Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


US Report Paints Grim Picture of Human Rights in Africa

   VOA News 11 March 2010
   Demonstrators  protest outside the court in Harare, Zimbabwe on 18 Feb
   2009  and  call  for  release  of  political  prisoners held by ruling
   ZANU-PF party

Photo: AP

   Demonstrators  protest outside the court in Harare, Zimbabwe on 18 Feb
   2009  and  call  for  release  of  political  prisoners held by ruling
   ZANU-PF party

   The  new  U.S.  annual  report  on  human rights says abuses are still
   widespread across Africa, though it notes improvements in a few areas.
   The  report, released Thursday, says government security forces commit
   arbitrary  and  unlawful  killings  in  some  of  the continent's most
   populous countries, including Nigeria,  Kenya, and Ethiopia.
   Its  authors accuse the party of Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe of
   using  arrests,  torture, killings, and repressive laws to effectively
   block the right of citizens to change the government.
   The  report  also  criticizes  the  Democratic  Republic  of Congo for
   failing  to  protect  civilians  in  the  country's volatile east, and
   Uganda for considering a bill that would provide the death penalty for
   homosexuals.
   On  a  more  positive  note,  the  U.S.  says  Somalia's  transitional
   government is showing an increased respect for human rights.  However,
   the  report  said  the  overall  human  rights  picture in Somalia has
   deteriorated  because of continued conflict, the availability of small
   arms, and the absence of the rule of law.
   The  State  Department  evaluates  the  human  rights  record of every
   country in the world each year, as required by law.
   This  year's  report contains appraisals of 48 African countries.  The
   full  report  is  available  on  the State Department's Web site at[1]
   www.state.gov.

References

   1. http://www.state.gov/

.