim Violence

  7. Volatility in West Africa

  8. Gulf State Retreat Past seven years: steady decline in democratic institutions and increase in repressive policies

  9. Civil Liberties in Turkey Prime Minister RecepTayyip Erdogan Recently: prosecutions Turkey: most number of journalists behind bars

  10. Muslim-on-Muslim Violence

  11. Analysis of Regional Trends

  12. Middle East and North Africa (MENA) • Positive results over all though some setbacks • Positive Movements • Libya Not Free -> Partly Free/Political Rights 7 -> 4/ Civil Liberties 6 -> 5 • Held successful elections (candidates from differing backgrounds) • Growth in freedom of expression and civic activity • Increased transparency in constitution drafting • Egypt Not Free -> Partly Free/ Political Rights 6 -> 5 / Civil Liberties 5 • Transition of power from armed forces to an elected leader • -> Though issues with the election and the elected leader • Israel Free / Political Rights 1 / Civil Liberties 2 • Movements of restricting certain rights were mostly stopped by either one of the 3 powers

  13. MENA (2) Negative movements observed in the MENA region • Syria Not Free / Political Rights 7 / Civil Liberties 7 / Downward Trend • Violent reaction against demands for political change • Targeted attacks on Sunni Muslims • Lebanon Partly Free / Political Rights 5 / Civil Liberties 4 / Downward Trend • Attacks and restrictions on journalists, activists, and refugees • Groups who took sides in Syrian conflict under increased repression • Iraq Not Free / Political Rights 5 -> 6 / Civil Liberties 6 • Increased concentration of power to Prime Minister Maliki • Increased pressure towards opposition parties and individual

  14. Sub-Saharan Africa Many Positive movements observed but not enough to counterweight negative movements • Lesotho Partly Free -> Free / Political Rights 3 -> 2 / Civil Liberties 3 • Successful free and fair parliamentary elections • Peaceful transition of power to incoming leaders • Sierra Leone Partly Free -> Free / Political Rights 3 -> 2 / Civil Liberties 3 • Successful free and fair elections • Reformed electoral institutions proved functional without international influence • Senegal Partly Free -> Free / Political Rights 3 -> 2 / Civil Liberties 3 • Peaceful power transition through Presidential and Parliamentary elections • Efforts by the President to increase governmental accountability & transparency • Cote d’Ivoire Not Free -> Partly Free / Political Rights 6 -> 5 / Civil Liberties 6 -> 5 • Peaceful inauguration of new parliament • Movements to increase in transparency and prevention of corruption Other countries Guinea and Malawi

  15. Sub-Saharan Africa (2) Negative movements in the region • Mali Free -> Not Free / Political Rights 2 -> 7 / Civil Liberties 3 -> 5 • Overthrow of democratically elected President by military coup • Repression of the media, political actors, freedom of movement in the south • Northern regions occupied by militants • Nigeria Partly Free / Political Rights 4 / Civil Liberties 4 / Downward Trend • High level of continued corruption • Suppression of civil society • Restrictions on freedom of movement • Central African Republic Partly Free / Political Rights 5 / Civil Liberties 5 / Downward Trend • Take over of over half of its territory by rebel groups • Repression against freedom of expression and assembly in rebel held areas • Kenya Partly Free / Political Rights 4 / Civil Liberties 3 -> 4 • Increased ethnic and religious violence • Increased violence due to counter-terrorism measures Other countries Gambia, Uganda, Madagascar etc.

  16. Central and Eastern Europe/ Eurasia Negative movements overall • Negative Movements • Russia Not Free / Political Rights 6 / Civil Liberties 5 / Downward Trend • Increased restrictions on public protest, NGOs, & free expression on the internet • Strong restrictions on foreign funding within Russia • Ukraine Partly Free / Political Rights 4 / Civil Liberties 3 / Downward trend • Decline in its quality of elections • Increased pressure on the opposition by the authority • Neglect of minorities • Positive Movements • Georgia Partly Free / Political Rights 3 -> 4 / Civil Liberties 3 • Winning of elections by the opposition party • First democratic transition of power to the opposition party • Armenia Partly Free / Political Rights 6 -> 5 / Civil Liberties 4 • Peaceful elections • Entry of an opposition party to the legislature

  17. Asia Pacific Positive movements overall • Burma Not Free / Political Rights 7 -> 6 / Civil Liberties 6 -> 5 • Participation of the opposition party in parliamentary elections • Easing of restrictions on media, private discussion, public assembly, private enterprise • China Not Free / Political Rights 7 / Civil Liberties 6 • Continued restrictions on censorship, suppression of minorities, and grassroots surveillance • But Large number of ordinary citizens and high profile opposition leaders assert rights and challenge injustice • Mongolia Free / Political Rights 2 -> 1 / Civil Liberties 2 • Increase in the fairness and competitiveness of parliamentary elections • Bhutan Partly Free / Political Rights 4 / Civil Liberties 5 / Upward Trend • Improved freeness and fairness of elections

  18. AMERICAS

  19. AMERICAS VENEZUELA: Partly free, Political Rights: 5, Civil liberties: 5 Former Venezuelan president, Hugo Chávez has been a significant figure. Chávez’s propagation of “21st-century socialism” (Oil revenues at home and abroad). Chávez’s 2012 reelection (Chavez vs. Radonski) Chávez’s tactics: Massive use of state resources Distribution of household goods to voters Intimidation of punishment to opposing voters.

  20. AMERICAS • Suffered declines in their democratic performance. • ECUADOR: Partly free, political rights: 3, civil liberties: 3 • Widespread irregularities in the constitutionally mandated registration process for political organizations. • Change to the seat-allocation formula for the national legislature that favors the ruling party. • PARAGUAY: Partly free, political rights: 3, civil liberties: 3 • Impeachment of President Fernando Lugo, leading his citizens to have no opportunity for debate. • SURINAME: Free, political rights: 2, civil liberties: 2 • 1982 murder of 15 political opponents by President Desiré Bouterse and other suspects.

  21. WESTERN EUROPE

  22. WESTERN EUROPE GREECE: Free, political rights: 2, civil liberties: 2 Influx of immigrants and the impact of the financial crisis. Street violence: No protection to immigrants and those advocating for their rights. Peak of the popularity of nationalist political movements in Europe.

  23. WESTERN EUROPE The countries of EU have gone through the most serious economic downturn. Those countries kept their respect for democratic standards and civil liberties.

  24. EUROPEANS’ RESPONSE TO IMMIGRATION • Reluctant of elevating anti-immigrant parties to national leadership roles • Hostility to migrants still remains. • No responsibility to implement rational and humane policies for immigrants. • The continued ambivalence of European societies toward ethnic minorities • The unwillingness of European political leaders to advance policies

  25. WESTERN EUROPE • GREAT BRITAIN: Free, political rights: 1, civil liberties: 1 • “Phone-hacking” scandal • Journalists were accused of abusing privacy rights with police and others by pursuing sensationalistic stories. • The creation of a new, independent body to deal with press abuse was suggested by commission of inquiry. • This plan is opposed by the press and media freedom organizations.

  26. NORTH AMERICA • UNITED STATES: Free, political rights: 1, civil liberties: 1 • U.S Presidential election • President Obama defeated the Republican candidate Mitt Romney. • Disappointing economy, unemployment, massive budget deficit. • Strong support for Obama from ethnic minority populations. • Higher taxes on the rich

  27. NORTH AMERICA • Antiterrorism • Obama was criticized by civil libertarians for his country’s expansive use of unmanned aircraft to kill suspected terrorists • Still, his approach to the war on terrorism has been receiving support from U.S citizens and members of Congress.

  28. NORTH AMERICA • Same-sex marriage • The president supports the same-sex marriage • Three more states affirmed equal marriage rights • Existing ban on same-sex marriage rights

  29. CONCLUSION: LIBYA • LIBYA: Not free →Partly free, Political rights: 4, Civil liberties: 5 • Most impressive gains • The world’s most repressive regime under the control of Qaddafi until 2011. • After civil war and nation building… • Elected government, wide-ranging freedoms, and a leadership with accountable rule and openness • The U.S role in Libya’s liberation: Obama’s foreign policy accomplishments.

  30. CONCLUSION: DEMOCRATIZATION OF THE POSTCOMMUNIST WORLD • The Baltics and the Balkans • Enjoy the level of political rights and civil liberties • They were under the communist domination for decades until EU’s adoption of democratic standards

  31. CONCLUSION: DEMOCRATIZATION OF THE POSTCOMMUNIST WORLD • RUSSIA: Not free, political rights: 6, civil liberties: 5 • CHINA: Not free, political rights: 7, civil liberties: 6 • Maintain their repressive regimes • Condemn the values of open societies • Block international action to prevent themselves from democratization.

  32. CONCLUSION: PROBLEMS OF U.S AND OTHER DEMOCRACIES U.S reluctance of intervention to democratize non-democratic nations. President Obama’s desire to focus on domestic issues Financial crisis in Europe

  33. CONCLUSION: STRATEGIES FOR DEMOCRATIZATION • Several strategies for democratization: • Commitment to bolster and protect thinkers and activists who will possibly change the societies • Leaders should cooperate with leading regime and critics and activists • Declare the determination to support people who wish for democracy in non-democratic nations

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