ARMENIA TO APPEAR IN THE LIST OF "NON-FREE" COUNTRIES

A1+
[01:59 pm] 18 January, 2007

According to annual reports of Freedom House Organisation Armenia
has appeared in the list of "partially free" countries. This year the
situation is even grave as the country is likely to join "non-free"
countries.

"Armenia is on the borderline of "partially free" and "non-free"
countries. The indexes are the reflection of drawbacks in a number of
important spheres. Let’s take the general atmosphere in the press as
an illustration", the director of Freedom House informed Radio Liberty.

Another tendency which has aroused great concern in Armenia is the
agitation of oligarchs. Freedom House intends to watch the upcoming
elections in Armenia, namely their organization, the level of citizens’
participation and the work of journalists.

As for the report, it is due to mention that the term "partially free"
countries implies that the fundamental freedoms and rights of the
citizens of the above-mentioned countries are not fully ensured.

Alongside with this, corruption is an apparent phenomenon in these
countries, the power is concentrated in the hands of one political
force and the attributes of civil society are rather weak.

By the way, Georgia and Turkey are also recognized as "partially
free" countries, though they are a step ahead in comparison with
Armenia. Azerbaijan, Iran and Russia are also in the list of "non-free"
countries.