Author: U.S. Department of State
Category: Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor
Date Written: 2011
Summary & Comment: The Department of State documents yearly human rights reports on countries around the world. For example, in the case of Rwanda “There were several reports that the government attempted to commit arbitrary or unlawful killings within the country and abroad. The government typically investigated security force killings and prosecuted perpetrators.”, and of Liberia “There were no reports of politically motivated disappearances.”
Each country report is split into seven sections, covering all forms of violent and political repression. The report includes among other things: arbitrary or unlawful deprivation of life, disappearances, torture, arbitrary arrest, denial of fair public trials, freedom of speech and press, freedom of peaceful assembly and association, freedom of religion, freedom of movement, corruption, human trafficking, gender-based violence, worker rights and child labor.
Each country report gives an in-depth description of the issues in 2011 and indicates both where there have been improvements, and where things have worsened. To read more, including individual country documents click here.