60 years of human rights failure - Governments must apologize and act now!
Amnesty International has raised today to the governments of the world the double challenge to apologize for six decades of human rights and failure to renew its commitment to act in concrete improvements.
Introducing the 2008 Report: The state of human rights in the world, Irene Khan, secretary general of Amnesty International, said: "Darfur, Zimbabwe, Gaza, Iraq and Myanmar are hot spots that require immediate action on human rights. "
" Injustice, inequality and impunity are the hallmarks of our world. Governments must act now to close the gap between what is said than done. "
The Amnesty International Report 2008 shows, 60 years after it was adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights United Nations, that at least 81 countries are still tortured or ill-treatment of persons, that in at least 54 are subjected to trials without due process, and that in at least 77 are not allowed speak freely.
Irene Khan said: "The year 2007 was characterized by the impotence of Western governments and the ambivalence or reluctance of emerging powers to tackle some of the world's worst human rights crisis, whether rooted conflicts and growing inequalities so many millions of people are leaving relegated. "
Amnesty International warns that the greatest threat to the future of human rights is the absence of a shared vision and collective leadership.
The secretary general of Amnesty International continues: "The year 2008 offers an unprecedented opportunity for new leaders come to power and countries emerging on the world stage to set new directions and to reject the myopic policies and practices in recent years have made the world a more dangerous and divided place. "
Amnesty International challenged governments to establish a new paradigm for collective leadership based on the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
"And they are the most powerful must lead by example", said Ms Khan.
* China has to keep promises on human rights it made around the Olympic Games and allow freedom of speech and press, and end the practice of "reeducation through labor." * U.S.
must close the detention camp at Guantanamo and other secret detention centers, prosecute the detainees under fair trial standards or release them, and reject without a shadow of doubt the use of torture and ill-treatment.
* Russia must show greater tolerance for political dissent, and zero tolerance for impunity for human rights abuses in Chechnya.
* The EU must investigate the complicity of its member states in "renditions" of terrorist suspects, and apply its own members the same bar on human rights it does for other countries.
Ms Khan warned: "World leaders are in denial, but the price of inaction is very high. As Iraq and Afghanistan show the problems that affect human rights are not isolated tragedies, but are like viruses that can infect and spread rapidly and putting us all at risk. "
" Governments today must show the same degree of vision, courage and commitment that 60 years ago prompted the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. "
"grows in people's demand for justice, freedom and equality."
Some of the most striking images of 2007 were of monks in Myanmar, lawyers in Pakistan and women activists in Iran.
Mrs. Khan concludes: "The people, anxious and angry, will not stay silent, and world leaders ignore public opinion for their own risk."
Taken from the official website of Amnesty International.
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