World, Human Rights Watch , World Report 2015

THE WEEK IN RIGHTS January 29, 2014 Follow us on:

World Report 2015 - Top Rights Issues Around the Globe  Photo © 2014 Reuters The World Report 2015 is Human Rights Watch’s 25th annual review of human rights practices around the globe. It summarizes key human rights issues in more than 90 countries and territories worldwide. The World Report 2015 » Tyranny’s False Comforts By Kenneth Roth, executive director  The world has not seen this much tumult for a generation. The once-heralded Arab Spring has given way almost everywhere to conflict and repression. Islamist extremists commit mass atrocities and threaten civilians throughout the Middle East and parts of Asia and Africa. Cold War-type tensions have revived over Ukraine. Sometimes it can seem as if the world is unraveling. Many governments have responded to the turmoil by downplaying or abandoning human rights. In this difficult moment, they seem to argue, human rights must be put on the back burner, a luxury for less trying times. That subordination of human rights is not only wrong, but also shortsighted and counterproductive. Human rights violations played a major role in spawning or aggravating most of today’s crises. Protecting human rights and enabling people to have a say in how their governments address the crises will be key to their resolution. Particularly in periods of challenges and difficult choices, human rights are an essential compass for political action. Read more » share on:

Central African Republic Attacks on civilians remained alarming and widespread in the Central African Republic, despite a decrease of violent attacks from the previous year.  Read more »  share on:

Mexico Although President Enrique Peña Nieto acknowledged that the “war on drugs” launched by his predecessor Felipe Calderón had led to serious abuses by the security forces, the government has made little progress in prosecuting widespread killings, enforced disappearances, and torture committed by soldiers and police.  Read more >>  share on:

China China remains an authoritarian state, one that systematically curbs fundamental rights, including freedom of expression, association, assembly, and religion, when their exercise is perceived to threaten one-party rule.  Read more »  share on:

Ukraine The “Maidan” uprising in Kiev led to the ouster of President Viktor Yanukovich in February and a complete overhaul of Ukraine’s political system. The uprising that began in November 2013 was marked by clashes between police, street fighters, and protesters, which killed over 100 people.  Read more >> share on:

Egypt  Egypt’s human rights crisis, the most serious in the country’s modern history, continued unabated throughout 2014.  Read more »  share on:

United States The United States has a vibrant civil society and strong constitutional protections for many basic rights. Yet, particularly in the areas of criminal justice, immigration, and national security, US laws and practices routinely violate rights.  Read more >>  share on:

ESSAY       Internet at a Crossroads How Government Surveillance Threatens How We Communicate Read Now » ESSAY       Deadly Cargo Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas  Read Now » ESSAY Raising the bar  Mega-Sporting Events and Human Rights  Read Now »