Global human rights under attack in 2015, says Amnesty

By Emma Batha

24 February 2016 at 2:00 am

By Emma Batha LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Short-term national self-interest and draconian security crackdowns have led to an "unprecedented assault on human rights", Amnesty International said on Wednesday as it launched its annual report. Here are some facts and figures from the human rights group's 2015 review of the rights situation in 160 countries and territories: * More than 60 million people were displaced from their homes. Many had been displaced for several years or longer * At least 30 countries illegally forced refugees to return to countries where they would be in danger * Armed groups committed human rights abuses in at least 36 countries * War crimes or other violations of the "laws of war" were carried out in at least 19 countries * At least 122 countries tortured or otherwise ill-treated people * At least 156 human rights defenders died in detention or were killed * At least 113 countries arbitrarily restricted freedom of expression and the press * At least 61 countries locked up prisoners of conscience * At least 55 percent of countries conducted unfair trials (Editing by Tim Pearce.; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, which covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, corruption and climate change. Visit news.trust.org to see more stories.)

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