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Palestinian Authority Head of Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas Head of government Salam Fayyad Arbitrary arrests and detentions by both the Palestinian Authority (PA) in the West Bank and the Hamas de facto administration in the Gaza Strip continued, particularly of their respective political opponents. In both areas, security forces tortured and otherwise ill-treated detainees with impunity. Four detainees died in custody in suspicious circumstances; two in Gaza and two in the West Bank. Palestinian armed groups in Gaza continued to commit war crimes by firing indiscriminate rockets into Israel, especially during an eight-day armed conflict with Israel during November. During…

May 23, 2013

Report

Republic of Panama Head of state and government Ricardo Martinelli Several people were killed or injured during the year in the context of protests. The authorities failed to ensure effective investigations and to bring those responsible for deaths of protesters to account. There was some limited progress in setting up mechanisms for locating and identifying victims of past enforced disappearances. Excessive use of force Possible excessive use of force by the security forces remained a concern. Two Indigenous people were killed and 40 people, including police officers, were wounded during protests by the Ngöbe-Buglé Indigenous People in January and February.…

May 23, 2013

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Republic of Poland Head of state Bronislaw Komorowski Head of government Donald Tusk The investigation of Poland's involvement in US-led renditions and secret detentions progressed slowly. Public access to information in the case of al-Nashiri being considered by the European Court of Human Rights continued to be denied. Discussions about changes to the law on abortion continued while the European Court ruled that Poland had denied a teenage girl's right to a legal abortion. Counter-terror and security The criminal investigation, begun in 2008 into Poland's role in the CIA's rendition and secret detention programmes, was moved in February from the…

May 23, 2013

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RUSSIAN FEDERATION Head of state Vladimir Putin (replaced Dmitry Medvedev) Head of government Dmitry Medvedev (replaced Vladimir Putin) Increasing peaceful political protest was met with repression. New laws restricting the rights to freedom of expression, assembly and association were introduced. Human rights defenders, journalists and lawyers continued to face harassment, while investigations into violent attacks were ineffective. Torture and other ill-treatment remained widespread, and were seldom effectively prosecuted. Trials did not meet international standards of fairness, and the number of apparently politically motivated decisions grew. Insecurity and volatility in the North Caucasus persisted, and security operations launched in response were…

May 23, 2013

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Republic of Sierra Leone Head of state and government Ernest Bai Koroma The former President of Liberia, Charles Taylor, was convicted and sentenced for crimes committed in Sierra Leone during the 11-year armed conflict. The country held its third elections since the end of the conflict, which international observers declared were orderly and transparent. The police used unlawful force against unarmed citizens. The government moved closer to abolition of the death penalty. Agreements between the government and corporations were not transparent and communities affected by corporate activity were not properly consulted about the potential impacts. Background In April, the Special…

May 23, 2013

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REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA Head of state Borut Pahor (replaced Danilo Türk) Head of government Janez Janša (replaced Borut Pahor) The authorities failed to restore the rights of people whose permanent residency status was unlawfully revoked in 1992. Discrimination against Roma continued. Discrimination The “erased” Former permanent residents of Slovenia originating from other former Yugoslav republics, whose legal status was unlawfully revoked in 1992 (known as the “erased”), continued to be denied restoration of their rights. Past legislative initiatives failed to provide them with reparation for the violations of economic, social and cultural rights they suffered as a result, or to…

May 23, 2013

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Somali Republic Head of state Hassan Sheikh Mohamud (replaced Sharif Sheikh Ahmed) Head of government Abdi Farah Shirdon Saaid (replaced Abdiweli Mohamed Ali) Head of Somaliland Republic Ahmed Mohamed Mahamoud Armed conflict continued between pro-government forces, the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and the Islamist armed group al-Shabab, in southern and central Somalia. Pro-government forces took control of a number of key towns from al-Shabab, including the port of Kismayo. Political transition ended the mandate of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG). A new parliament was selected in August, a new president was appointed in September and a new prime…

May 23, 2013

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Republic of South Africa Head of state and government Jacob G. Zuma Police use of excessive force against protesters, suspected extrajudicial executions and torture triggered national concern and some steps were taken towards accountability. Discrimination and targeted violence against asylum-seekers and refugees and barriers to accessing the asylum system increased. Progress was slow in addressing systematic hate-motivated violence based on victims' sexual orientation or gender identity. Despite continued expansion in access to treatment and care for people living with HIV, HIV-related infections remained the main cause of maternal deaths. Human rights defenders remained at risk of harassment and violence. Background…

May 23, 2013

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Republic of South Sudan Head of state and government Salva Kiir Mayardit South Sudan celebrated its first year of independence on 9 July. Post-independence agreements between South Sudan and Sudan on the sharing of oil, security arrangements, border demarcation, and the status of the disputed Abyei area, continued to be negotiated at the end of the year. The Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA, South Sudan's armed forces) and the South Sudan Police Service (SSPS) continued to commit human rights violations with relative impunity. A large influx of refugees and returnees from Sudan continued, in addition to internal displacement. Background On…

May 23, 2013

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KINGDOM OF SPAIN Head of state King Juan Carlos I de Borbón Head of government Mariano Rajoy There were continued reports of excessive use of force by police during demonstrations. Human rights bodies condemned Spain for the lack of adequate investigations into allegations of torture. Background Demonstrations continued throughout the year, calling for changes in the political system to allow for greater public participation in political affairs and to protest against austerity measures implemented to combat the financial and economic crisis. In June, the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights recommended that Spain review reforms adopted in relation…

May 23, 2013

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Republic of the Sudan Head of state and government Omar Hassan Ahmed Post-independence agreements on the sharing of oil, citizenship and border demarcation continued to be negotiated with South Sudan. Conflict continued in Darfur, Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile states. The National Security Service (NSS) and other government agents continued to commit human rights violations against perceived critics of the government for exercising their rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly. Background Tensions between South Sudan and Sudan mounted in relation to outstanding post-independence issues. The shutdown of oil production in South Sudan in February, due to disagreements with…

May 23, 2013

Report

Republic of Suriname Head of state and government Desiré Delano Bouterse An amendment to the amnesty law prevented the trial of President Bouterse and 24 others accused of the extrajudicial killing of 15 political opponents in 1982. Impunity In April, the National Assembly approved an amendment to the 1992 amnesty law. This extended the period covered by the law from April 1980 to August 1992, thereby covering the torture and extrajudicial execution of 15 opponents of the then military government in December 1982. Twenty-five people, including President Desiré Delano “Dési” Bouterse, the country's military leader at the time, were put…

May 23, 2013