Since Iraq's 2010 election, we have witnessed the subordination of the state to Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki's Dawa party, the erosion of judicial independence, the intimidation of opponents and the dismantling of independent institutions intended to promote clean elections and combat corruption.
It still marks a further erosion of BBC independence.
But it's the erosion of financial independence that is the most serious issue.
They say Brazil is ignoring reports of Mr. Chávez's concentration of power and the erosion of judicial independence in Venezuela while it expresses concern over Paraguayan democracy.
The detention of Judge Afiuni, who was given two additional years of house arrest in December, has raised concern over the erosion of judicial independence in Venezuela.
While Judge Afiuni's case has raised concern over the erosion of judicial independence, the most recent arrests are stoking fears about freedom of expression.
The controller of BBC TV channels has come out fighting against government criticism with a spirited defence of its "unashamedly popular" and distinctive television and a warning over future erosion of its independence.
Concerned about the erosion of auditor independence, securities regulators sued Ernst & Young yesterday, accusing the firm of violating ethics rules by having a seven-year business partnership with a client, PeopleSoft.
She said: "What worries me now, is after all the erosion of BBC independence over the past 10 years or so, with top-slicing raids on the licence fee and the raid for the over-75 licences... it is really important that this new structure has a truly independent chair and truly independent set of non-executives".
The vote followed the tabling of a report by Dutch MEP Judith Sargentini, which found that Hungary's curbs on the media and academia, erosion of judicial independence, and treatment of asylum seekers and other minorities posed a "systemic threat to democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights".
