Freedom in the World 2024 report reflects depopulation of Nagorno-Karabakh

The Freedom House published the "Freedom in the World 2024" report, in which it was noted that in 2023, freedom in the world declined for the 18th year in a row. Political rights and civil liberties have been violated in 52 countries, and only 21 countries have recorded improvement.

 

The document referred to the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh last year. The report noted that Nagorno-Karabakh experienced the greatest decline in freedom within a year "as a result of the blockade, armed attack and ethnic cleansing by the Azerbaijani regime".

 

"Nagorno-Karabakh suffered its steepest drop in rating in a year, losing 40 points, when almost its entire population of 120,000 ethnic Armenians were forced to flee under heavy pressure from Azerbaijan's armed forces. As a result, the previously considered "partially free" region was classified as "not free", the report states.

 

The document says that the capture of Nagorno-Karabakh has boosted Aliyev's profile in the country, "who has been leading Azerbaijan since inheriting it from his father in 2003." According to the report, there is a fear that Azerbaijan may launch a large-scale invasion of Armenia, whose borders it has already violated.

 

The report also emphasized that since the 1990s, the Azerbaijani government has pursued a discriminatory policy against ethnic Armenians, restricting their entry into the country, and recent events in Nagorno-Karabakh took place against the background of deepening authoritarianism in Azerbaijan.

 

In the Armenia section of the report, it was noted that after the ceasefire in November 2020, Russia tried to strengthen its influence on the Armenian government. However, Armenia is diversifying its international security partnerships.

 

In the report, Armenia received 54 points out of 100 and was ranked as "partially free". Georgia was also considered a "partially free" country with 58 points.

 

Turkey received 33 points, Russia - 13, Iran - 11 and Azerbaijan - 7. These countries were among the "not free". Nagorno Karabakh received -3 points.