A new study has found that “democracy and human rights are under attack everywhere in a way we have not seen for decades,” but only 40 of the world’s 3,5 percent of people respect all civil liberties.
Only 284 million people living in “open” nations, including Austria, Estonia, the Scandinavian nations, New Zealand, and Jamaica, are protected by unrestricted civil rights and liberties, according to the Atlas of Civil Society report released on Monday by the German relief organization Brot fur die Welt (Bread for the World).
A country is considered “open” if it “allows people to form associations without legal or practical barriers, demonstrate in public spaces, receive information, and are permitted to distribute it,” according to the nongovernmental organization.
A second category, which includes civil rights, is included in the list of 42 nations that make up 11.1 percent of the global population. Germany, Slovakia, Argentina, and the US are among them.
Although there have been numerous reports of violations, the rights to freedom of assembly and expression are largely upheld in these nations.
“Restricted, suppressed, or closed”
“In contrast, countries with closed-minded, suppressed, or restricted civil society make up 85 percent of the world’s population. Nearly 7 billion people are affected by this, according to the report.
Their governments harass, detain, or kill critical voices, severely restricting civil liberties. 115 out of 197 nations are covered by this, it added.
Greece, the United Kingdom, Hungary, and Ukraine are just a few examples of the European nations that fall under the “restricted” category.
In 51 nations, including Algeria, Mexico, and Turkey, civil society is viewed as “oppressed.” According to the data, governments in these nations monitor, imprison, or kill critics and impose censorship.
Finally, 28 other nations are categorized as “closed” and are considered to be.
characterized by an “atmosphere of fear” criticism of the administration
or regime in these nations is harshly punished.
For its annual report, which includes 197 nations and territories, Brot fur die Welt based on data gathered by the Civicus network of civil society organizations around the world.
Jamaica, Japan, Slovenia, Trinidad and Tobago, Botswana, Fiji, Liberia, Poland, and Bangladesh were the nine nations whose freedom of expression ratings last year improved.
Georgia, Burkinabe, Kenya, Peru, Ethiopia, Eswatini, the Netherlands, Mongolia, and the Palestinian territory are all downgraded from the previous year, along with nine others.
Source: Aljazeera
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