Libya made major strides toward establishing democracy and political rights last year, a pro-democracy watchdog group Freedom House said in a report to be released Wednesday, Jan 16, according to The Associated Press.
The findings counter a widespread impression of the country as anarchic following the deadly militia raid in Benghazi that killed the U.S. ambassador and three other Americans.
Freedom House's annual ranking of political rights and civil liberties in countries around the world found worrying trends in many regions where it said the West was failing to promote and defend democracy.
"What we've learned over the years is that gains for freedom usually take place with the active participation of democracies like the United States and those in Europe. And where they have opted out of the struggle, the result is usually a defeat for freedom," said David J. Kramer, president of Freedom House.
Libya and Egypt were two nations that Freedom House ranked as "partly free" by the end of 2012 due to successful elections, improving over "not free" the year before.
"Libya continues to suffer from a lack of clear government control over many parts of its territory, a problem that is compounded by the actions of autonomous local militias and radical Islamists. But in defiance of forecasts of chaos and failure, the country held successful elections for a General National Congress that included candidates from a range of regional and political backgrounds, while free expression and civic activity continued to grow," Freedom House's report said.
Libya's advance in the rankings came despite the militia assault on the U.S. mission in Benghazi, Libya, that killed U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans. The U.S. suspects al-Qaida-linked militants carried out the attack.
A State Department spokeswoman, Ariel Vaagenar, said the department had no comment on the Freedom House report prior to its release.
