Freedom and democracy are slumping worldwide, trends spurred on by rising authoritarianism, media suppression, and myriad governments’ failures to adhere to the rule of law, advocacy group Freedom House warned in its 2023 Freedom in the World report, released Thursday.

The annual report, which ranks the world’s countries and territories from most to least free, found that Tibet, Syria, and South Sudan tied as the least free places on earth, trailed closely by Turkmenistan, Eastern Donbas, Eritrea, and North Korea. Tied for the honor of the freest country or territory were Norway, Finland, and Sweden.

The report noted that the term “democracy” is frequently misused, citing North Korea’s full name — the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea — as evidence. “In its ideal form, [democracy] is a governing system based on the will and consent of the governed, institutions that are accountable to all citizens, adherence to the rule of law, and respect for human rights,” the report read.

The group criticized several countries and regions for flouting the Rule of Law to the peril of their citizens’ fundamental rights, including Ethiopia, Kyrgyzstan, and Colombia.

Other key findings in the report included the continued decline of global freedom for 17 straight years, as well as the narrowing gap between countries with rights records on the rise, and those with records on the descent.

The group found that infringements on free expression remained a key driver of democratic decline around the globe, noting that the number of countries with the lowest possible media freedom score was surging.

In attached policy recommendations, Freedom House urged the imperative of strengthening democratic institutions globally. “Economic prosperity and a more secure global community require a global order based on the rule of law, anticorruption safeguards, and a willingness to abide by international security norms; only democracies can maintain such an order,” the report read.