Human Rights Watch releases its 22nd annual World Report

Human Rights Watch’s World Report 2012 summarises human rights conditions in more than 90 countries and territories worldwide in 2011. It reflects extensive investigative work that Human Rights Watch staff has undertaken during the year, often in close partnership with domestic human rights activists. The introductory essay examines the Arab Spring, which has created an extraordinary opportunity for change, and states the global community has a responsibility to help the long suppressed people of the region seize control of their destiny from often-brutal authoritarian rulers.

Of Australia’s neighbours, the report documents the worsening police violence and human rights situation in West Papua. Whilst acknowledging democratic progress in Indonesia over the past 13 year, HRW says serious human rights concerns remain and while senior officials pay lip service to protecting human rights, they seem unwilling to take the steps necessary to ensure compliance by the security forces with international human rights and punishment for those responsible for abuses. The report also criticises the Sri Lankan government for failing to conduct credible investigations into alleged war crimes by security forces.

Source: Human Rights Watch