By Dorothy Neufeld
Tanzania has been listed among the top 20 countries in the world where freedom has sharply declined the most, with the ranking being based on 25 indicators across civil liberties and political rights.
According to the new listing, over the past decade, freedom has sharply declined in many countries.
Nicaragua (-40) tops the list, where the Ortega regime has shuttered over 57 media outlets, violently suppressed protests, and removed presidential term limits.
In Tunisia (-35) President Kaïs Saïed has eroded judicial independence and intensified repression of political opponents—leaving the country on the verge of economic collapse.
El Salvador (-28) also ranks among the top three, as President Nayib Bukele faces criticism for mass arrests and corruption.
Tanzania with a minus 28, drop was thus listed at number 4, in the latest list on ‘Countries with the Largest Declines in Freedom!’ which compiled by the Visual Capitalist.
The United Nations (UN) recently released statement from experts on Tanzania, indicating cases of enforced disappearance of people, arrests and torture of activists and the opposition as well as the muffling of media.
Tanzania is followed by Niger, Hong-Kong and Serbia in the fifth, sixth and seventh positions respectively.
Others are Turkiye, Venezuela, Benin and Burkina Faso, making the top eleven ranking slots.
Mali, Afghanistan, Myanmar and Burundi close the top 15 countries with sharply declining freedom.
The list indicates each country’s rate of decline for the last decade counted between 2014 and 2024.
Authoritarian leaders have expanded their power by rewriting constitutions, silencing the media, and suppressing opposition.
As democratic institutions erode, waves of protest have erupted, and these are often met with brutal crackdowns across several global regions.
Notably, Nicaragua has seen democratic freedoms backslide as autocratic leader Daniel Ortega has overhauled the constitution. In particular, Ortega enabled his wife, Rosaria Murillo, to become co-president under law.
Meanwhile, Ortega can now prosecute media that oppose his views. Even more strikingly, any resident who is considered a traitor can have their citizenship revoked.
Following Nicaragua are Tunisia and El Salvador, each which have seen considerable declines in civil liberties. With 1,700 prisoners per 100,000 populations, El Salvador has the highest incarceration rate in the world.
Serbia and Türkiye stand as the top two in Europe, with Serbia seeing protests, rigged elections, and the arrest of activists in a deteriorating political climate.
About the Author
Dorothy Neufeld is a financial writer covering investing and the economy. She has seven years of experience in the media and financial industry, with work published in Investopedia and Vancouver Value Investing.