Human Rights: Annual Reports Released
 Acting Assistant Secretary Farrar: "For progress on human rights to be made and sustained, three essential and mutually reinforcing elements must be present. One is free and fair electoral processes. ...Two, countries must have representative, accountable, transparent democratic institutions of government, ...And third, vibrant independent civil societies, including NGOs and free media." Full Text | Remarks by Secretary Rice
The Country Reports on Human Rights Practices are submitted annually by the U.S. Department of State to the U.S. Congress in compliance with sections 116(d) and 502B(b) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (FAA), as amended, and section 504 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended. The law provides that the Secretary of State shall transmit to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate, by February 25 "a full and complete report regarding the status of internationally recognized human rights, within the meaning of subsection (A) in countries that receive assistance under this part, and (B) in all other foreign countries which are members of the United Nations and which are not otherwise the subject of a human rights report under this Act." Reports on several countries are included that do not fall into the categories established by these statutes and that thus are not covered by the congressional requirement. |
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