Armenia Leads South Caucasus in Freedom House Rankings

WASHINGTON, DC  — Armenia continues to hold a leading position in the South Caucasus in terms of human rights, although no significant progress has been recorded in recent years, according to a report by the Washington-based human rights organization Freedom House. Updated data from the report were published last Friday.

Armenia scored 54 out of a possible 100 points in the global freedom ranking. The country’s score has remained unchanged since 2023, when it declined by one point from 55. Freedom House rated Armenia’s political rights at 23 out of 40 and civil liberties at 31 out of 60, classifying the country as “partly free.”

For the first time, Armenia has surpassed its northern neighbor Georgia, which received a score of 51 this year, down from 58 two years ago. Analysts and local opposition groups attribute Georgia’s decline to democratic backsliding.

Among other countries in the region, Turkey scored 32 points and was classified as “not free.” Azerbaijan received just 6 points, ranking among the lowest globally—10th from the bottom among sovereign states—and placing it alongside countries such as Syria and Afghanistan. Iran scored slightly higher, with 10 points. Notably, the lowest-ranked country still classified as “free” is Lesotho, with 67 points.

In a separate Freedom House report on internet freedom, Armenia scored 72 points last year and was classified as “free.”

The human rights situation in Armenia was also assessed by Human Rights Watch, which noted mixed progress. While the organization positively evaluated government efforts to combat corruption and implement legal reforms, it expressed concern over ineffective investigations into police violence, the misuse of pretrial detention, and limited progress in addressing domestic violence.