August 15, 2016
Gold Medal Dictatorships in Rio
The Olympic Games are powerful. Through waving flags and national anthems, they ignite countrywide pride in a way that few things do. Unfortunately, authoritarian leaders can use the spectacle of the Games and its incredible athletes to soften perceptions of how their countries operate.
Those of us in free societies have a responsibility to pull back the rosy, Olympic veil and be more discerning of countries competing in the Games that have no regard for freedom, human rights, and global security. If we don’t, these regimes gain a sense of legitimacy within the international community.
Each year, Freedom House releases its Freedom in the World report, a comprehensive analysis that grades countries as “free,” “partly free,” or “not free” based on their people’s political rights and civil liberties. Many countries ranked as “not free” are showcasing themselves in Rio and it’s important to see beyond the festi
Article