Including Syria, where the United States is backing opponents of embattled President Bashar al-Assad.
"In Syria, Assad is desperately clinging to power, responding to the cries of freedom with murder and mayhem and more bloodshed," said Kerry. "The vision of so many who have fought and sacrificed across the region will never be released if their human rights are denied or ignored.
In Tibet, the human rights report says the number of Buddhist self-immolations last year was more than six times that of 2011. It says authorities repressed Tibet’s unique religious and cultural heritage by "strictly curtailing the civil rights of China’s ethnic Tibetan population.
In Iran, the report says the government continued its crackdown on civil society by arresting journalists, students, lawyers, artists, and ethnic and religious activists -- with security forces committing acts of politically motivated violence and repression, including torture, beatings, and rape.
Kerry says the United States promotes human rights not simply because it is the right thing to do but because it is tied to security.
"Countries where strong human rights prevail are countries where people do better, economies thrive, rule of law is stronger, governments are more effective and more responsive, and they are countries that lead on the world stage and project stability across their regions," he said.
The report noted a shrinking space for civil society activism around the world -- especially in Russia where new laws increase fines for unauthorized protests, limit Internet freedoms, and dramatically expand the definition of treason.
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2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25