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24585: Hermantin (News) 5 nations are cited as human rights abusers



leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>


Posted on Tue, Mar. 29, 2005
5 nations are cited as human rights abusers
BY PABLO BACHELET
Miami Herald


WASHINGTON - Many countries in Latin America are struggling to consolidate democratic reforms and respect for human rights, a State Department report said Monday, reserving some of the strongest language for abuses in Cuba, Venezuela, Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Colombia.

The congressionally mandated report -- Supporting Human Rights and Democracy: The U.S. Record 2004-2005 -- details U.S. actions worldwide to promote democracy and respect for human rights. In Latin America, democracy continued to prevail but countries suffered from inefficient and corrupt judicial systems to police excesses against the opposition and media.

In Venezuela, there was ''some pretty severe backsliding in areas like press freedom, judicial independence, and so on,'' said Michael Kozak, acting assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights and labor. The report listed U.S. programs to support nongovernmental organizations. In Cuba, the United States has had to resort to ''creative ways'' to get around state censorship by using images such as the creation of a prison cell replica on the grounds of the U.S. mission in Havana. Over 300,000 media items and thousands of free radios were distributed to Cubans. In Haiti, where the report cited ''extrajudicial killings'' by Haitian police, the United States has provided technical assistance for elections and has sent 62 Haitian civil society leaders to attend seminars on human rights.

In Colombia the State Department noted reports of long detention before trial as well as abuses committed by some of the security forces. The United States has helped Colombia reform its judiciary and train its police. In criticizing the Dominican Republic's record, the report noted the use of torture by security forces. The United States has provided technical assistance to implement a new criminal code.