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.
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.