Thursday, May 03, 2007
Iraq added to human rights 'watch list'
Humanitarian
(AP) - Soaring sectarian violence and government abuses have caused an alarming deterioration in religious freedom in Iraq, prompting a U.S. advisory panel for the first time to place it on a watch list of countries where worship is under severe threat.
Citing gross violations of the rights of Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims as well as followers of numerous minority beliefs, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom added Iraq to its "watch list" today. Violations cited include arbitrary arrests, torture and rape. Iraq joins Afghanistan, Belarus, Egypt, Bangladesh, Cuba, Indonesia and Nigeria on the list.
Their designation is a notch below the designation "country of particular concern," which would make them subject to possible U.S. sanctions. Three of the four Democratic appointees to the 10-member congressionally named commission differed with the Republican majority, arguing that conditions are so bad in Iraq that the commission should have taken that next step.
In the end, the panel, which reports to the White House, State Department and Congress, placed Iraq on the watch list with the understanding that it will be recommended for "country of particular concern" status next year if improvements are not made. The countries on the blacklist include Saudi Arabia, China, Eritrea, Iran, Burma, North Korea, Sudan and Uzbekistan.
Labels: human rights violation, humanitarian, Iraq, religious freedom, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom
