Independent watchdog Freedom House has said that Egypt’s country status shifted from “not free” to “partly free” during 2012.

Freedom House published its yearly global report based on data from its annual survey of political rights and civil liberties. From its findings the watchdog has changed Egypt’s status “due to a flawed but competitive presidential election that led to the removal from power of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces.”

Egypt joined Libya and Côte d’Ivoire, who enjoyed the same rating shift, however the report did point to concerns about recent political events in Egypt.

The author of the report, Arch Puddington, vice president for research at Freedom House wrote: “[In 2012] the country was confronted by daunting problems.” He referred to the campaign against NGOs, the dissolution of the parliament, the process of drafting the new constitution “and a power grab by newly elected president Mohamed Morsy.” He also highlighted the various investigations of opposition leaders for treason and defamation cases against journalists.