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International Internet Magazine. Baltic States news & analytics Friday, 29.03.2024, 15:18

US criticizes Syria, Russia, China in annual report on global human rights

BC, Riga, 23.04.2018.Print version
The U.S. Department of State released its annual report on global human rights on Friday, naming Syria, Russia, China and Iran among the countries with the worst human rights practices, informs LETA/DPA.

The U.S. Department of State's Country Reports on Human Rights Practices (The Human Rights Reports) are seen as one of the most comprehensive analyses of the human rights situation in the world as it takes a detailed look at such rights violations as torture of prisoners, arrests of journalists, employment of children and persecution of opposition activists and politicians.


The 2017 Human Rights Reports, which cover countries from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, was presented to journalists by U.S. Acting Secretary of State John J. Sullivan.


The U.S. Department of State names air strikes on civilians in Syria, as well as atrocities committed by Syria's pro-government forces among the most serious rights violations.


Russia is criticized in the U.S. report for quashing dissent and civil society “even while it invades its neighbors and undermines the sovereignty of Western nations.”


China has been taken to task over the absence of independent courts and strict control over information.


The report also deals with the human rights situation in Latvia, saying that the last Saeima elections in 2014 had been free and fair and that Latvia's security services are working under the supervision of civilian authorities. Public officials that have been caught abusing their office powers are called to account in Latvia.


The U.S. Department of State admits though that Latvian officials' responsibility in cases of corruption still causes concerns.






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