Berlin, Sep 1 (BNA): The Kingdom of Bahrain has been ranked on top of Gulf Arab countries for the year 2015, according to human freedom index released by German Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom.

The Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Rai today said that Bahrain has been ranked third at the level of the Arab world after Jordan and Lebanon, according to same index.

The index is based on the monitoring and measurement of the individual and personal freedoms according to 76 criteria in several areas, including the rule of law, procedural, civil and criminal justice, security and safety, freedom of movement of citizens and foreigners, religious freedom, freedom of the establishment of civil society organizations, freedom of assembly, the extent of independence of organizations, freedom of expression, freedom of the press, laws regulating media content, free access to the Internet, freedom of personal relationships and economic freedom.

Arab countries have been ranked as follows, Jordan, Lebanon, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Morocco, Mauritania, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Algeria and Yemen.

The top ten countries are, Hong Kong, Switzerland, Finland, Denmark, New Zealand, Canada, Ireland, Australia, the United Kingdom and Sweden. While the United States of America has relegated to the 20th position, Iran sits at the bottom of the list.

MJ

BNA 2046 GMT 2015/09/01