PPJ- 16 January, 2018
Turkey has fallen under the “Not Free” category for the first time in the “Freedom in the World”, report has been published by Freedom House for 18 years.
According to the report, democracy faced serious challenges in 2017 all around the world as the most fundamental rights including the rights of minorities, media freedom and the rule of law came under attack. Especially, pressure on the rule of law and media freedom in the US during the Trump era have intensified the crisis.
Out of 195 countries in the report, 88 is categorized as “free”, 58 “partly free and 49 “not free”.
Turkey’s decline into “not free” from “partly free” is announced as a significant development in the report. Along with the dire consequences of the failed coup attempt, closing media outlets, seizing businesses of dissidents, the massive purge and crackdown on the Kurdish opposition have resulted in restrictions of freedom in the country according to the report.
