ID :
99742
Wed, 01/13/2010 - 08:13
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https://www.oananews.org//node/99742
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N. Korea among nine worst countries in rights, democracy: Freedom House
By Hwang Doo-hyong
WASHINGTON, Jan. 12 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has been listed among the nine worst countries in terms of human rights and democracy, an independent human rights watchdog group said Tuesday.
"Of the 47 countries ranked Not Free, nine countries and one territory received
the survey's lowest possible rating for both political rights and civil
liberties: Burma, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan,
Tibet, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan," Freedom House said in the survey titled
"Freedom in the World 2010: Global Erosion of Freedom," which was posted in its
Web site.
The group graded nations from 1 to 7 in political and civil liberties categories,
with North Korea receiving 7 in each category. South Korea, which was designated
as "Free," got the high grade of 1 in political rights and 2 in civil liberties.
In announcing the outcome of its annual survey, which designated 89 countries as
"Free," 58 as "Partly Free" and 47 as "Not Free," the rights advocacy group
deplored the finding that "For the fourth consecutive year, global declines in
freedom outweighed gains in 2009."
"This represents the longest continuous period of decline for global freedom in
the nearly 40-year history of the report," it said, adding "Five countries moved
into Not Free status, and the number of electoral democracies declined to the
lowest level since 1995."
The report cited "the growing pressures on journalists and new media,
restrictions on freedom of association, and repression aimed at civic activists
engaged in promoting political reform and respect for human rights."
The Middle East "remained the most repressive region in the world, and some
countries that had previously moved forward slipped back from Partly Free into
the Not Free category," it said. "Africa suffered the most significant declines,
and four countries experienced coups."
"The news for 2009 is cause for real concern," said Arch Puddington, Freedom
House director of research. "The decline is global, affects countries with
military and economic power, affects countries that had previously shown signs of
reform potential, and is accompanied by enhanced persecution of political
dissidents and independent journalists."
hdh@yna.co.kr
(END)
WASHINGTON, Jan. 12 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has been listed among the nine worst countries in terms of human rights and democracy, an independent human rights watchdog group said Tuesday.
"Of the 47 countries ranked Not Free, nine countries and one territory received
the survey's lowest possible rating for both political rights and civil
liberties: Burma, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan,
Tibet, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan," Freedom House said in the survey titled
"Freedom in the World 2010: Global Erosion of Freedom," which was posted in its
Web site.
The group graded nations from 1 to 7 in political and civil liberties categories,
with North Korea receiving 7 in each category. South Korea, which was designated
as "Free," got the high grade of 1 in political rights and 2 in civil liberties.
In announcing the outcome of its annual survey, which designated 89 countries as
"Free," 58 as "Partly Free" and 47 as "Not Free," the rights advocacy group
deplored the finding that "For the fourth consecutive year, global declines in
freedom outweighed gains in 2009."
"This represents the longest continuous period of decline for global freedom in
the nearly 40-year history of the report," it said, adding "Five countries moved
into Not Free status, and the number of electoral democracies declined to the
lowest level since 1995."
The report cited "the growing pressures on journalists and new media,
restrictions on freedom of association, and repression aimed at civic activists
engaged in promoting political reform and respect for human rights."
The Middle East "remained the most repressive region in the world, and some
countries that had previously moved forward slipped back from Partly Free into
the Not Free category," it said. "Africa suffered the most significant declines,
and four countries experienced coups."
"The news for 2009 is cause for real concern," said Arch Puddington, Freedom
House director of research. "The decline is global, affects countries with
military and economic power, affects countries that had previously shown signs of
reform potential, and is accompanied by enhanced persecution of political
dissidents and independent journalists."
hdh@yna.co.kr
(END)
