By Nicole Gaouette
Bloomberg
Cambodian Abuses
Cambodia was singled out for arbitrary arrests, child labor, restrictions on freedom of assembly and expression, and the use of defamation lawsuits to target opposition voices.A new law in Cambodia is “emblematic” of international efforts to squash pro-democracy and public advocacy groups, the report said. The law would bar groups with fewer than 11 members from getting legal status, create barriers to registration for foreign non-governmental groups and then require them to collaborate with the government.
Ukraine, which began the year with free and fair presidential elections, saw an negative trend due to problematic local elections, media intimidation, and perceived selective prosecution of opposition figures, the report said.
Middle Eastern protesters calling for greater freedom, economic opportunity and meaningful political participation have the potential to improve human rights in that region and beyond, according to a State Department report released today.
“These citizens seek to build sustainable democracies in their countries with governments that respect the universal human rights of their own people,” the report noted. “If they succeed, the Middle East region, and with it the whole world, will be improved.”
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, speaking at the State Department, said the U.S. is “particularly disturbed” by crackdowns on democracy activists. She cited arrests of dissidents in such countries as China and Venezuela.
The 35th annual report examined 194 countries, singling out Colombia, Guinea and Indonesia for improvements in human rights in 2010. Ukraine, China and Cambodia, where “security forces, acting with impunity, committed arbitrary killings,” were among countries censured for their abuses.
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