World Internet freedom deteriorating - Freedom House

Internet freedom around the world has declined for the 14th consecutive year. Censorship and content manipulation have undermined the ability of voters to make informed decisions in elections around the world. This is stated in a report by the human rights organization 'Freedom House' for the period from June 2023 to May 2024.

It is reported that of the 72 countries covered by the report ‘Internet Freedom 2024’, the protection of human rights on the Internet has weakened in 27 and improved in 18.

Countries with scores 100-70 are considered ‘free’, 69-40 are considered ‘partly free’, and countries with scores 39-0 are considered ‘unfree’. Barriers to Internet access, content restrictions and violations of users' rights were taken into account in calculating the rankings.

Azerbaijan and its neighbors

With 34 points Azerbaijan is again among the ‘unfree’ countries, having lost 3 points as compared to the last year. Belarus, Iraq and Zimbabwe are on a par with Azerbaijan, losing 3 points each. The biggest drop was achieved by Kyrgyzstan - 4 points.

Azerbaijan's neighbors Russia, Turkey and Iran were also among the ‘unfree’ countries. At the same time, Georgia and Armenia are classified as ‘free’ countries with 74 points.

The report says that during the military operation in Karabakh in September 2023, several people, including former diplomat Emin Ibragimov, were detained in Baku for a month. This was due to publications on social media criticizing the operation or calling for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

Officially, Baku restored its territorial integrity during this military operation. This was followed by mass migration of Armenians from Karabakh. Although Armenia called it ‘ethnic cleansing’, Baku rejected these claims as saying that it had presented a reintegration plan to the Armenians.

Former diplomat E. Ibragimov was detained in July this year, this time on charges of hooliganism.

Freedom House also notes that pro-government commentators in authoritarian countries have mobilized to portray the ‘shameful’ rigged elections as free and fair. It is emphasized that Azerbaijan invited content creators from around the world to the snap Presidential election held in February this year and paid for their travel and stay in Baku. The election is said to have been heavily manipulated for the sake of President Ilham Aliyev's victory, and legitimacy was given to the election by funding fake election observation missions, the report says.

The report emphasizes that Internet freedom in Eurasia has deteriorated and Russia has the lowest score in the region at 20. The Kremlin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has hit Internet freedom in that country as the Russian army has destroyed Internet infrastructure and established a sophisticated censorship regime in the occupied territories.

Myanmar and China are considered to be the countries with the world’s worst Internet freedom conditions.