Freedom Status: Free
Aggregate Score: 88
Freedom Rating: 1.5
Political Rights: 2
Civil Liberties: 1

Quick Facts

Capital: Monaco
Population: 38,088
GDP/capita: $163,351.60
Press Freedom Status: Free
Net Freedom Status: N/A

OVERVIEW

Political Rights: 31 / 40

Civil Liberties: 57 / 60

In March 2015, Monaco inaugurated its first national human rights body, the High Commission for the Protection of Rights, Liberties and for Mediation. The commission released its first annual report in July, emphasizing a need for stronger protections against discrimination in the workplace and at sporting events. In March, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) released a report about the overall state of human rights in Monaco. The office expressed concern about inadequate definitions of torture in Monegasque and excessive surveillance, and recommended modifying legislation on torture, examining the incidence of discrimination based on race and nationality, and reviewing the use of closed-circuit cameras by security forces.

Secrecy laws and inadequate financial record keeping have traditionally made the country's level of corruption difficult to measure. In March, Monaco signed an agreement with Italy that will allow Italian tax authorities to access information about the financial activities of Italian taxpayers in the principality's banks. The agreement aims to fight tax evasion, money laundering, financing of terrorism, and other offenses.

This country report has been abridged for Freedom in the World 2016. For background information on political rights and civil liberties in Monaco, see Freedom in the World 2015.

Scoring Key: X / Y (Z)

X = Score Received
Y = Best Possible Score
Z = Change from Previous Year

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