Democracy, human rights face biggest threat for decades, study finds
Only 3.5% of the world's population enjoy unrestricted civil rights and liberties, according to data from international civil society organizations published on Monday.
The Atlas of Civil Society, published by the German relief organization Brot für die Welt (Bread for the World), found that 40 countries around the world respect all civil liberties, while the majority of people live with certain to severe restrictions on their rights.
Brot für die Welt draws on data collected by the Civicus network of civil society organizations worldwide for its annual report covering 197 countries and territories.
Over the last year, the protection of civil rights has deteriorated in nine countries, and improved in nine others, the atlas found.
"Democracy and human rights are under attack worldwide in a way we have not seen for decades. The rule of law, the separation of powers and protection against state arbitrariness are under threat or no longer exist in more and more countries," said Dagmar Pruin, president of Brot für die Welt.
The atlas divides countries into five categories. In the 40 countries listed in the top category as "open," the state guarantees all civil liberties.
Less than half of all EU countries - 12 in total - fall into this category. They include Austria, Estonia and the Scandinavian countries. New Zealand and Jamaica are also classified as "open."
Some 42 countries making up 11.1% of the world's population are listed in the second category, where civil rights are classified as "impaired." These include Germany, Slovakia, Argentina and the United States.
In these countries, the rights to freedom of assembly and expression are largely respected, but there are recorded violations.
The atlas classifies 35 countries, representing 12.9% of the world's population as "restricted." According to the report, civil society organizations in the countries are harassed and the police often use violence on assemblies. Several European countries appear in this category, including Greece, the United Kingdom, Hungary and Ukraine.
Civil society is considered "oppressed" in 51 countries, including Algeria, Mexico and Turkey. In these countries, governments monitor, imprison or kill critics, and exercise censorship, according to the data.
Finally, Russia and 28 other countries are classified as "closed" and characterized by an "atmosphere of fear." Criticism of the government or regime in these countries is severely punished.
A total of 29.9% of people worldwide live under these conditions, for example in Belarus, the Palestinian Territories, the United Arab Emirates and Vietnam.
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