Armenia’s Score Slipped from 64 to 66 Points

14:49 Yerevan | 10:49 GMT | Thursday 1 May

Freedom House released the annual report on the freedom of the media in the world. The organization reports a decline in the scores of the countries of the former Soviet Union and Eastern and Central Europe. All of the countries of Central Europe and the three Baltic states are ranked as free, while 10 of the 12 non-Baltic post-Soviet states are ranked as Not Free, among them Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan. The authors of the report say this trend of decline was apparent in Russia as well.

In the Caucasus, Georgia’s score moved from 57 to 60 to reflect increased polarization of the media environment, the forced closure of the pro-opposition Imedi television station, and the suspension of all broadcast media during a temporary state of emergency.

In Armenia, increased government pressure on the media ahead of parliamentary and presidential elections—including legal harassment of journalists and severe financial pressures on the independent Gala TV station—led to a slippage from 64 to 66 points.

Press freedom also suffered in a number of countries with already restrictive media environments. Azerbaijan’s score worsened from 75 to 77 due to the forced closure of two Russian-language newspapers and the sentencing of at least eight journalists to prison during the year.

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