In Pictures: Derby Day devotees, Kenyan style
Photos of the Day: Photos of the day 05/16
In Pictures: Dazzle like Beckham
In Pictures: Weather extremes 2013
Photos of the Day: Photos of the day 05/15
In Pictures: Duchess Kate's royal baby bump
Photos of the Day: Photos of the day 05/14
In Pictures: Keffiyeh is rebel chic
TIBET:
Tibet: Under Chinese rule, Tibetans lack the right to determine their political future or freely elect their own leaders. The authorities regularly suppress religious activities and possession of Dalai Lama–related materials can lead to official harassment and punishment. Freedoms of assembly and association are severely restricted. Independent trade unions, civic groups, and human rights groups are illegal. Torture remains common in practice. Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet, is seen here in July 2009. Grace Liang/Reuters/FILE
Uzbekistan: President Karimov and the executive branch dominate the legislature and judiciary, and the government severely represses all political opposition, freedoms of speech, and the press. The state exercises strict control over Islamic worship and suspected members of banned Muslim organizations and their relatives have been subjected to arrest, interrogation, and torture. Torture is reported to be endemic to the criminal justice system. Prisons suffer from severe overcrowding and shortages of food and medicine. The trafficking of women abroad for prostitution remains a serious problem. An aerial view of Muynak, Uzbekistan, next to the dried up Aral Sea is seen here on April 4. Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP
Turkmenistan: None of Turkmenistan's elections have been free or fair due to widespread corruption, with public officials often forced to bribe their way into their positions. The government restricts the freedom of speech, the press, freedom of religion, and independent groups face persecution. The authorities frequently deny rights of due process, including public trials and access to defense attorneys. Prisons suffer from overcrowding and inadequate nutrition and medical care, and international organizations are not permitted to visit prisoners. Here, a family in Dashkhovuz, Turkmenistan sits outside their home. Newscom/FILE
Sudan: The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir in March 2009, citing evidence of crimes against humanity and war crimes in Darfur. Sudan is considered one of the world’s most corrupt states. The police and security forces practice arbitrary arrest, holding people at secret locations without access to lawyers or their relatives. It is widely accepted that the government has directed and assisted the systematic killing of tens or even hundreds of thousands of people in Darfur since 2003. Human rights groups have documented the widespread use of rape, the organized burning of villages, and the forced displacement of entire communities. Supporters of Bashir wave flags at a rally in May. Mohamed Nureldin/Reuters
Somalia: Due to mounting civil unrest and the breakdown of the state, corruption in Somalia is rampant. There is no judicial system functioning effectively at the national level. In many regions, local authorities administer a mix of Sharia (Islamic law) and traditional Somali forms of justice and reconciliation. The human rights situation in Somalia remained grim in 2009. Women in Somalia face a great deal of discrimination. Female genital mutilation is still practiced in some form on nearly all Somali girls, and sexual violence is rampant. Here, a Somali government soldier patrols in the capital Mogadishu in February. Fara Abdi Warsameh/AP/FILE
North Korea: The North Korean constitution provides for freedom of speech and the press, but in practice these rights are nonexistent. Nearly all forms of private communication are monitored by a huge network of informers. Corruption is believed to be endemic at all levels of the state and economy. The regime subjects thousands of political prisoners to brutal conditions, and collective or familial punishment for suspected dissent by an individual is a common practice. A poster of North Korean leader Kim Jung-il is on display at a Korean War exhibition in Seoul on May 27. Lee Jin-man/AP
Libya: In Libya, political structures are manipulated to ensure the continued dominance of Muammar Qaddafi. Organizing or joining anything akin to a political party is punishable by long prison terms and even the death penalty. Academic freedom is tightly restricted. There are no independent labor unions and the judiciary as a whole remains subservient to the political leadership and regularly penalizes political dissent. Certain laws and social norms perpetuate discrimination against women, particularly in areas such as marriage, divorce, and inheritance. Qaddafi is seen here speaking at the 64th United Nations General Assembly in New York in September 2009. Mike Segar/Reuters/FILE
Eritrea: The government of Eritrea intensified its suppression of human rights in 2009, using arbitrary arrests and an onerous conscription system to control the population. Persecution of minority Christian sects has escalated in recent years. Freedom of assembly does not exist, independent nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) are not allowed, and the legitimate role of human rights defenders is not recognized. Torture, arbitrary detentions, and political arrests are common. The Kunama people, one of Eritrea’s nine ethnic groups, reportedly face severe discrimination. Eritrean residents perform during a welcome ceremony for Eritrean President Issaias Afewerki in Khartoum, Sudan, on May 26. Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah/Reuters
Equatorial Guinea: Equatorial Guinea is not an electoral democracy, has never held credible elections. It is considered one of the most corrupt countries in the world. Freedoms of assembly and association are severely restricted, and official authorization for political gatherings is mandatory. Prison conditions are extremely harsh. Authorities have been accused of widespread human rights abuses, including torture, detention of political opponents, and extrajudicial killings. Constitutional and legal guarantees of equality for women are largely ignored, and violence against women is reportedly widespread. People are seen here carrying drinking water in the capital Malabo in August 2002. Christine Nesbitt/AP/FILE
Burma (Myanmar): The nation's military regime rules by decree. It controls all executive, legislative, and judicial powers, suppresses nearly all basic rights, and commits human rights abuses with impunity. The junta drastically restricts press freedom. Judges are appointed or approved by the junta and adjudicate cases according to its decrees. Some of the worst human rights abuses take place in areas populated by ethnic minorities. In these border regions the military arbitrarily detains, beats, rapes, and kills civilians. A soldier from the Kachin Independence Army, one of Myanmar's largest armed ethnic groups, listens to a speech during a rally in Laiza, Burma, on April 16. Ng Han Guan/AP
In Pictures: Derby Day devotees, Kenyan style
Photos of the Day: Photos of the day 05/16
In Pictures: Dazzle like Beckham
In Pictures: Weather extremes 2013
Photos of the Day: Photos of the day 05/15
In Pictures: Duchess Kate's royal baby bump
Photos of the Day: Photos of the day 05/14
In Pictures: Keffiyeh is rebel chic
Today, yet another Tibetan died after he set himself on fire in protest. And neither the Chinese authorities nor exiled Tibetan leaders seem able, or willing, to halt the recent spike in such incidents.
When Tsering Nyamgal set himself alight on Thursday, he became the 27th Tibetan this month to choose fiery death as a way to protest against Chinese rule.
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