Human rights activists classify Azerbaijan as a strengthened autocracy

The international human rights organization Freedom House has published its annual report “Countries in Transition 2023”. The study notes that democratic governance is in decline from Central Europe to Asia.

Regarding Azerbaijan, the report states that in its rating the country is ahead of only Turkmenistan and Tajikistan. These three countries ended up in the top eight states with "strengthened autocracy."

According to the authors of the report, the state structures of Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan are practically devoid of "democratic qualities." It is also noted that the citizens of these countries suffer from the parochialism of the ruling elites.

Armenia and Georgia, as well as Ukraine and Moldova, are referred to as “hybrid regimes” in the study.

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