Dept of State: Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2011

The U.S. Department of State released its annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2011. Particular emphasis was placed on the Middle East and North Africa, where developments in the Arab Spring led to significant changes in the region.

In Bahrain, the human rights violations included “the inability of citizens to peacefully change their government; the dismissal and expulsion of workers and students for engaging in political activities; the arbitrary arrest and detention of thousands, including medical personnel, human rights activists, and political figures, sometimes leading to their torture and/or death in detention; and lack of due process.”

In Jordan, “The three most significant continuing human rights problems were citizens’ inability to peacefully change their government, abuses committed with impunity by security services, and violence against women.”

In Syria, “The three most egregious human rights problems during the year were the regime’s denial of its citizens’ right to peacefully change the government; massive attacks and strategic use of citizen killings as a means of intimidation and control; and denial of civil liberties such as freedom of speech, assembly, and association.”

In Yemen, “The most important human rights problems were government military and security forces’ violent reactions to citizens’ efforts to peacefully change their government, and the inability of citizens to exercise the full range of their basic human rights.”

To read reports on other countries in the region, click through the following links:

Algeria

Egypt

Iran

Iraq

Israel and the occupied territories

Kuwait

Lebanon

Libya

Morocco

Oman

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

Tunisia

United Arab Emirates