Region

Middle East and North Africa

Democracy

1.69%

of region’s population

Hybrid Authoritarian

9.44%

of region’s population

Fully Authoritarian

88.87%

of region’s population

Source: Tyranny Tracker

Overview

Algeria

Bahrain

Egypt

GNS/LAF Controlled Libya

GNU Controlled Libya

Houthi Controlled Yemen

Iran

Iraq

Israel

Jordan

Kuwait

Lebanon

Libya

Morocco

Morocco Controlled Western Sahara

Oman

Palestinian Territories – Gaza

Palestinian Territories – West Bank

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

STC Controlled Yemen

Syria

Tunisia

United Arab Emirates

Yemen

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A Democracy Index Built to Inform Action

Publications

Sep 16, 2026

Joint Open Letter to Xi Jinping

We, the undersigned organizations dedicated to protecting and promoting human rights, democracy, and religious freedom, write on the occasion of your forthcoming visit to Washington, DC.

Sep 15, 2026

Risks Beyond Wrongdoing: Traveling to China

On Sept. 15, 2026, China’s new Regulations on Exit and Entry Administration will enter into force. Although the regulations do not create a blanket new exit ban power over foreign visitors, they do further formalize a wider legal system in which the boundaries of prohibited conduct are difficult to anticipate and meaningful avenues for challenging government action are limited.

Sep 14, 2026

HRF Co-sponsors AI Hack for Freedom III in Washington, D.C., Sept. 24–25

WASHINGTON D.C. (September 14, 2026) — The Human Rights Foundation will co-sponsor the AI Hack for Freedom III in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 24 and 25. This AI-powered hackathon, the third of its kind this year, is designed to put world-leading human rights activists as captains of teams of engineers to build powerful new tools to scale the work of the people and movements challenging authoritarianism worldwide.

Human Rights Dispatch

Sep 11, 2026

HRF Calls to Free Uyghur Doctor Gulshan Abbas

On the eighth anniversary of the Chinese regime’s unjust imprisonment of Dr. Gulshan Abbas, HRF and @LantosFoundation call for her immediate release. A retired Uyghur medical doctor with no history of activism, she was disappeared on September 11, 2018 — days after her US-based sister, activist @RushanAbbas , spoke out about the regime’s abuses.

Reports

How the Regime in Equatorial Guinea Exploits Football

Equatorial Guinea’s regime has strategically exploited the global appeal of football as a political tool.

Dictators and Diplomas: Why Foreign Autocracies Funding American Universities Threatens Democracy, Destroys Academic Freedom, and Entrenches Anti-Democratic Regimes

For years, foreign dictatorships and their proxies have searched out any number of ways to influence policy and discourse in the United States. From hiring fleets of lobbyists to setting up dark money networks, from bankrolling sports leagues to launching disinformation campaigns on American social media platforms, from backing strategic investments to hiring consulting firms and white-shoe law firms, the list of targets is lengthy.

The Quantum Threat to Bitcoin

Bitcoin is a financial lifeline for dissidents resisting authoritarian regimes. The rise of cryptographically relevant quantum computers (CRQCs) with the ability to crack Bitcoin’s underlying cryptography could threaten the network’s security foundations.

Youthquake: Youth-led Movements Shaking Up East and Southeast Asia

In recent years, youth across East and Southeast Asia, and around the world, have spearheaded the demand for democracy, justice, and freedom.