US government report on global human rights violations Tuesday
criticized Cuba and Venezuela for abusing rights of citizens and
opposition groups.
The annual US State Department annual report on human rights for 2006
focussed its sharpest criticism for the genocide in Sudan, and singled
out North Korea and Iran for human rights abuses.
In the Latin American region, however, Cuba was at the top of the list
of worst offenders for continuing "to violate virtually all the rights
of its citizens, including the right to change their government peacefully."
Venezuela was named along with Russia and Eritrea as the three countries
that have seen the largest regressions in human rights.
"You have democracy but a ruler that's not ruling democratically," Barry
Lowenkron, assistant assistant secretary for democracy and human rights,
told reporters.
Cuba, although being governed by Raul Castro temporarily in place of his
ailing brother revolution leader Fidel Castro, in 2006 "increased its
harassment of dissidents and other citizens viewed as threats to the
government." The report cited "mob actions" - known as "acts of
repudiation" - involving verbal and physical attacks.
"Beatings and abuse of detainees and prisoners also were carried out
with impunity," the report said.
Cuba continued to hold at least 283 political prisoners by year's end,
the report said.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez recently convinced the legislature to
allow him to rule by decree, a mammoth crushing of the country's
democratic institutions. Among his moves against the media, he last year
refused to renew the broadcast license of Radio Caracas Television, the
country's oldest commercial TV operation.
In its report, the State Department said the government was harassing
and intimidating civil groups, "most notably" the leaders of the
electoral watchdog NGO Sumate, "whose trial for conspiracy and treason
for accepting a foreign grant was indefinitely postponed but continues
to hang over their heads."
Self censorship had emerged under a government that has imposed prison
sentences for insulting public officials and tolerated violent attacks
on journalists.
Haiti, which is still under the watchful eye of the United Nations with
a peacekeeping force, demonstrated its commitment to democracy by voting
three times in 2006.
"Yet much remains to be done to restore fully the rule of law," the
report said, including overhauling the dysfunctional judicial system and
retraining the national police force.
The report praised the Organization of American States for its
Declaration of Santo Domingo, a commitment to human rights of expression
and free political debate that was sealed in 2006.
Globally, the report also singled out China and Russia for ongoing
violations. Syria, Cuba, Belarus, Zimbabwe and Myanmar also came under
fire for government actions against their citizens.
© 2007 DPA
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