AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL OF THE WORLD’S HUMAN RIGHTS THE STATE REPORT 2014/15 AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL REPORT 2014/15 THE STATE OF THE WORLD’S HUMAN RIGHTS The Amnesty International Report 2014/15 documents the state of human rights in 160 countries and territories during 2014. Some key events from 2013 are also reported. While 2014 saw violent conflict and the failure of many governments to safeguard the rights and safety of civilians, significant progress was also witnessed in the safeguarding and securing of certain human rights. Key anniversaries, including the commemoration of the Bhopal gas leak in 1984 and the Rwanda genocide in 1994, as well as reflections on 30 years since the adoption of the UN Convention against Torture, reminded us that while leaps forward have been made, there is still work to be done to ensure justice for victims and survivors of grave abuses. AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL This report also celebrates those who stand up REPORT 2014/15 for human rights across the world, often in difficult and dangerous circumstances. It represents Amnesty International’s key concerns throughout 2014/15 the world, and is essential reading for policy- THE STATE OF THE WORLD’S makers, activists and anyone with an interest in human rights. HUMAN RIGHTS Work with us at amnesty.org AIR_2014/15_cover_final.indd All Pages 23/01/2015 15:04 AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL Amnesty International is a global movement of more than 7 million people who campaign for a world where human rights are enjoyed by all. Our vision is for every person to enjoy all the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights standards. Amnesty International’s mission is to conduct research and take action to prevent and end grave abuses of all human rights – civil, political, social, cultural and economic. From freedom of expression and association to physical and mental integrity, from protection from discrimination to the right to housing – these rights are indivisible. Amnesty International is funded mainly by its membership and public donations. No funds are sought or accepted from governments for investigating and campaigning against human rights abuses. Amnesty International is independent of any government, political ideology, economic interest or religion. Amnesty International is a democratic movement whose major policy decisions are taken by representatives from all national sections at International Council Meetings held every two years. Check online for current details. First published in 2015 by All rights reserved. No This report documents Amnesty International Ltd part of this publication Amnesty International’s work Peter Benenson House may be reproduced, stored and concerns through 2014. 1 Easton Street in a retrieval system, or The absence of an entry in this London WC1X 0DW transmitted, in any form or report on a particular country United Kingdom by any means, electronic, or territory does not imply that © Amnesty International 2015 mechanical, photocopying, no human rights violations Index: POL 10/001/2015 recording and/or otherwise of concern to Amnesty without the prior permission International have taken place ISBN: 978-0-86210-488-7 of the publishers. To request there during the year. Nor is A catalogue record for this permission, or for any other the length of a country entry book is available from the inquiries, please contact any basis for a comparison British Library. [email protected] of the extent and depth of Amnesty International’s Original language: English amnesty.org concerns in a country. II Amnesty International Report 2014/15 14/15 AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL REPORT 2014/15 THE STATE OF THE WORLD'S HUMAN RIGHTS Amnesty International Report 2014/15 III CONTENTS ANNUAL REPORT 2014/15 Abbreviations VI Colombia 113 Preface VIII Congo (Republic of) 118 Côte D’Ivoire 119 Part 1. Foreword and Regional Overviews Croatia 121 Foreword 2 Cuba 123 Africa Regional Overview 6 Cyprus 125 Americas Regional Overview 15 Czech Republic 126 Asia-Pacific Regional Overview 23 Democratic Republic of the Congo 128 Europe and Central Asia Regional Denmark 131 Overview 32 Dominican Republic 133 Middle East and North Africa Regional Ecuador 135 Overview 40 Egypt 137 El Salvador 142 Part 2. Country entries Equatorial Guinea 144 Afghanistan 50 Eritrea 145 Albania 53 Estonia 147 Algeria 54 Ethiopia 148 Angola 58 Fiji 151 Argentina 60 Finland 152 Armenia 62 France 154 Australia 63 Gambia 156 Austria 64 Georgia 159 Azerbaijan 65 Germany 161 Bahamas 68 Ghana 163 Bahrain 69 Greece 163 Bangladesh 72 Guatemala 166 Belarus 74 Guinea 167 Belgium 76 Guinea-Bissau 169 Benin 77 Guyana 170 Bolivia 78 Haiti 172 Bosnia and Herzegovina 80 Honduras 174 Brazil 82 Hungary 176 Brunei Darussalam 86 India 178 Bulgaria 87 Indonesia 182 Burkina Faso 89 Iran 186 Burundi 90 Iraq 191 Cambodia 92 Ireland 195 Cameroon 95 Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Canada 97 Territories 197 Central African Republic 99 Italy 202 Chad 102 Jamaica 204 Chile 105 Japan 206 China 107 Jordan 207 IV Amnesty International Report 2014/15 Kazakhstan 209 Rwanda 310 Kenya 212 Saudi Arabia 313 Korea (Democratic People’s Republic of) 216 Senegal 317 Korea (Republic of) 218 Serbia 319 Kuwait 220 Sierra Leone 322 Kyrgyzstan 222 Singapore 325 Laos 224 Slovakia 326 Latvia 225 Slovenia 327 Lebanon 227 Somalia 328 Libya 229 South Africa 332 Lithuania 235 South Sudan 336 Macedonia 236 Spain 340 Malawi 237 Sri Lanka 342 Malaysia 238 Sudan 345 Maldives 241 Suriname 349 Mali 242 Swaziland 349 Malta 244 Sweden 351 Mauritania 245 Switzerland 352 Mexico 247 Syria 353 Moldova 251 Taiwan 358 Mongolia 253 Tajikistan 360 Montenegro 254 Tanzania 362 Morocco/Western Sahara 255 Thailand 363 Mozambique 259 Timor-Leste 366 Myanmar 261 Togo 367 Namibia 265 Trinidad and Tobago 369 Nauru 266 Tunisia 370 Nepal 267 Turkey 373 Netherlands 269 Turkmenistan 377 New Zealand 270 Uganda 379 Nicaragua 271 Ukraine 382 Niger 272 United Arab Emirates 387 Nigeria 274 United Kingdom 389 Norway 279 United States of America 393 Oman 280 Uruguay 398 Pakistan 281 Uzbekistan 399 Palestine (State of) 285 Venezuela 401 Panama 288 Viet Nam 404 Papua New Guinea 289 Yemen 406 Paraguay 291 Zambia 410 Peru 292 Zimbabwe 411 Philippines 294 Poland 296 Portugal 298 Puerto Rico 299 Qatar 300 Romania 303 Russian Federation 305 Amnesty International Report 2014/15 V ABBREVIATIONS ASEAN ICCPR Association of Southeast Asian Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights AU African Union ICESCR International Covenant on Economic, Social CEDAW and Cultural Rights UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women ICRC International Committee of the Red Cross CEDAW Committee UN Committee on the Elimination of ILO Discrimination against Women International Labour Organization CERD International Convention against enforced International Convention on the Elimination of disappearance All Forms of Racial Discrimination International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance CERD Committee UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial LGBTI Discrimination Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex CIA US Central Intelligence Agency NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization ECOWAS Economic Community of West African States NGO Non-governmental organization EU European Union OAS Organization of American States European Committee for the Prevention of Torture OSCE European Committee for the Prevention of Organization for Security and Co-operation in Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment Europe or Punishment UK European Convention on Human Rights United Kingdom (European) Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms UN United Nations ICC International Criminal Court VI Amnesty International Report 2014/15 UN Convention against Torture UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment UN Refugee Convention UN Convention relating to the Status of Refugees UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression UN Special Rapporteur on racism UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance UN Special Rapporteur on torture UN Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women UN Special rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences UNHCR, the UN refugee agency Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund UPR UN Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review USA United States of America WHO World Health Organization Amnesty International Report 2014/15 VII PREFACE The Amnesty International Report 2014/15 documents the state of the world’s human rights during 2014. Some key events from 2013 are also reported. The foreword, five regional overviews and survey of 160 countries and territories bear witness to the suffering endured by many, whether it be through conflict, displacement, discrimination or repression. The Report also highlights the strength of the human rights movement, and shows that, in some areas, significant progress has been made in the safeguarding and securing of human rights. While every attempt is made to ensure accuracy of information, information may be subject to change without notice. VIII Amnesty International Report 2014/15 14/15 AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL REPORT