US Keeps Pressure on Syria and Iran

Aljazeera:

The US has kept up its feud with Syria and Iran, blasting their governments as repressive and their human rights records as fraught with abuses ranging from arbitrary arrest to torture.

The US State Department's annual report on human rights in 2004 provided the latest forum for US criticism of the two Middle East countries that have come into Washington's sights over a number of issues. ...

It said the government had barred organised political opposition and been responsible for "continuing serious abuses", including torture, arbitrary arrests and prolonged detention without trial.

Restrictions

"The government significantly restricted freedom of speech and of the press. The government also severely restricted freedom of assembly and association," the report said.

The department rebuked the Syrians for limiting freedom of religion and movement, and discriminating against women and the stateless Kurdish minority in the country.

It also cited the Syrian presence in Lebanon as a factor in that country's human rights problems, including arbitrary detentions and the use of excess force by members of the security forces. ...

The State Department report said human rights abuses in Iran had worsened in 2004 with abuses including summary executions, disappearances, torture and other severe punishments such as amputations and flogging.

"The government infringed on citizens' privacy rights and restricted freedom of speech, press, assembly, association, and religion," it said, adding that opposition politicians were harassed, prosecuted, and threatened with jail. ...