Asia-Pacific

Over the past five years, the Asia-Pacific region has been the only one to record steady gains in political rights and civil liberties as measured by Freedom House. Although it is home to China, where over half the world’s Not Free population lives, and North Korea, the least free country in the world, a number of Asia-Pacific countries have made impressive gains in the institutions of electoral democracy—elections, political parties, pluralism—and in freedom of association. Nonetheless, problems persist regarding many fundamental rights, and Freedom House supports local civil society groups throughout Southeast Asia in promoting and advocating the work of human rights defenders.

Countries & Territories: 43
3.9 billion people
44% free
Press:
5% free

Percent computed by population. Population source data.

News & Updates

Press Release

الحرية فى العالم 2013: مكاسب الشرق الاوسط تحدث قمع مكثف

Jan 22 2013 - 10:37am

يعتبر  ظهور  الحركات الشعبية الاصلاحية القوة الدافعة وراء تحقيق مكاسب كبيرة فى الشرق الاوسط  التقرير السنوى لمؤسسة بيت الحرية   2013 حول حالة الحرية فى العالم  " . وقد شهدت عدد من المناطق انتكاسات كان السبب الرئيسى ورائها تشدد ودهاء الانظمة المستبدة  فى طريقة تعاطيها مع تلك الحركات الاصلاحية . وقد اعلن السيد  "أرش ﺑودﻳﻧﺟﺗون" نائب رئيس قسم الابحاث بمؤسسة بيت الحرية ان "النتائج التى توصلنا اليها تشير الى ان هناك تطور متزايد  لما يسمى بالمتسلطين  الجدد  " الذين يتمتعون بالمرونة ويسيئون استخدام الاطار التشريعى للدولة  لدعم حكمهم , ولديهم مهارة في تقنيات الدعاية الحديثة, ويتسمون بالعصبية التى تدفعهم لاضطهاد  الحركات الشعبية للتغيير  .

Regions: 
Americas, Asia-Pacific, Central and Eastern Europe/Eurasia, Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, Western Europe
China Media Bulletin

Special Feature: The 'Southern Weekly’ Controversy

Jan 18 2013 - 4:59pm

Freedom House’s weekly update of press freedom and censorship news related to the People’s Republic of China

The ‘Southern Weekly’ Controversy
* Censored New Year’s article sparks revolt at ‘Southern Weekly’
* Impasse draws wave of public support for free speech
* Authorities clamp down, defend media controls
* ‘Southern Weekly’ returns to ‘normal’
* What it all means

Issues: 
Freedom of Expression, Internet Freedom, Media Freedom
Regions: 
Asia-Pacific
News update

Freedom in the World 2013 Finds Democracy Declined for Seventh Straight Year

Jan 18 2013 - 1:30pm

Findings from Freedom in the World 2013, Freedom House's annual report on the state of global freedom, reveal that democracy declined worldwide for the seventh straight year in 2012.  Despite this decline, Freedom House Director of Research Arch Puddington noted at the Freedom in the World 2013 launch that “the major message of the year is one of potential and opportunity.”

Regions: 
Asia-Pacific, Central and Eastern Europe/Eurasia, Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa
In the News

Video: Global Freedom 2013

Jan 18 2013 - 10:38am


Which countries are up, which are down, and what exactly does "freedom" mean anyway? Arch Puddington speaks in-depth about the Freedom in the World 2013   report to Huffington Post Live.

Unable to watch the video? Visit live.huffingtonpost.com/r/segment/freedom-house-report-2013/50f6f56102a76015cd000290

Regions: 
Americas, Asia-Pacific, Central and Eastern Europe/Eurasia, Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa

Experts

Ariel Herrera

Senior Program Officer, Dignity for All: LGBTI Assistance Program


Issues: 
Civil Society, Human Rights Defense, LGBTI Rights
Regions: 
Asia-Pacific

Sarah Cook

Senior Research Analyst for "Freedom on the Net" and East Asia


Issues: 
Internet Freedom
Regions: 
Asia-Pacific

Karin Deutsch Karlekar

Project Director of "Freedom of the Press"


Issues: 
Media Freedom
Regions: 
Asia-Pacific, Sub-Saharan Africa
Afghanistan
33 million people
Press:
Not Free
Status
Not Free
Scores Overview
6.0 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Australia
22 million people
Internet:
Free
Press:
Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
1.0 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
18 / 100 (least free)
Internet Freedom
Bangladesh
153 million people
Press:
Partly Free
Status
Partly Free
Scores Overview
3.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Bhutan
708 thousand people
Press:
Partly Free
Status
Partly Free
Scores Overview
4.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Brunei
413 thousand people
Press:
Not Free
Status
Not Free
Scores Overview
5.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Burma
55 million people
Internet:
Not Free
Press:
Not Free
Status
Not Free
Scores Overview
5.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
75 / 100 (least free)
Internet Freedom
Cambodia
15 million people
Press:
Not Free
Status
Not Free
Scores Overview
5.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
China
1.4 billion people
Internet:
Not Free
Press:
Not Free
Status
Not Free
Scores Overview
6.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
85 / 100 (least free)
Internet Freedom
Taiwan
23 million people
Press:
Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
1.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Fiji
844 thousand people
Press:
Partly Free
Status
Partly Free
Scores Overview
5.0 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
India
1.3 billion people
Internet:
Partly Free
Press:
Partly Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
2.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
39 / 100 (least free)
Internet Freedom
Indonesia
241 million people
Internet:
Partly Free
Press:
Partly Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
2.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
42 / 100 (least free)
Internet Freedom
Japan
128 million people
Press:
Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
1.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
North Korea
25 million people
Press:
Not Free
Status
Not Free
Scores Overview
7.0 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
South Korea
49 million people
Internet:
Partly Free
Press:
Partly Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
1.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
34 / 100 (least free)
Internet Freedom
Laos
6.5 million people
Press:
Not Free
Status
Not Free
Scores Overview
6.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Malaysia
29 million people
Internet:
Partly Free
Press:
Not Free
Status
Partly Free
Scores Overview
4.0 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
43 / 100 (least free)
Internet Freedom
Maldives
331 thousand people
Press:
Partly Free
Status
Partly Free
Scores Overview
4.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Mongolia
2.9 million people
Press:
Partly Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
1.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Nepal
31 million people
Press:
Partly Free
Status
Partly Free
Scores Overview
4.0 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
New Zealand
4.4 million people
Press:
Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
1.0 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Pakistan
180 million people
Internet:
Not Free
Press:
Not Free
Status
Partly Free
Scores Overview
4.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
63 / 100 (least free)
Internet Freedom
Papua New Guinea
7 million people
Press:
Free
Status
Partly Free
Scores Overview
3.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Philippines
96 million people
Internet:
Free
Press:
Partly Free
Status
Partly Free
Scores Overview
3.0 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
23 / 100 (least free)
Internet Freedom
Solomon Islands
552 thousand people
Press:
Free
Status
Partly Free
Scores Overview
3.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Sri Lanka
21 million people
Internet:
Partly Free
Press:
Not Free
Status
Partly Free
Scores Overview
4.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
55 / 100 (least free)
Internet Freedom
Thailand
70 million people
Internet:
Not Free
Press:
Partly Free
Status
Partly Free
Scores Overview
4.0 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
61 / 100 (least free)
Internet Freedom
Vanuatu
258 thousand people
Press:
Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
2.0 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Vietnam
89 million people
Internet:
Not Free
Press:
Not Free
Status
Not Free
Scores Overview
6.0 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
73 / 100 (least free)
Internet Freedom
New Caledonia
Scores Overview

Countries and Territories

Afghanistan
Australia
Bangladesh
Bhutan
Brunei
Burma
Cambodia
China
East Timor
Fiji
Hong Kong
India
Indian Kashmir
Indonesia
Japan
Kiribati
Laos
Malaysia
Maldives
Marshall Islands
Micronesia
Mongolia
Nauru
Nepal
New Zealand
North Korea
Pakistan
Pakistani Kashmir
Palau
Papua New Guinea
Philippines
Samoa
Singapore
Solomon Islands
South Korea
Sri Lanka
Taiwan
Thailand
Tibet
Tonga
Tuvalu
Vanuatu
Vietnam

Programs

The Lifeline: Embattled CSO Assistance Fund

The Lifeline Embattled CSO Assistance Fund provides emergency financial assistance to civil society organizations (CSOs) under threat or attack and advocacy support responding to broader threats to civil society. 

Issues: 
Civil Society, Human Rights Defense
Regions: 
Americas, Asia-Pacific, Central and Eastern Europe/Eurasia, Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, Western Europe

Dignity for All: LGBTI Assistance Program

The Dignity for All: LGBTI Assistance Program provides emergency funds, advocacy support, and security assistance to human rights defenders and civil society organizations under threat or attack due to their work for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) human rights.

Issues: 
Civil Society, Human Rights Defense, LGBTI Rights
Regions: 
Americas, Asia-Pacific, Central and Eastern Europe/Eurasia, Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, Western Europe

Emergency Assistance Programs

Freedom House administers several funds which offer emergency assistance to organizations and individuals around the world who are under threat because of their human rights work. The targeted, rapid-response aid we provide enables those at risk to protect themselves and continue their important work.

Issues: 
Civil Society, Human Rights Defense, LGBTI Rights
Regions: 
Americas, Asia-Pacific, Central and Eastern Europe/Eurasia, Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, Western Europe

Cambodia

In Cambodia, Freedom House enhances indigenous expertise in conducting policy research and analysis on critical issues through targeted trainings and on-going capacity building.

Issues: 
Democratic Governance
Regions: 
Asia-Pacific

Southeast Asia Human Rights

Freedom House supports civil society groups’ efforts to actively engage ASEAN’s human rights mechanism, the ASEAN Inter-Governmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) and provides opportunities for strategic exchanges and knowledge-sharing sessions among activists.

Issues: 
Freedom of Association, Freedom of Expression, Intergovernmental Bodies, Media Freedom
Regions: 
Asia-Pacific