United States Policy toward Human Rights: a Dossier

Human Rights Report Sees Worldwide Demand for Greater Freedom

More people worldwide are demanding greater personal and political freedom, but many governments are resisting this trend, says this year’s human rights report released February 25 by the U.S. Department of State.

“A disturbing number of countries imposed burdensome, restrictive or repressive laws and regulations against NGOs [nongovernmental organizations] and the media, including the Internet,” the report says. “Many courageous human rights defenders who peacefully pressed for their own rights and those of their fellow countrymen and women were harassed, threatened, arrested and imprisoned, killed or subjected to violent extrajudicial means of reprisal.”

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, in remarks at a press briefing for the release of the report, vowed to work with NGOs, businesses, religious leaders, schools and universities and individual citizens to “create a world where human rights are accepted.” She emphasized that the United States believes it enhances its own security, prosperity and progress when the human rights of people in other countries are protected. “The promotion of human rights is an essential piece of our foreign policy,” she said.  2008 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices -- Chapter on Belgium