A new Freedom House report, Countries at the Crossroads 2011, concludes that success in the Arab democratic revolution will require major reforms in government institutions that had been seriously undermined during previous authoritarian regimes.

Freedom House today praised the decision by the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) to include a new freedom of information (FOI) indicator in its methodology for evaluating countries’ eligibility to receive foreign assistance funding.

Freedom House welcomes the strong signal sent by the United Nations (UN) that impunity for serious human rights violations will not be tolerated with its adoption of a resolution creating a new special mandate on transitional justice. The mandate establishes a special rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence of serious violations, and comes at an important time, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa.

On the eve of his appeal hearing, Freedom House condemns the unjust imprisonment of Egyptian blogger Maikel Nabil Sanad and calls for his immediate release.

A group of seventeen leading non-governmental organizations from around the world today issued a protest to the government of Zimbabwe about the imprisonment, and intimidation of two prominent human rights defenders in the African country.

Freedom House applauds the decision by the Nobel committee to award the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize to three female leaders from the Middle East and North Africa: Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Liberian activist Leymah Gbowee and Yemeni activist Tawakkul Karman. All three women played a vital role in promoting women’s rights and democratic change in challenging environments that have been historically hostile to the advancement of women.

Freedom House denounces the ruling of a Ukrainian court on Tuesday convicting former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko of abuse of power and sentencing her to seven years’ imprisonment. This conviction will have serious consequences for Ukraine’s international standing as well as for its democratic aspirations to greater integration with Europe. In light of the court’s decision, Freedom House urges the European Union to suspend its bilateral negotiations on free trade and association agreements with Ukraine until the Yanukovych government exhibits greater respect for the rule of law.

Freedom House is deeply troubled by the recent outbreak of violence in Cairo that resulted in the deaths of more than two dozen Egyptians and condemns the manipulation of the media by the ruling authorities, which directly contributed to the violence.

A range of governments are increasingly restricting media freedom using licensing and regulatory frameworks and receive little criticism or attention for doing so, according to Freedom House’s newest report, License to Censor: The Use of Media Regulation to Restrict Press Freedom.

Recent reforms have brought about visible changes in Cuba’s economy and public attitudes, according to a survey released by Freedom House today. A majority of Cubans (63 percent) view the reforms favorably, and more Cubans say that it is better to be self-employed than to work for the government.

To commemorate its 70th anniversary, Freedom House this evening will honor democracy activist and leader of Burma’s National League for Democracy, Aung San Suu Kyi, with its Freedom Award for her decades-long struggle to bring democratic rule to Burma at a gala at the Newseum.

Freedom House condemns the trial of online media editor and human rights defender Prachatai executive director, Chiranuch (Jiew) Premchaiporn, who is accused of allowing comments deemed critical of the monarchy to be posted on the online forum that she moderates. Freedom House urges the Thai government to drop all charges against her and to immediately amend the country’s 2007 Computer Crimes Act (CCA), so that it conforms to international human rights standards.

Freedom House condemns today’s arrest of members of the Women and Men of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) during a peaceful demonstration, and strongly condemns the continued crackdown on freedom of expression and other basic human rights by Zimbabwean authorities. Freedom House is concerned that those arrested face imminent danger of abuse and torture in prison and calls for their immediate release.

Freedom House is deeply concerned over the adoption by the lower house of the Kazakhstani Parliament of a repressive new religion law that would impose numerous hurdles to citizens pursuing their religious beliefs and calls upon the Senate to reject the law.

The Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) and Freedom House today announced the publication of a groundbreaking report, ‘Democratic Change in Belarus: A Framework for Action.’

Freedom House welcomes Monday’s appointment by the United Nations High Commissioner on Human Rights of three independent experts to examine the human rights situation in Syria and hopes that the findings of the panel will shed further light on the abuses of the Assad regime and lead to additional UN action, specifically a Security Council resolution.

The Egyptian Cabinet’s extension of the long-opposed emergency law and the expansion of its powers further limits fundamental rights, including freedom of expression and assembly, and threatens the prospects for transparent, free and fair parliamentary and presidential elections, according to Freedom House.