Newsroom

Report

Head of state and government Yahya Jammeh Death penalty abolitionist in practice Population 1.7 million Life expectancy 55.7 years Under-5 mortality (m/f) 123/109 per 1,000 Adult literacy 42.5 per cent The government continued to stifle political and social dissent. Members of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), army and police arbitrarily arrested and detained government opponents, human rights defenders, journalists and former security personnel. Reportedly, President Yahya Jammeh publicly threatened human rights defenders and those who co-operated with them. The authorities threatened to resume executions after more than 20 years. Arbitrary arrests and detentions The police, NIA and army arrested and…

March 19, 2011

Report

Head of state and government Hugo Chávez Frías Death penalty abolitionist for all crimes Population 28.6 million Life expectancy 73.6 years Under-5 mortality (m/f) 24/19 per 1,000 Adult literacy 95.2 per cent Attacks, harassment and intimidation of those critical of government policies, including journalists and human rights defenders, were widespread. Unfounded charges were brought against those who opposed government policies. More special courts and prosecutor's offices specializing in gender-based violence were established. However, the implementation of the 2007 law to eradicate violence against women remained slow. Background In February, the limit on presidential terms was removed, following a referendum. Social…

March 19, 2011

Report

Head of state Nguyen Minh Triet Head of government Nguyen Tan Dung Death penalty status retentionist Population 88.1 million Life expectancy 74.3 years Under-5 mortality (m/f) 27/20 per 1,000 Adult literacy 90.3 per cent Severe restrictions on freedom of expression and assembly continued. Repression of dissidents intensified with new arrests of political and human rights activists, most of whom had criticized widespread corruption and government policies relating to China. Bloggers were briefly detained. In most cases, national security concerns were cited as a pretext for arrests and criminal investigations. Peaceful protests by Catholics over land ownership were met with excessive…

March 19, 2011

Report

Head of state 'Ali Abdullah Saleh Head of government Ali Mohammed Megawar Death penalty retentionist Population 23.6 million Life expectancy 62.5 years Head of state 'Ali Abdullah Saleh Head of government Ali Mohammed Megawar Death penalty retentionist Population 23.6 million Life expectancy 62.5 years Under-5 mortality (m/f) 84/73 per 1,000 Adult literacy 58.9 per cent The authorities detained thousands of people in connection with protests in the south and elsewhere, and amid renewed fighting in Sa'da in the north. Most of those detained were released or tried. Others, mostly arrested in previous years, were sentenced to death or prison terms…

March 19, 2011

Report

REPUBLIC OF UGANDA Head of state and government Yoweri Kaguta Museveni Death penalty retentionist Population 30.9 million Life expectancy 49.7 years Under-5 mortality (m/f) 135/121 per 1,000 Adult literacy 66.8 per cent Peace talks continued between the government and the armed group, the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), aimed at ending the 20-year conflict in northern Uganda. The talks reportedly focused on withdrawal of the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrants for four senior LRA leaders. A ceasefire agreed in 2006 was extended. The independence of the judiciary was threatened and attacks on freedom of expression and press freedom continued. Violence against…

March 19, 2011

Report

UGANDA REPUBLIC OF UGANDA Head of state and government: Yoweri Kaguta Museveni Death penalty: retentionist International Criminal Court: ratified There was progress in peace talks in Southern Sudan between the government and the armed group, the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), promising a possible end to 20 years of conflict in northern Uganda. Elections passed off relatively peacefully. Opposition presidential candidate Dr Kizza Besigye was acquitted of rape but continued to face treason charges. Attacks on freedom of expression and press freedom continued, as did reports of torture of detainees and harassment of people on account of their sexual orientation. Violence…

March 19, 2011

Report

REPUBLIC OF UGANDA Head of state and government: Yoweri Kaguta Museveni Death penalty: retentionist International Criminal Court: ratified UN Women’s Convention: ratified Optional Protocol to UN Women’s Convention: not signed Overview - Covering events from January - December 2005 The independence of the judiciary, freedom of expression and press freedom came under attack. Violence against women and girls was widespread. Torture by state security agents persisted. Background On 28 June Parliament voted to amend the Constitution and lifted the limit of two terms that a president could serve. Demonstrators protesting against this vote clashed with riot police. A national referendum…

March 19, 2011

Report

Head of state: A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Head of government: Manmohan Singh (replaced Atal Bihari Vajpayee in May) Death penalty: retentionist International Criminal Court: not signed UN Women’s Convention: ratified with reservations Optional Protocol to UN Women’s Convention: not signed Summary Perpetrators of human rights violations continued to enjoy impunity in many cases. Gujarat state authorities failed to bring to justice those responsible for widespread violence in 2002. Security legislation was used to facilitate arbitrary arrests, torture and other grave human rights violations, often against political opponents and marginalized groups. In the north-eastern state of Manipur, local groups opposed human rights…

March 19, 2011

Report

Head of state: Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga Head of government: Mahinda Rajapakse (replaced Ranil Wickremasinghe in April) Death penalty: abolitionist in practice International Criminal Court: not signed UN Women’s Convention and its Optional Protocol: ratified Summary The ceasefire between the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) remained in place, despite a number of violations and a failure to resume peace talks. The human rights situation in the north-east deteriorated following a violent split within the LTTE in April and a dramatic increase in politically motivated killings. Although a large number of child soldiers were released during the internal…

March 19, 2011

Report

Head of state and government: Yoweri Kaguta Museveni Death penalty: retentionist International Criminal Court: ratified UN Women’s Convention: ratified Optional Protocol to UN Women’s Convention: not signed Summary Abuses by the armed opposition Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) increased during the first half of the year. The government asked the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate war crimes and crimes against humanity in the context of the war in northern Uganda. Rape of girls was widespread, and other torture persisted. The media continued to be attacked. Background Throughout 2004, debate continued over the recommendations of the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC) on…

March 19, 2011

Report

UGANDA REPUBLIC OF UGANDA Head of state and government: Yoweri Kaguta Museveni Death penalty: retentionist UN Women's Convention: ratified Optional Protocol to UN Women's Convention: not signed Rulings by the Constitutional Court allowed political organizations to participate more freely in public life. Reports of torture increased against a background of government campaigns against crime and "terrorism". The 17-year conflict between the government and the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) intensified, resulting in a sharp rise in the number of internally displaced persons to over 1,200,000. There were many cases of violence against women. Freedom of speech was subject to additional restrictions.…

March 19, 2011

Report

UGANDA REPUBLIC OF UGANDA Head of state: Yoweri Museveni Head of government: Apollo Nsibambi Death penalty: retentionist International Criminal Court: ratified A new joint anti-crime operation led to killings of civilians by members of the security forces. Civilians arrested during the operation faced trial by military courts. Soldiers reportedly committed abuses during a disarmament operation in the northwest. At least 24 death sentences were passed, and two soldiers were executed. Journalists continued to be subjected to excessive use of force by the police. A new law restricted the activities of political parties. Abuses by the armed opposition Lord's Resistance Army…

March 19, 2011