The United States government is undermining human rights principles by ignoring the abuses of its allies in the "war on terrorism," said Human Rights Watch (HRW) today in releasing its 2003 World Report. The report documents the state of human rights, including freedom of expression, in 58 countries during 2002.

Although the Bush administration has taken some steps to promote human rights in some countries considered key allies in the US anti-terrorism campaign, its refusal to confront violations in other allied countries has compromised its engagement on human rights, HRW says.

"To fight terrorism, you need the support of people in countries where the terrorists live. Cozying up to oppressive governments is hardly a way to build those alliances," the group says.

HRW cites Pakistan, China, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia, whose governments' records on human rights are disturbing. In particular, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf last year signed three laws which ARTICLE 19 says will exert a significant chilling effect on freedom of expression, while China justifies its repression of ethnic Uighur Muslims by calling it "anti-terrorism."

Meanwhile, the US government rarely challenges Saudi Arabia on its highly repressive human rights record, HRW says.

See the full report here:
www.hrw.org/wr2k3/


Since September 2001, HRW has been tracking the spread of anti-terrorism legislation around the world and its effects on free expression and other human rights. Its special "Human Rights After September 11" page can be viewed on its website:
www.hrw.org


Other IFEX members have been monitoring free expression and anti-terrorism legislation in the wake of 11 September.

Visit these links:

- ARTICLE 19:
www.article19.org


- International Federation of Journalists:
www.ifj.org


- Reporters sans frontières:
www.rsf.org


- Committee to Protect Journalists:
www.cpj.org