WUNRN
The US State Department Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2014 has a bit different format this year. To read Individual Country Reports go to link: http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/index.htm#wrapper and look at the bar of information choices, and go to COUNTRIES/REGIONS and click on the specific country you wish.
http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/index.htm#wrapper
Country
Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2014
Introduction
On the first Sunday in August, the terrorist
organization Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) descended
on the towns and villages that are the ancient home of the Yezidi people, one
of many small ethno-religious minorities that has lived for centuries in the
diverse lands encompassed by Iraq and the Levant. They attacked and killed
hundreds of men, women, and children simply because of their faith. Some were
shot in the back while fleeing; others were buried alive. Thousands of women
were taken captive as sex slaves. The bodies of many of the victims were later
found in mass graves. Escapees undertook a week-long journey on foot that ended
atop a desolate mountain in the area of Sinjar in northwestern Iraq. Defenseless,
lacking food or water, and besieged by ISIL, the remaining survivors of the
Yezidi community faced terrible atrocities and what President Obama called “a
potential act of genocide.” Kurdish forces, aided by U.S. airstrikes, forged a
path to safety. ISIL’s advance through Iraq and Syria claimed many other
victims – Christians, Turkomans, Shabak, Shia and Sunni Muslims – as it
resurrected, as a core tenet of its ideology, the most terrifying practices of
medieval warfare and conquest.
While our reports continue to focus on the
behavior of governments – which bear responsibility for the promotion and
protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms in their territories – the
year 2014 will be remembered as much for atrocities committed by non-state
actors. The brutality of these actors is one of the
notable trends in the 2014 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices.
Terrorist organizations like ISIL, al-Qa’ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), al-Qa’ida in the
Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Boko Haram, al-Shabaab, Jabhat al-Nusra, and
others perpetrated human rights abuses and violations of international
humanitarian law against innocent non-combatants. Often, they sought to
eliminate those who did not conform to their extreme views, including other
Sunni Muslims. Some governments committed violations and abuses in response;
such reactions to violent extremism often undermined efforts to contain it.
In Syria, government
security forces and affiliated militias committed massacres, bombarded civilian
neighborhoods, mistreated and abused prisoners, and employed rape as a weapon
of war. ISIL and al-Nusra took
advantage of the chaos by casting themselves as the best available defense to
Asad’s atrocities, while committing a wide range of similar abuses of their
own, including massacres, bombings, summary executions, and forced displacement
based on sectarian identity. In the eastern provinces of Raqqa and Dayr al-Zawr,
ISIL committed mass atrocities including executing up to 900 members of the
al-Sheitaat tribe from Dayr al-Zawr. The terrorist group stoned women and men
accused of adultery, crucified civilians, imposed forced marriage, raped
kidnapped girls and women for the purpose of sexual slavery, and beheaded
foreign journalists and aid workers, circulating videos of these crimes on
social media.
In Iraq, in a
systematic and widespread fashion, ISIL attacked
individuals based on religion or ethnicity, raped women and children, and
recruited child soldiers, while Shia militias and volunteers in Popular
Mobilization Committees perpetrated violence and criminal acts. Widespread
corruption and the government’s inability to rein in abusive actions by
security forces and militias led to popular mistrust in the government. Prime
Minister Abadi has pledged, however, to tackle these problems.
In Nigeria, Boko Haram attacks resulted in the deaths of more
than 4,000 civilians in 2014 alone, and the displacement of tens of thousands.
In April, Boko Haram kidnapped 273 girls from the Chibok Government Girls
Secondary School; most of the girls were still missing at year’s end. Deadly
attacks and abductions in neighboring Cameroon expanded
the terrorist group’s reach across Nigerian borders. Regional and international
partners mobilized to respond, but high levels of corruption within the
Nigerian military, along with the poor human rights record of Nigerian security
services, undermined efforts to effectively combat Boko Haram.
In Somalia and Kenya, attacks by the terrorist group al-Shabaab continued throughout the year, killing
many civilians. In December, the Pakistani Taliban committed
the worst atrocity against schoolchildren in Pakistan in a decade – by killing,
at times execution-style, 132 students. In South Sudan,
government and opposition forces used an estimated 10,000 children to
perpetuate the country’s internal conflict, which has displaced over 1.5
million people.
In Yemen, AQAP kidnapped for ransom and continued to attack
civilians with suicide bombers, causing numerous deaths. In Algeria, attacks by AQIM killed
innocent civilians.
At the same time,
authoritarian states continued to use violence or regressive laws to silence
domestic dissidents, sometimes in the name of fighting terrorism or foreign
threats.
The human rights record of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) remained
among the worst in the world and came under particular scrutiny this year. A
report published in February by a United Nations Commission of Inquiry (COI)
concluded that systematic, widespread, and gross human rights violations have
been and continue to be committed by the government of the DPRK, its
institutions, and its officials. The report further concluded that in many
cases, such violations constitute crimes against humanity. Defectors continued
to report public executions, disappearances, arbitrary arrest and detention,
and torture, and there were reports of severe punishment of repatriated
refugees.
Russia’s political system is increasingly
authoritarian, and the government instituted a range of new measures to
suppress dissent within its borders. The government passed new repressive laws
and selectively and systematically employed existing laws to harass and
prosecute non-governmental organizations (NGOs), media outlets, and other
independent voices. Significant government pressure on independent media
constrained coverage of numerous issues, especially the situation in Ukraine,
LGBT issues, the environment, criticism of local or federal leadership, as well
as secessionist or federalist topics.
In March, Russian armed forces occupied
and attempted to annex the Crimean peninsula of Ukraine. The Russian occupation
authorities persecuted members of the Tatar community, certain religious
minorities, and others who opposed the occupation, in many cases forcing
targets to flee the peninsula. In eastern Ukraine, Russian
forces and Russia-backed separatists shelled urban areas and committed numerous
other gross human rights abuses, including those involving killings and
abductions. Over one million persons have been forced to leave the region.
In Saudi Arabia,
authorities tried several human rights activists in specialized courts as
terrorism suspects, executed an individual convicted of “sorcery,” severely
limited exercise of religious freedom, and continued to restrict women’s
opportunities through its guardianship system and driving ban.
Iran continued to severely restrict civil
liberties, including the freedoms of assembly, speech, religion, and press, and
to execute citizens at the second highest rate in the world after legal
proceedings that frequently didn't respect Iran’s own constitutional guarantee
to due process or international legal norms.
Even as authoritarian governments become more
aggressive in cracking down on freedom of expression, including through the use
of new media, civil society is emerging as an increasingly powerful actor on
the international stage, as people in every country become more connected and
better informed. The unique role of technology
in combatting as well as carrying out human rights violations is another trend
evident in the 2014 human rights reports.
This year, authoritarian governments used a
number of overt means to control use of the internet within their borders. In
2014, according to a recent Freedom House report, 41 countries passed or
proposed laws or regulations to punish or restrict speech online. In Belarus, Alyaksandr Lukashenka signed into law new
amendments further restricting online news outlets.
Elsewhere, more and more governments
increasingly blocked access to websites, including social media sites. In Tajikistan, the government blocked access to social
media sites, including Facebook and YouTube, several times over the year.
In Turkey, government authorities blocked YouTube and
Twitter in the lead-up to local elections. In China, the government
continued to block access to websites deemed controversial, such as those
discussing Taiwan or the Dalai Lama, and in December, media outlets reported
that Gmail, the world’s largest e‑mail service provider, saw its traffic in
China reduced to zero when large numbers of users were blocked. Following the
outbreak of student protests in Hong Kong in
September, censorship authorities in the Mainland reportedly blocked the
photo-sharing social media site Instagram. And in Ecuador, a law firm is using copyright protection laws
to target content on social media sites that is critical of the government.
In many countries, human rights activists who
used the internet to express themselves were tried as criminals and punished as
terrorists. In Saudi Arabia, the Ministry of
Interior’s Specialized Criminal Court, a court originally set up to try
terrorists , tried and sentenced internet activist Raif Badawi to 10 years in
prison and 1,000 lashes for exercising his rights to freedom of expression and
religion. Another activist, Waleed Abu al-Khair, was sentenced by the same
court to 15 years in prison July 7. In Kuwait, Abdullah
Fayrouz was sentenced to five years in prison followed by permanent exile for
“defaming the emir” via Twitter.
In Vietnam, authorities
continued to suppress peaceful expression online through politically motivated
arrests and convictions of bloggers, as well as through short‑term detentions,
illicit surveillance, intimidation, and illegal confiscations of computers and
cell phones of activists and their family members.
At the same time, a
number of civil society organizations (CSOs) are successfully advocating the
protection of rights online and developing technologies to enable the exercise
of freedom of expression and to call out human rights abuses.
For example, CSOs from across Africa came
together to draft the African Declaration of Internet Rights and Freedoms to
promote human rights standards and principles for internet freedom on the
continent. In addition, new technologies have been developed to allow citizens
to communicate and organize freely. And many non-state actors have demonstrated
that legitimate concerns about hate speech on the internet can be combatted
effectively without resorting to government censorship or restrictions. For
example, civil society groups in Burma raised
concerns about anti-Muslim hate speech online and worked with social and
religious leaders to respond with messages undermining the arguments of the
purveyors of hateful material.
Civil society and NGOs have been using
satellite imagery, video, and crowdsourcing technologies to gather information
and document human rights abuses in areas where security and accessibility have
made such reporting challenging in recent years. For example, in August 2014, Amnesty
International released video of alleged security force members slitting the
throats of detainees and disposing of the bodies in mass graves in
north-east Nigeria. This past year, Human
Rights Watch and other organizations used video footage, satellite imagery, and
posts on social media to document ongoing human rights abuses in Syria and map the movements of ISIL and other terrorist groups.
Technology is being
used to verify data and help provide governments and the United Nations with
accurate information regarding protests, destruction, and violence in countries
around the world. It is also being used to help increase transparency.
For example, the broadening adoption of
electronic salary payments has helped decrease late payments and wage theft,
the most common issues faced by migrant workers. In 2014, Saudi Arabia and Oman increased
the number of enterprises covered by such systems, following the example set by
the United Arab Emirates.
In 2014, corruption prevailed in too many
societies and too many unrestrained rulers used it to cement their overall grip
on power. The growing recognition of the correlation
between corruption, human rights abuses, and repressive governance is the third
trend noted in these reports.
In Russia, corruption
was widespread throughout the executive, legislative, and judicial branches at
all levels of government. Its manifestations included bribery of officials,
misuse of budgetary resources, theft of government property, kickbacks in the
procurement process, extortion, and improper use of official position to secure
personal profits.
In China, despite a
high-profile anti-corruption campaign, corruption remained rampant, and many
cases of corruption involved areas heavily regulated by the government, such as
land usage, real estate, mining, and infrastructure development. Citizens and
civil society members who promoted independent efforts to combat corruption
were themselves prosecuted. For example, throughout 2014 the government
convicted at least 10 persons associated with the New Citizens Movement on
charges stemming from activities to promote transparency and good governance.
In Venezuela,
corruption reduced the effectiveness of the security forces and undermined the
independence of its judiciary. The government frequently investigated and
selectively prosecuted its political opponents on corruption charges to harass,
intimidate, and imprison them.
In Sri Lanka, nepotism
and cronyism continued, with loyalists to the now former ruling party allegedly
receiving favored consideration for high-ranking government and business
positions. Anti-corruption messages became a hallmark of the successful
opposition political campaign in the run-up to the January 2015 elections.
Similarly, in Nigeria,
widespread corruption continued unchecked, weakening governance, damaging the
country’s economy, and undermining Nigeria’s ability to protect its citizens
and effectively combat Boko Haram. Although the law provides criminal penalties
for corruption, the outgoing Nigerian government, which was defeated in the
March 2015 elections, did not implement the law effectively, and officials
frequently engaged in corrupt practices with impunity.
The ultimate test for
any country – with respect to human rights and democracy – is the ability to
view itself critically and hold itself accountable, addressing challenges and
correcting imperfections by pursuing ongoing reform in a transparent manner.
The United States must also comply with its human rights obligations.
We do not include our
own record in this report because we cannot be objective observers of our own
behavior. But we welcome scrutiny by human rights groups, other governments,
and multilateral organizations. We are mindful of, and take seriously, advice
from domestic and international civil society about how we can improve. In
2014, we engaged in extensive multi-agency consultations with domestic civil
society and human rights organizations in preparation for the submission of our
second report to the Universal Periodic Review process at the United Nations
Human Rights Council in 2015.
Our longstanding commitment to promoting and
defending human rights is also reflected in this annual publication of
the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices.
COUNTRY HIGHLIGHTS
Afghanistan
In 2014, Afghanistan
witnessed its first democratic transfer of power after holding presidential and
provincial elections April 5, with a second presidential runoff‑round held June
14. Reports of fraud marred the second round and led to an audit of all ballot
boxes. Protracted political negotiations between the presidential candidates
resulted in the creation of a national unity government with Ashraf Ghani as
president and Abdullah Abdullah in the newly created post of chief executive
officer. There was continued instability in the country, where the government
is still fighting an active insurgency. The most significant problem was
continued attacks on civilians by insurgent groups. Eight journalists were
killed over the year, making it the deadliest year for the media since 2001.
Violent and brutal attacks against women continued, including on elected female
government officials during the year. There were ongoing human rights abuses
committed by security forces.
Azerbaijan
In 2014, there was an
increase in violence along the Line of Contact and the Armenia-Azerbaijan
border, and separatists, with Armenia’s support, continued to control most of
Nagorno-Karabakh and seven other Azerbaijani territories. As a result of the
unresolved conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, more than 600,000 persons remained
displaced. Government restrictions on the freedoms of expression, peaceful
assembly, and association increased, including intimidation, incarceration on
reportedly questionable charges, and harassment of human rights defenders,
civil society activists, and journalists. Authorities utilized a variety of
measures to further narrow the operating space for human rights activists and
NGOs. As a result of the increasingly restrictive environment and pressure,
many NGOs were unable to function, about 30 reportedly ceased their operations,
and at least three organizations had closed their offices as of November. The government
used the judicial system to punish peaceful dissent, and there were increased
reports of arbitrary arrest and detention, politically motivated imprisonment,
and lengthy pretrial detention for individuals perceived as a threat by
government officials. Allegations of widespread corruption continued, although
the government took steps to reduce petty corruption at the local level.
Bangladesh
Following a series of
tragic factory accidents in previous years that killed more than 1,000 workers,
2014 saw unprecedented scrutiny of the Bangladesh’s ready-made garment
industry. New coalitions of multinational companies, international
organizations, and labor rights groups worked with the Government of Bangladesh
toward improving worker safety in thousands of garment factories. Significant
concerns remain, however, with respect to workers’ rights to freely associate
and collectively bargain. Violence, intimidation, and harassment against labor
activists continued throughout the year. After months of political turmoil and
violence in late 2013, the parliamentary elections held in January 2014 were
flawed. The opposition and its allies engaged in a series of violent strikes
before boycotting the election. The ruling party won the elections with more
than half the seats uncontested. There were also reports of extrajudicial
killings and forced disappearances, as well as restrictions on online speech
and the media. Women suffered from unequal treatment and many children were
compelled to work due to economic necessity or trafficking. Weak regard for the
rule of law enabled individuals, including government officials, to commit
human right violations and abuses with impunity and hindered individuals’
enjoyment of their human rights.
Belarus
In Belarus, citizens
remained unable to change their government through elections. The government
restricted the freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly, association, and
religion or belief. Authorities harassed civil society activists and
independent media with fines and jail time. In a system bereft of checks and
balances, persons reportedly remained imprisoned on politically motivated
charges, while the government failed to account for longstanding cases of
politically motivated disappearances. Authorities harassed and discriminated
against LGBT persons, persons with disabilities, ethnic minorities, and those
who sought to use the Belarusian language. Workers were unable to independently
associate and could be fired for union or political activity without effective
recourse or remedy.
Burma
In 2014, human rights
abuses in Rakhine State remained a severely troubling counterpoint to the
broader trend of progress since 2011. There continued to be a lack of civilian
control over the military. The government did not establish a fair process for
granting access to full citizenship rights on an equal, nondiscriminatory
basis, especially for the Rohingya. Authorities in Rakhine State made no
meaningful efforts to help Rohingya and other Muslim minority persons displaced
by violence to return to their homes and continued to enforce disproportionate
restrictions on their movement. The government also severely restricted
humanitarian access to Rakhine State and did little to address the root causes
of violence and discrimination. Forced labor, including that of children,
persisted, although to a lesser degree than in the past. Although the unlawful
recruitment and use of child soldiers continued, the military has released 552
child soldiers since the government signed a joint action plan with the UN in
June 2012, indicating an accelerated effort to end this practice. The
government continued efforts to improve the legal framework for labor rights,
but nonetheless faced significant capacity constraints. In 2014, together with
the Governments of the United States, Japan, and Denmark, and the International
Labor Organization (ILO), Burma launched the Initiative to Promote Fundamental
Labor Rights and Practices in Myanmar. The initiative will help modernize
Burma’s labor code, improve compliance with international labor standards, and
foster a robust dialogue between the government, business, labor, and civil
society. Other significant problems included rape and sexual violence,
particularly in conflict areas, politically motivated arrests, and an overall
lack of rule of law resulting in corruption and widespread land confiscation
without adequate compensation or recourse. Authorities continued to enforce a
number of laws restricting enjoyment of freedoms of expression, peaceful
assembly, religion, and movement.
China
In 2014, repression
and coercion by the Chinese government continued to be routine, particularly
against organizations and individuals involved in civil and political rights
advocacy and public interest issues, members of ethnic minorities, and law
firms that took on sensitive cases. As in previous years, citizens lacked the
ability to change their government and had limited forms of redress against
official abuse. Authorities continued to censor and tightly control public
discourse on the internet and severely restricted the freedoms of expression,
religion, association, and peaceful assembly of Uighurs and Tibetans in
specific areas. Although authorities prosecuted a number of abuses of power
through the court system, particularly with regard to corruption, in most cases
the Chinese Communist Party first investigated and punished officials using
opaque and selectively applied internal Party disciplinary procedures. Citizens
who promoted independent efforts to combat abuses of power, transparency, and
good governance were themselves prosecuted. Poor enforcement of workplace
safety standards continued to pose a threat to the lives and health of workers.
An explosion in August at a factor in Zhejiang province resulted in the death
of 146 workers, even though the municipal government had completed a round of
safety inspection a week earlier and reportedly found no violations.
Cuba
In 2014, the Cuban
government reportedly used threats, physical assault, intimidation, violent
government-organized counter-protests against peaceful dissent, harassment, and
detentions to restrict the freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly. Civil
society recorded the highest number of arbitrary, short-term detentions over
the last five years at nearly 9,000. In the context of the December 17
announcement that diplomatic relations would be re-established between the
United States and Cuba, the Cuban government released 53 individuals who we and
others in the international community considered to be political prisoners, and
it indicated its willingness to allow greater access by the UN and the
International Committee of the Red Cross. The government continued to block its
citizens’ access to uncensored, independent information in general, to severely
restrict the availability of the internet, and to block certain blogs and
websites for those few Cubans with access to the internet, although at year’s
end it indicated a willingness to consider expanding telecommunications
investment on the island, opening up the possibility of greater internet access
in the future.
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK)
In 2014, the
government continued to subject citizens to rigid controls over most aspects of
their lives, including denial of enjoyment of freedoms of expression, peaceful
assembly, association, movement, and religion or belief. It limited enjoyment
of workers’ rights, and denied citizens the ability to change their government.
Satellite imagery corroborated defector reports that the government maintained
a network of political prison camps in which conditions were inhuman, and
prisoners were subjected to forced labor and not expected to survive. Defectors
continued to report public executions, disappearances, arbitrary arrest and
detention, and torture, and there were reports of severe punishment of
repatriated refugees. Refugees and workers crossing the border into China were
vulnerable to trafficking and exploitation. The DPRK human rights record came
under particularly careful scrutiny this year. A report published in February
by a Commission of Inquiry (COI), established by the United Nations Human
Rights Council in Geneva in 2013, concluded that systematic, widespread, and
gross human rights violations have been and continue to be committed by the
DPRK, its institutions, and its officials. The report further concluded that in
many cases, such violations constitute crimes against humanity.
Egypt
In 2014, the most
significant human rights abuses involved excessive use of force by security forces
and the suppression of civil liberties, including restrictions on the enjoyment
of freedoms of expression, association, and peaceful assembly. In most cases,
the government did not comprehensively investigate human rights abuses, or
investigations resulted in acquittals, perpetuating an environment of impunity.
There were mass trials, in which evidence was not presented on individual
bases; a new law expanded the jurisdiction of military courts to try civilians;
and there was increased use of lengthy pre-trial detention. The government
arrested thousands of citizens engaged in anti-government protests, including
secularist and Islamist activists who violated a restrictive law on
demonstrations. Terrorist groups conducted deadly attacks on government, civilian,
and security targets throughout the country, including schools, places of
worship, and public transportation.
Iraq
Control over the
security forces was inconsistent and the deterioration of the security
situation led to a resurgence of Shia militias, which operated largely outside
the authority of the Government of Iraq. ISIL committed the overwhelming number
of serious human rights abuses. In a systematic and widespread fashion, ISIL
targeted government officials and members of the security forces, as well as
civilians, especially Shias, religious and ethnic minorities, women, and
children. The United Nations estimated more than two million persons have been
displaced nationwide since January. The humanitarian crisis worsened in July
and August, as ISIL perpetrated gender-based violence, raped women and
children, recruited child soldiers, and destroyed civilian infrastructure.
There were increasing reports of violence and criminal acts perpetrated by Shia
militias and volunteers in the Popular Mobilization Committees. Abuses by
volunteer fighters have reportedly included kidnappings, extortion, and
killings. Other human rights problems reported in 2014 include limits on the
freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly, violence against and harassment of
journalists, and limits on religious freedom. Widespread corruption at all
levels of government and society exacerbated the lack of effective human rights
protections in Iraq.
Nigeria
During the year, Boko
Haram conducted numerous attacks on government and civilian targets throughout
the country, resulting in thousands of deaths and injuries, widespread
destruction, forced internal displacement, and the flight of more than 100,000
refugees to neighboring countries. During the year Boko Haram recruited and
forcefully conscripted child soldiers, and it claimed responsibility for
coordinated assaults on towns across Borno State. Three separate Boko Haram
bombings in Abuja and its surrounding suburbs killed nearly 150 persons; a
bombing in Jos, Plateau State, killed at least 118 persons; and bombings in
Kaduna State killed approximately 80 persons. In response to Boko Haram, and at
times to crime in general, security services perpetrated reported extrajudicial
killings and torture, rape, arbitrary detention, mistreatment of detainees, and
destruction of property. The country also suffered from widespread societal
violence, including ethnic, regional, and religious violence. Impunity remained
widespread at all levels of government, and few persons were brought to justice
for abuses and corruption. According to NGOs, the vigilante group known as the
Civilian Joint Task Force continued to recruit children and kill suspected Boko
Haram members. Other serious human rights problems included infringement on
citizens’ enjoyment of privacy rights and freedoms of expression, peaceful
assembly, religion, and movement. Violence against women; sexual exploitation
of children, discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity,
ethnicity, regional origin, religion, and disability; as well as forced and
bonded labor remained significant problems throughout the year.
Pakistan
In Pakistan, a wide
range of serious human rights problems persisted throughout 2014, including
lack of rule of law and reported extrajudicial killings. Harassment of
journalists and self-censorship continued, with high-profile attacks against
journalists and media organizations. Government practices and laws limited
enjoyment of freedom of religion, particularly for religious minorities, as well
as restricted freedom of peaceful assembly and movement. Other human rights
problems included reported disappearances, torture, and frequent mob and
sectarian violence. Corruption within the government and police, as well as
rape, domestic violence, “honor crimes,” and discrimination against women and
girls remained serious problems. Widespread human trafficking, including forced
and bonded labor, as well as child abuse and commercial sexual exploitation of
children persisted. Most of the nation’s labor force was not covered by federal
labor regulations of any kind and respect for worker rights was minimal. Human
rights abuses often went unpunished, fostering a culture of impunity. Violence,
abuse, and social and religious intolerance by militant organizations and other
non‑governmental actors contributed to a culture of lawlessness in some parts
of the country.
Russia
In February, the
country’s armed forces unlawfully entered Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula, then
occupied and attempted to “annex” the peninsula in March. Thousands of civilian
deaths and injuries, as well as widespread human rights abuses, were attributed
to Russia-backed separatists in eastern parts of Ukraine and the Russian
occupation authorities in Crimea. The conflict in Ukraine also resulted in a
high degree of lawlessness along the country’s border with Ukraine, notably
associated with several high-profile abductions of Ukrainian citizens and the
unrestricted movement of separatist militants and Russian government forces
between Russia and Ukraine. The Russian government passed new repressive laws
and selectively employed existing ones to harass, discredit, imprison, and
detain entities that engaged in activities critical of the government.
Individuals and organizations that professed support for the Government of
Ukraine or opposed the Russian government’s activities in Ukraine were
especially affected. The government also continued to discriminate against and
politically prosecute LGBT persons, some religious and ethnic minorities, and
migrant workers. Authorities reportedly used a variety of tactics, from
canceling venues to multiple bomb threats, to interrupt LGBT gatherings and
intimidate organizers and participants. Conflict in the North Caucasus between
government forces, insurgents, Islamist militants, and criminal forces led to
numerous human rights abuses and a general degradation in the rule of law. The
country also suffered from widespread corruption.
Sudan
In Sudan, human rights
abuses and violations included what was reported to be indiscriminate and
deliberate bombing of civilian areas and armed attacks on civilians in Darfur
and the Two Areas; attacks on humanitarian facilities; and extrajudicial
killings. Clashes between government forces, government-armed militias, and
Darfur rebel movements resulted in significant deaths on all sides. The armed
opposition engaged in shelling of civilian targets that killed and injured
civilians in the Two Areas. In January, President Bashir announced a National
Dialogue to discuss democratic reforms with opposition parties and civil
society; however, the government has so far failed to create an environment
conducive to an open, inclusive, and comprehensive dialogue and has arrested
opposition and civil society members.
South Sudan
In 2014, internal
conflict continued to worsen in South Sudan, resulting in one of the world’s
worst humanitarian disasters and leading to numerous human rights abuses.
Conflict between the government and opposition forces led by former Vice
President Riek Machar Teny led to widespread violence – including ethnically
targeted killings – and political instability. Both government and opposition
forces targeted civilians and peace negotiations remained unresolved at year’s
end, leaving over 1.5 million people displaced. Throughout the year, security
and opposition forces committed human rights violations and abuses, including
killings and rape. The government also intimidated and harassed civil society,
journalists, and dissenting political figures, while restrictions on enjoyment
of freedoms of expression and association remained a severe problem. The
government restricted the movement of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan
(UNMISS) and NGOs, and attacks and harassment against UNMISS and NGO workers
increased. Violence and discrimination against women and children was
widespread, corruption was pervasive, and impunity remained a major problem.
Syria
While the
authoritarian regime of President Bashar Asad has governed Syria since 2000,
armed groups have proliferated in major sections of territory in a civil war
that began in 2012. The civil war, following peaceful protests against regime
corruption, dictatorship, and human rights violations, continued throughout
2014. On June 29, ISIL announced the establishment of an Islamic “Caliphate” in
Iraq and Syria, based in Raqqa city. The Asad regime continued to use deadly
force against cities, residential areas, and civilian infrastructures,
including schools, hospitals, mosques, churches, and houses throughout the
country. As of November 1, there were more than 3.2 million refugees registered
with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in
neighboring states and North Africa, and a conservative estimate of more than
7.6 million persons displaced internally. The regime reportedly continued to
conduct widespread torture and rape, including against children, and
perpetuated massacres, forced displacement, and starvation. The government
rigorously denied citizens the ability to exercise civil liberties, and
corruption was rampant. Restrictions on the enjoyment of freedoms of religion
and movement remained, and the regime consistently limited medical providers’
access to those in critical need. There were reports of increased human
trafficking, forcible recruitment and use of children in the conflict, and
forced marriages of women and girls for the purpose of sexual slavery for ISIL
fighters. Impunity was pervasive and deeply embedded in the security forces and
elsewhere in the government, and the regime reportedly often sheltered and
encouraged those in its ranks to commit abuses. ISIL and armed terrorist groups
also committed a wide range of abuses, including massacres, bombings, summary
executions, forced evacuations from homes based on sectarian identity, and
beheadings of foreign journalists and aid workers.
Thailand
In a bloodless coup
May 22, military and police leaders, taking the name of the National Council
for Peace and Order (NCPO) and led by General Prayut Chan‑Ocha, overthrew the
interim government led by Yingluck Shinawatra of the Puea Thai political party.
The coup leaders repealed the constitution (except for provisions related to
the monarchy), suspended parliament, continued martial law imposed two days
earlier on May 20, and issued numerous decrees that severely limited the
exercise of civil liberties. These included restrictions on freedom of
expression, freedom of peaceful assembly, and press freedoms. The NCPO summoned
and detained, without charge, more than 900 political leaders, academics,
journalists, and others, holding many for up to seven days. The NCPO
promulgated an interim constitution July 22 and appointed individuals to a
National Legislative Assembly July 31, the members of which unanimously
selected coup leader and head of the army, General Prayut Chan-Ocha, as prime
minister August 21.
Turkmenistan
In Turkmenistan,
significant human rights problems included reported arbitrary arrest, torture,
and restrictions on the enjoyment of freedoms of religion, expression, peaceful
assembly, and movement. Citizens were unable to change the government through free
and fair elections. Other problems included denial of due process,
discrimination against women, and restrictions on the free association of
workers. The government continued to censor newspapers and prohibit reporting
of the views of political opposition or any criticism of the president.
Domestic journalists and foreign news correspondents engaged in self-censorship
due to fear of government reprisal. The law characterizes any opposition to the
government as treason, and the judiciary was subordinate to the executive.
Opposition groups and some international organizations stated that the
government held political prisoners. Government officials, including those in
the security services, engaged in corruption and abuse with impunity.
Uzbekistan
The most significant
human rights problems in Uzbekistan included reported torture and abuse of
detainees by security forces, widespread restrictions on the enjoyment of
religious freedom, and an inability to change the government through elections.
Government officials frequently engaged in corrupt practices with impunity, and
authorities subjected human rights activists, journalists, and others who
criticized their government, as well as their family members, to harassment and
politically motivated prosecution and detention. Restrictions on the freedoms
of expression, peaceful assembly, and association, as well as on civil society,
remained a significant problem throughout the year. While government‑organized
forced child labor was significantly reduced in the 2014 annual cotton harvest,
the government continued to forcibly mobilize adults to pick cotton.
Venezuela
Security forces and
armed pro-government groups committed human rights abuses against participants
in widespread protests that took place across the country, especially between
February and May. There were reports of the use of force to break up
anti-government protests, arbitrary detention, torture, and imprisonment of
protesters. The government arrested and imprisoned several opposition figures,
blocked and co-opted media outlets, and harassed and intimidated journalists
throughout the year using threats, fines, property seizures, targeted
regulations, and criminal investigations. The government used the judiciary to
intimidate and selectively prosecute political, civil society, union, and
business leaders who were critical of government policies or actions.
Government actions also impeded enjoyment of the freedom of expression and
restricted press freedoms.
Vietnam
On January 1, 2014, the Government of Vietnam signed and promulgated significant amendments to the constitution, including a dedicated chapter on human rights, but the government has yet to enact implementing laws associated with this chapter. In 2014, the most significant human rights problems in the country remained severe restrictions on the enjoyment of political rights, including limits on citizens’ ability to exercise their civil liberties. The government limited freedoms of religion, peaceful assembly, association, and movement, as well as suppressed dissent, restricted freedom of expression online and press freedom, and continued to limit privacy rights. While the number of independent NGOs grew substantially and with some tolerance by authorities, the government continued to sharply control registration of NGOs, including human rights organizations. There was continued police mistreatment of suspects during arrest and detention, denial of fair trial rights, the judicial system was opaque and lacked independence, and political and economic influences regularly affected judicial outcomes.