Amnesty International Report 2008

The international human rights NGO Amnesty International published its 2008 annual report earlier this week:

"Amnesty International's Report 2008, shows that sixty years after the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the United Nations, people are still tortured or ill-treated in at least 81 countries, face unfair trials in at least 54 countries and are not allowed to speak freely in at least 77 countries."

"Amnesty International challenged governments to set a new paradigm for collective leadership based on the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (...) "

"The report highlights the following trends:

• Targeting of civilians by armed groups and government forces with impunity;
• Pervasive violence against women;
• Promotion of torture and ill-treatment as acceptable modes of intelligence gathering;
• Suppression of dissent and attacks on journalists and activists;
• Lack of protection for refugees, asylum-seekers and migrants;
• Denial of economic and social rights; and
• Evasion of corporate accountability for human rights abuses."

The report's section on Canada highlights a number of concerns, including aboriginal rights, civil liberties in the context of the "war on terror", women's rights, refugee rights, the use of Tasers, and the reversal of Canada's long-standing policy to always seek clemency for Canadians sentenced to death abroad.