Uzbekistan Ranks Third in Central Asia for Civil and Political Liberties

Uzbekistan scored 12 out of 100 in the Freedom in the World 2025 index by Freedom House, categorizing it as a «not free» country. Among Central Asian nations, Uzbekistan ranked third in terms of political and civil liberties.

Uzbekistan’s position in Central Asia

The country outperformed Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, which scored 5 and 1 points, respectively. Kazakhstan received 23 points, while Kyrgyzstan led the region with 26 points, maintaining its position as the most free country in Central Asia despite a decline from 39 points in 2020.

Despite its classification as «not free,» Uzbekistan has shown gradual improvement. In 2020, it scored 10 points, while in 2017, it had only 3. The report allocated 2 points for political rights and 10 points for civil liberties.

Global comparisons

The highest-ranking countries in 2025 include Finland, Norway, New Zealand, and Sweden. The United Statesreceived 84 points, while Russia was also categorized as «not free» with 12 points, the same as Uzbekistan.

Freedom House’s annual index assesses political rights and civil liberties across the world, evaluating countries based on democratic governance, rule of law, and individual freedoms.