THE CAUCASUS AND THAT THING CALLED FREEDOM
EurasiaNet.org
Jan 19 2012
NY
An annual global freedom checkup by the Washington, DC-based democracy
watchdog Freedom House suggests that, whatever impact the Arab Spring
has made worldwide over the past year, it has not hit front and center
in the South Caucasus’ neck of the woods.
Azerbaijan, the region’s richest and largest country, was again
rated as a “not free” country, and trending downhill. Both Armenia
and Georgia have been classified as “partly free.”
The report also suggests the existence of some stagnation; measurements
for two key categories, Political Freedom and Civil Liberties,
remained unchanged from last year for all three countries.
Azerbaijan continues to take the flak for roughshod treatment of
the media and political critics. But sitting on an embarrassment of
hydrocarbon wealth, the country is in no hurry to change its ways.
Behind the maquillage of spruced-up buildings and streets in Baku,
rights groups see a ruling political dynasty plagued by rampant
nepotism and corruption.
The Armenian government, meanwhile, is too busy with domestic political
battles and constant exchange with Azerbaijan to let its press go
fully free, the report found. Save for a few exceptions, the national
airwaves are essentially controlled by the establishment, the New-York
City-based Committee to Protest Journalists attested in 2011.
Georgia, not exactly a beacon of liberty, is the freest; or, rather,
“partly” freest. The country arguably might have done better in the
rankings had it not arrested prominent photographers on spying charges
and handled a May 2011 opposition demonstration more civilly.
Freedom House also rated the region’s three separatist territories,
but they do not make the overall picture any brighter. Nagorno Karabakh
is doing as badly as the country that claims it, Azerbaijan.
Russian-guarded Abkhazia and, especially, South Ossetia are both
doing far worse than their claimant, Georgia, according to the report.
In a nutshell, there is not a single truly free place in the Caucasus
and vicinity. Russia is just as “not free” as Azerbaijan. “Partly free”
Turkey (apparently, slightly less “partly” so than Georgia and Armenia)
is as good as it gets.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Disclaimer: This article was contributed and translated into English by Emil Lazarian. While we strive for quality, the views and accuracy of the content remain the responsibility of the contributor. Please verify all facts independently before reposting or citing.
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