"Taj pad je globalni, on pogađa zemlje s vojnom i ekonomskom snagom, pogađa zemlje koje su ranije pokazivale znake [potencijalnih] reformi, a propraćen je pojačanim progonom političkih disidenata i nezavisnih novinara," kaže Arch Puddington, direktor istraživanja u okviru grupacije.
"The decline is global, affects countries with military and economic power, affects countries that had previously shown signs of [potential] reform, and is accompanied by enhanced persecution of political dissidents and independent journalists," said Arch Puddington, the group's director of research.