Armenia “Partly Free” Since 1998

Freedom House has published its 2015 ratings on Armenia as part of its annual ‘Freedom in the World’ report, which measures civil and political rights in every nation and significant disputed territory. Armenia’s status has remained at “Partly Free” since the first report in 1998, though overall ratings have slightly declined by between one half point to one point on the 7-point scale.

The 2015 report saw no notable changes in the Electoral Process, Associational and Organizational Rights, Rule of Law, or Personal Autonomy and Individual Rights.

Minimal improvement was reported in the spheres of Political Pluralism and Participation, Functioning of Government, and Freedom of Expression and Belief.

From the first 1998 report until the early 2000s, ratings for Freedom, Civil Liberties, and Political Rights remained stagnant at 4 on a scale of 1-7 (with 1 being the most free, 7 being the least free). A slight decline began in 2005 with numbers wavering towards 5, with Political Rights hitting a low at 6 in 2011-2. Numbers have since remained at the 4-5 range, never improving beyond a 4.

Freedom House also rated Nagorno-Karabakh as more free than Azerbaijan, which has been declining in ratings.