Kenneth Roth
Kenneth Roth
Kenneth Rothis an American attorney who has been the executive director of Human Rights Watch since 1993...
disagree government listen openly spoke willing
We spoke openly with the Libyan government about our concerns. We disagree on many substantive issues, but they are willing to listen and discuss.
abortion dangerous endure ensure fails government human imposed inform legal mexican needs obtain official public rights victims violation voluntary
The Mexican government needs to ensure that rape victims do not have to endure dangerous back-alley abortions or imposed pregnancies. A public official who fails to inform rape victims of how they can obtain a voluntary legal abortion is contributing to a human rights violation and should be disciplined.
childish commission cooperate council decades government human inferior rights vastly
It's childish for the U.S. government not to cooperate with the new Human Rights Council when it cooperated for decades with the vastly inferior old Commission on Human Rights.
commit cooperation fighting government human improve mean press relations respect terrorism western
As western governments improve relations with Libya, they should press the government to improve its respect for human rights. Libya's cooperation in fighting terrorism should not mean carte blanche to commit abuse.
government implement ready serious symbolic test
This is an important symbolic visit. The real test is to see if the government is ready to implement the recommendations and show it's serious about eradicating torture.
government human meets road standards steps toward travel welcome
We welcome Libya's first steps toward reform. But the government has a long road to travel before it meets the international standards of human rights.
basic enormous gives government green human light problem rights standards states undermines united
There is an enormous problem that when a government as influential as the United States flouts basic human rights standards, it undermines the standards and gives green light to other governments to do the same.
against apart attacks carry category clearly committed crimes fall help nature people plan scale sets suicide systematic war
The people who carry out suicide bombings are not martyrs, they're war criminals, and so are the people who help plan such attacks. The scale and systematic nature of these attacks sets them apart from other abuses committed in times of conflict. They clearly fall under the category of crimes against humanity.
allowed cannot members onto states
States like Nepal, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, or Zimbabwe, which are members of the old Commission, cannot be allowed onto the new Council.
changed continued power
Things have changed in Venezuela, but not for the better. There's been a continued consolidation of power on the part of Chavez.
appeal changed civilian judge potential serving
There still is no appeal to an independent civilian court, ... The commissions still have Rumsfeld or his designate serving as prosecutor, judge, appellate judge and potential executioner. That has not changed one iota.
ability commitment council curb depend great improvement protect rights vote weakest
The new council should be a great improvement over the old Commission, but today's vote is only the beginning. Its ability to protect the weakest will now depend on the commitment of governments to curb rights violations.
allowing armed attacking civilians conflicts create immense involve justify power
Armed conflicts often involve discrepancies of power between adversaries. Allowing those discrepancies to justify attacking civilians would create an immense loophole in the protections of international humanitarian law.
ability defense inhumane largest played promote role torture treatment
The U.S. government's use and defense of torture and inhumane treatment played the largest role in undermining Washington's ability to promote human rights.