A US State department human rights report has cast an unfavorable light on several Asian countries including China, North Korea and Burma.
The US State Department says it had been hoped that China would continue to make “incremental” advances in human rights, as seen in 2002.
But it says China’s approach to human rights regressed last year.
The report cites the arrest of democracy activists and individuals discussing subjects deemed sensitive by the government on the Internet.
It says others targetted included labour protesters, defence lawyers, journalists and church members.
The US report says the “harsh repression” of the Falun Gong continued and that the government used the war on terror to justify its ongoing crackdown against Muslim Uighurs.
It says ongoing abuses in Tibet include execution without due process, torture, arbitrary arrest and detention without public trial.
Posting date: 28/Feb/2004
Original article date: 27/Feb/2004
Category: Media Report
The complete 2003 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices can be found at:
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2003/index.htm
