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| Title | The Worst of the Worst 2010 - South Ossetia |
| Publisher | Freedom House |
| Country | Georgia | Russian Federation |
| Publication Date | 3 June 2010 |
| Cite as | Freedom House, The Worst of the Worst 2010 - South Ossetia, 3 June 2010, available at: http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid/4c0e0b001e.html [accessed 4 June 2012] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
The Worst of the Worst 2010 - South Ossetia
Population: 70,000
Political Rights: 7
Civil Liberties: 6
Status: Not Free ↓
| Ten-Year Ratings Timeline for Year under Review (Political Rights, Civil Liberties, Status) | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year Under Review | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
| Rating | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 7,6,NF | 7,6,NF |
Trend Arrow: South Ossetia received a downward trend arrow due to Russia's increased control over the economy and political system, and Russian aid that has fueled rampant corruption among local elites.
2009 Key Developments: Russia tightened its grip on South Ossetia in 2009, formalizing the presence of Russian border guards in the territory and constructing a new military base in Tskhinvali. Russian president Dmitri Medvedev pledged additional funds for South Ossetia in July, but reconstruction efforts have been painfully slow and mired in corruption. Meanwhile, a series of incidents in the summer increased the threat of new fighting with Georgia, and the more than 18,500 ethnic Georgians who fled South Ossetia during the 2008 war remained unable to return during the year.
Political Rights: Though South Ossetia conducts elections, they are not monitored or recognized by independent observers. Most ethnic Georgians have either declined to or been unable to participate in such elections. During the May 2009 parliamentary elections, opposition parties reported significant government violations, including sealed ballot boxes, observers being given limited access to polling stations, and residents allegedly being forced to vote for separatist leader Eduard Kokoity. Election laws enacted in 2008 set a 7 percent vote threshold for parties to enter the parliament and required all lawmakers to be elected by proportional representation; the rules helped to substantially decrease opposition representation in 2009. In August 2009 Kokoity appointed a Russian businessman, Vadim Brovtsev, as prime minister. Corruption is believed to be extensive, particularly in the reconstruction effort following the 2008 conflict. The territory has been linked to extensive smuggling and black-market activities, including the counterfeiting of U.S. currency.
Civil Liberties: South Ossetia's electronic and print media are entirely controlled by separatist authorities, and private broadcasts are prohibited. The South Ossetian Orthodox Church, which is unrecognized by both the Georgian and Russian Orthodox Churches, continues to operate freely. While there were several nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) working in South Ossetia before the war, at least one South Ossetian NGO that claims to be independent has been linked to the government. All organizations operate under close scrutiny from Tskhinvali. According to UN data cited by Amnesty International, about 30,000 people, most of them ethnic Georgians, remained displaced from their homes in and around South Ossetia as of May 2009, and 18,500 from South Ossetia faced long-term displacement. Russian authorities have barred ethnic Ossetians from entering Georgia, but they can travel freely into Russia.
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