Iran, China Repression Worsened; U.S. Disappoints, Amnesty Says

Human rights abuses and repression increased in Iran and China last year, while South American countries made strides in punishing former dictators, Amnesty International said in its annual report.

"The situation in Iran is critical," Claudio Cordone, interim secretary general of the London-based human rights group said in a telephone interview. "In China, we saw many attempts to repress free speech and block the Internet."

Amnesty found evidence of torture or other types of mistreatment in 111 of 159 countries surveyed. There were unfair trials in 55 countries, freedom-of-speech restrictions in 96, and political prisoners in 48 countries. It also highlighted delays to the closure of the Guantanamo Bay detention center in Cuba. U.S. President Barack Obama had promised to shut it within one year of taking office.

"Unfortunately, progress in the U.S. has not been as fast nor as deep as we hoped," said Cordone. "There's been no accountability, and there are still military tribunals, which we don't feel allow for a fair trial."

While 2009 was a "landmark" year that saw the International Criminal Court indict its first head of state, many national governments continue to block attempts by international courts and organizations to pursue human rights abuses, Amnesty said in the report, published today.

"Powerful governments are blocking advances in international justice by standing above the law on human rights, shielding allies from criticism and acting only when politically convenient," it said.

War Crimes

The African Union refused to cooperate with The Hague-based ICC after it indicted Sudanese President Umar al-Bashir, Amnesty said. It also said the United Nations' Human Rights Council took little action while Sri Lanka's army and Tamil militants both committed potential war crimes, and Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas never followed up a UN report that accused both sides of human rights abuses during their January 2009 war.

"Impunity for U.S. violations related to counter-terrorism continued," it added.

Political repression increased notably in Iran after contested elections, but also in Tunisia, Syria, Saudi Arabia, and China, Amnesty's report said.

Latin America

The main advances during the year were in Latin America, where countries including Argentina, Uruguay and Peru pursued past leaders for human rights abuses.

Amnesty also praised the new Japanese government for suspending capital punishment and starting a national debate about the death penalty, and it noted that South Africa and Botswana refused to follow the African Union's repudiation of the ICC after Bashir's indictment.

It noted that 7 members of the G-20 group of leading nations -- the U.S., China, Russia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, India and Indonesia -- haven't joined the ICC.

"If you belong to this exclusive club of leading countries, then you should prove that you are helping to close the justice gap," Cordone said.

Source: Bloomberg News, May 27, 2010