Freedom House Declares Vietnam “Not Free” in 2017 Report
In its newest report, Freedom in the World 2017, Freedom House has once again decided that Vietnam is “Not Free.”
Many other Asian countries, including all of Vietnam’s neighbors, received the same designation, reflecting the larger trends of repression of freedom of expression and the violations of human rights seen in Asia and other regions in recent years. Thirty-six percent of people on Earth are living in nations labeled “Not Free,” and Freedom House noted that world freedoms have been falling for more than a decade now.
Screenshot of Asia map, with green indicating “Free,” yellow “Partly Free,” and purple “Not Free.” Source: Freedom House, 2017, Freedom in the World 2017.
Vietnam scored 7/7 for political rights and 5/7 for civil liberties, with seven being the worst score. It’s aggregate score was also very low, at 20/100, with 0 being the worst score.
The report also speaks to the questions arising from the US elections in late 2016, and the rise of populist and nationalist sentiments in the US, Europe, and elsewhere, and their potential impacts on world freedom.
For the full report, visit: https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/freedom-world-2017
