TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION 1

THE THEMATIC MECHANISMS 2

COUNTRY SITUATIONS 3

COUNTRIES UNDER AGENDA ITEMS 3, 4, 5 AND 12 4

Afghanistan 4

Bougainville 4

Burundi 5

Cuba 6

Equatorial Guinea 6

Guatemala 6

Haiti 7

Iran 7

Iraq 8

Israeli-Occupied Territories 8

Myanmar 9

Rwanda 9

South Africa 10

Sudan 10

Togo 11

The former Yugoslavia 12

Zaire 12

COUNTRIES UNDER THE ADVISORY SERVICES ITEM 13

Albania 14

Angola 14

Cambodia 14

El Salvador 15

Georgia 15

Somalia 16

COUNTRIES RAISED IN STATEMENTS BY THE CHAIRPERSON 16

East Timor 16

Romania 17

Sri Lanka 18

RESOLUTIONS HALTED BY PROCEDURAL MOTIONS 18

China including Tibet 18

OTHER COUNTRY SITUATIONS 19

Algeria 19

Colombia 20

India (Jammu and Kashmir) 21

Indonesia 22

Turkey 23

INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS STANDARDS 25

Human Rights Defenders 25

The draft Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture 26

Third Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 26

HUMAN RIGHTS AND MASS EXODUSES 27

WOMEN 28

CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION TO MILITARY SERVICE 29

RESOURCES FOR THE UN CENTRE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS 30

LIST OF AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTS 31

@Amnesty International's concerns at the 51st United Nations Commission on Human Rights

INTRODUCTION

Amnesty International is a worldwide voluntary movement that works to prevent some of the gravest violations by governments of people's fundamental rights. The main focus of its actions is to work toward the release of all prisoners of conscience - those detained anywhere for their beliefs or because of their ethnic origin, sex, colour or language who have not used or advocated violence; fair and prompt trials for all political prisoners; the abolition of the death penalty, torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment of prisoners; and an end to extrajudicial executions and "disappearances". The organization also opposes abuses committed by armed opposition groups which are contrary to minimum international standards of humanitarian conduct such as hostage-taking, torture and deliberate and arbitrary killings of prisoners and other civilians and non-combatants.

Amnesty International is independent of any government, political persuasion or religious creed. It does not support or oppose any government or political system, nor does it support or oppose the views of victims whose rights it seeks to protect. It is concerned solely with the protection of human rights regardless of the ideology of the government or opposition force or the belief of the victim.

Amnesty International promotes awareness of and adherence to all the rights embodied in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and elaborated in human rights instruments adopted by the United Nations (UN) including the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights although the specific rights on which it takes action are found in the latter treaty. All human rights are universal and indivisible and the specific rights which are the focus of Amnesty International's actions are inextricably linked to other human rights.

The organization is mindful that the guarantees of human rights and fundamental freedoms contained in international treaties and non-treaty instruments have been formulated by governments in bodies such as the Commission on Human Rights (the Commission) as standards for their own behaviour. It is essential that these standards serve as a guide in the debates of the Commission by facilitating the objective and impartial discussion of human rights violations wherever in the world they occur and whatever aspect of human rights - civil, cultural, economic, political or social - they concern. Amnesty International deeply regrets the politicization of many debates, which wastes time and distorts or blocks discussion of important human rights issues. It calls on all participants to act objectively so that its deliberations and decisions may have some real effect in halting or preventing human rights violations around the world. It also hopes that members of the Commission will refrain from using procedural motions to curtail important debates. These motions are rarely based on substantive procedural points but are used by a small number of governments to prevent public discussion of the human rights situation in particular countries.

One way in which states can demonstrate a basic commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights is by ratifying or acceding to international human rights treaties and doing so without limiting reservations, declarations or understandings which undermine the guarantees contained in the treaties and call into question the willingness of the state to comply fully with its international obligations under the treaties. Amnesty International believes that it is essential that all members of the Commission promptly ratify or accede at least to the main international human rights treaties as a matter of priority. The Commission, as a body, should ensure that, in line with the recommendations of the 1993 World Conference on Human Rights, the UN Secretary-General is urging states that have not ratified or acceded to international human rights treaties to do so. These include the Convention of the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, which the World Conference recommended should be ratified universally by 1995 and 2000 respectively.

Ultimately, however, international human rights instruments are only effective if they are implemented. International mechanisms developed to investigate violations only produce results if governments take their findings and recommendations seriously. There is no substitute for direct government action to protect human rights. The Commission, as the UN's main human rights body, bears a heavy responsibility for making this happen.

THE THEMATIC MECHANISMS

The UN thematic mechanisms which are particularly relevant to the human rights on which Amnesty International takes action are those which deal with arbitrary detention; "disappearances"; extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions; torture; as well as freedom of opinion and expression; violence against women; internally displaced; racism; religious intolerance and independence of the judiciary. The mandates of the mechanisms on "disappearances", extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, religious intolerance and torture are all due to be renewed at the forthcoming session. Amnesty International hopes that the Commission will renew these mandates for a further three-year term in accordance with Resolution 1990/48 of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Special Rapporteurs on independence of the judiciary and violence against women were both created for an initial three-year term at the last session.

Resolution 1994/53 on human rights and thematic procedures requested the Secretary-General to ensure the availability of adequate resources to enable the effective implementation of all the mechanisms. Regrettably, this has not happened and the mechanisms are still acutely short of the resources they need to support such crucial activities as on-site visits. As recommended in the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, the resolution suggested the possibility of the mechanisms holding periodic meetings to allow cooperation and rationalization of their work. It also called on the existing thematic mechanisms to address human rights violations that are specifically or primarily directed against women.

During 1994 Amnesty International has submitted information to the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances on 80 countries, primarily concerning Colombia, Haiti, India, Peru, Rwanda, Sri Lanka and Turkey. During the year the Working Group participated in two joint visits to the former Yugoslavia with the Special Rapporteur on former Yugoslavia. Amnesty International has submitted information to the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions concerning some 49 countries, including Colombia, Egypt, Guatemala, Haiti, Iran, Mexico, Peru, Turkey and the USA. The Special Rapporteur has visited East Timor, Colombia and Rwanda during the year. The Special Rapporteur on torture visited Colombia and the Russian Federation during 1994 and Amnesty International submitted information on more than 50 countries including Algeria, Colombia, Ethiopia, Haiti, India, Tunisia, Turkey and Sudan. Information on 24 countries including China, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Haiti, Indonesia/East Timor, South Korea and Sudan was submitted by Amnesty International to the Working Group on arbitrary detention. Amnesty International submitted information on human rights violations in the context of the right to freedom of religious thought or belief to the Special Rapporteur on religious intolerance concerning China, Cyprus, Greece, Iran, Peru and Viet Nam. Amnesty International also submitted information on human rights violations in the context of racial discrimination concerning Austria, Bulgaria, France, Romania and Rwanda to the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia who was appointed under resolution 1993/20. During 1994 Amnesty International has submitted information to the Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression regarding a number of countries, including China, Indonesia, South Korea and Sudan.

At its last session, the Commission decided to appoint a Special Rapporteur on violence against women under Resolution 1994/45. During 1994 Amnesty International submitted information to the Special Rapporteur on situations involving human rights violations against women in a number of counties including Austria, Brazil, China, Colombia, Haiti, Honduras, India, Mexico and Sri Lanka.

Resolution 1994/53 encouraged governments to respond expeditiously to requests for information from the thematic mechanisms and to study carefully the recommendations addressed to them and keep the mechanisms informed of progress in their implementation. Amnesty International believes that the Commission needs to be more active in ensuring that governments take action on recommendations, preferably by establishing a new sub-item to agenda item 10 to examine progress towards implementation.

COUNTRY SITUATIONS

This section concerns country situations which are on the Commission's agenda under items 3, 4, 5 and 12, under the advisory services item (21 on the draft provisional agenda) or were the subject of statements made by the Chairperson at the last session. All of these, in Amnesty International's view, require the continued attention of the Commission, although in a few cases it is encouraging to note positive developments over the last year. In addition, information has been included on six other country situations - China, where discussion of a draft resolution was halted by a procedural motion at the last session, and Algeria, Colombia, India (Jammu and Kashmir), and Turkey where the level of human rights violations is so severe and persistent as to warrant the prompt and full attention of the Commission.

Situations involving armed conflict are noted in the paragraphs below, where appropriate. Amnesty International is absolutely clear in its condemnation of abuses committed by armed opposition groups. Both governments and their opponents should observe minimum standards laid down by humanitarian law. International law prohibits governments making any derogation from certain fundamental human rights, including the right to life, even in emergency situations. Under no circumstances can abuses by armed opposition groups justify human rights violations by governments.

COUNTRIES UNDER AGENDA ITEMS 3, 4, 5 AND 12

Afghanistan

Gross human rights violations by all parties to the civil war have continued to be perpetrated on a large scale in Afghanistan, including unlawful arrests, hostage-taking, torture, rape, extrajudicial executions and deliberate and arbitrary killings. The majority of victims have been civilians, particularly women and children. Resolution 1994/84 called on the authorities to investigate the whereabouts of the "disappeared" but Amnesty International believes that dozens of people are still held in incommunicado detention or have "disappeared" and remain unaccounted for. All sections of the population are at risk of human rights violations committed by members of the main Mujahideen groupings or the government. These include members of ethnic or religious groups in areas controlled by a hostile local leader, educated Afghan women who are seen by some Mujahideen groups as having violated Islamic law, academics, officials of the former government and, most recently, journalists covering human rights violations. Renewed intense fighting broke out on 1 January 1994 when Prime Minister Hekmatyar attempted to force President Rabbani to resign. An estimated 1,500 civilians have lost their lives since the beginning of the year. Amnesty International hopes that the Commission will give urgent attention to the situation in Afghanistan and to the recommendations of the Special Rapporteur who will present his report to the next session.

Bougainville

Amnesty International continued to receive reports of extrajudicial executions, torture and ill-treatment by the Papua New Guinea Defence Force during 1994 although the number of violations of human rights reported from Bougainville declined during the year. Nonetheless, Amnesty International remains concerned that serious and long-standing violations committed by government security forces and government-backed "resistance forces", such as extrajudicial executions, "disappearances" and torture including rape, have not been properly investigated by the authorities. Resolution 1994/81 stressed the need for the government of Papua New Guinea to bring to justice those responsible for human rights violations on Bougainville, invite the Special Rapporteurs on torture and extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions to visit the island to conduct independent investigations and asked the UN Secretary-General to consider appointing a Special Representative. To date, the UN's thematic mechanisms have been have not been invited and the Special Representative has not been appointed. Despite frequent announcements of investigations into human rights violations, the government has taken little concrete action. Since the new Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea took office in August 1994, a ceasefire has been negotiated and a South Pacific Peacekeeping Force was deployed to prepare a neutral zone for a peace conference which took place in October. By the beginning of November, the Peacekeeping Force had left Bougainville and the government signed a peace agreement with several, but not all, Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA) commanders. In November it was not clear how human rights protection was to be incorporated in the peace process. Amnesty International believes the Commission should urge the government to act on its stated intentions to protect human rights by investigating past violations, including inviting relevant thematic mechanisms to visit Bougainville, and formulating and implementing concrete steps for the promotion and protection of human rights.

Burundi

Resolution 1994/86 was adopted by the Commission in response to the outbreak of violence following the attempted coup d'état in October 1993 which cost some 50,000 lives. The resolution invited the government to request technical assistance to strengthen structures for the promotion and protection of human rights. This proposal was actively taken up by the High Commissioner for Human Rights, including by appealing to governments for financial resources. Undoubtedly there is a role for technical cooperation in Burundi but Amnesty International remains concerned that the program is being planned and implemented on the basis of a needs assessment that was drawn up before the mass killings of late 1993. Further action is also needed by the Commission to deal with current human rights violations which include many hundreds of extrajudicial executions carried out in 1994 by the security forces; "disappearances"; deliberate and arbitrary killings by armed groups and supporters of political parties; and the torture of detainees. In addition, the government and judiciary are failing to investigate human rights abuses by the armed forces, none of whom have yet been brought to trial in connection with the mass killings that were carried out in late 1993 and in previous years. At the next session, the situation will be discussed under Item 12. Amnesty International urges the Commission to recognize the fragility of the situation in Burundi and to act immediately to help prevent further deterioration in the situation which could, again, cost thousands of lives. This should include appointing a Special Rapporteur with the resources to investigate and monitor the human rights situation, in cooperation with the existing monitors from the Organization of African Unity, with the aim of addressing the long-term problem of impunity. It should also request more public reporting on the situation in the country from the UN Secretary-General and other UN personnel. The Commission should also give clear and strong support to the request of the UN General Assembly for the UN system to deploy human rights monitors after assessing the security risks and formulating a plan for this operation.

Cuba

Political and human rights activists continue to be subjected to short-term detention and, in many cases, long-term imprisonment as a result of their activities. While the lowest estimates put the number of prisoners of conscience at around 600, Amnesty International believes the figure may well be higher. Several hundred people, including some prisoners of conscience, are imprisoned under the Dangerous State and Security Measures section of the Penal Code. Trials continue to fall short of internationally accepted standards. For example, the participation of a defence lawyer is obligatory under national law but Amnesty International has received reports of recent cases which indicate that in practice, given the speed of the process, many defendants have been unable to appoint a lawyer of their choosing and have little or no contact with the appointed lawyer. The hearings are said to be brief and the prosecution case is not revealed to the defence beforehand. While Amnesty International regards the visit to Cuba of the High Commissioner for Human Rights at the invitation of the Cuban authorities as an important step, this is no substitute for the government reversing its policy of non-cooperation with the Commission's recommendations contained in Resolution 1994/71, particularly their refusal to allow the Special Rapporteur to visit. The continuing lack of access to international human rights non-governmental organizations including Amnesty International has made human rights monitoring even more difficult. While regretting the excessive politicization of the debate around Cuba in the past, Amnesty International believes that the Commission should urge the government to extend its cooperation, at the minimum, by ensuring access to the Special Rapporteur on Cuba and by inviting the Working Group on arbitrary detention to visit.

Equatorial Guinea

Long term human rights violations continue in Equatorial Guinea including arbitrary arrests, detention without trial, unfair trials, ill-treatment and torture of prisoners. Amnesty International has also received reports of two extrajudicial killings. Political and human rights activists continue to be imprisoned for short periods. Military courts which are neither independent nor impartial, use summary procedures which severely curtail the right to an adequate defence. Some attempt has been made to implement the Special Rapporteur's recommendations for improved prison conditions. However, few of the recommendations contained in 1994/89 have been implemented and adequate safeguards against torture and ill-treatment are urgently needed. The Commission should urge the government to show a clear commitment to ending human rights violations by implementing these recommendations.

Guatemala

For the fifth year in succession the Commission must decide the agenda item under which Guatemala will be discussed. During 1994, Amnesty International has continued to receive reports of human rights violations, including extrajudicial executions, "disappearances", arbitrary arrests and torture, and there has been an increasing incidence of harassment and death threats. This is despite the fact that the President was formerly Guatemala's human rights procurator and his government has clearly stated its commitment to respect and promote human rights and to take action against impunity. Victims have included women and children, indigenous leaders and activists, human rights monitors, journalists, students, trade unionists, jurists and politicians. Since the signing of a human rights accord in March 1994 by representatives of the government and the armed opposition coalition, the Unidad Revolucionaria Nacional Guatemalteca (URNG), Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity, Amnesty International has called on both sides to make the investigation of past serious human rights violations a priority. Amnesty International believes that the many thousands of human rights violations which have occurred in recent years must be satisfactorily investigated if the government wishes to show that human rights violations will not be tolerated. It urges the Commission to discuss the situation in Guatemala under item 12 of its agenda.

Haiti

The human rights situation in Haiti continued to be of concern to Amnesty International during 1994. Human rights violations, including extrajudicial execution, torture, ill-treatment, arbitrary arrest and "disappearances", had been systematically directed against supporters of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in the run-up to his return from exile, as documented in Amnesty International's report On the horns of a dilemma: military repression or foreign invasion? (AI Index AMR 36/33/94) published in August. Resolution 1994/80 condemned the human rights situation at that time. Amnesty International believes that it is vital that the Commission keeps the situation in Haiti under careful scrutiny under item 12 of its agenda during the current transitionary period. Any proposal for technical cooperation in the field of human rights should include a thorough analysis of the causes of the long-standing pattern of human rights violations in the country with clear recommendations for reform.

Iran

During 1994 there have been continuing, serious human rights violations. In particular, religious minority figures have been targets. Three prominent church leaders and a Sunni Muslim leader were killed in suspicious circumstances. A 77 year-old member of the Jewish community was executed in February; his body reportedly bore marks of torture. Mass arrests, torture, unfair trials and summary executions continue unabated. Among the thousands of political prisoners held during the year were prisoners of conscience; some were detained without charge or trial, others are serving long prison sentences after unfair trials. Judicial punishments of flogging and amputation of fingers continued to be implemented. At least 114 people are known to have been executed, including political prisoners, although Amnesty International believes that the real figure may be much higher. At least one prominent opponent of the government was killed outside Iran in circumstances suggesting the involvement of Iranian agents. The Special Representative has been unable to visit Iran since 1991. It is imperative that the Commission urge the government to allow access to the country by its Special Representative so he can investigate the situation first-hand and discuss with the government recommendations made by many UN bodies, including the Human Rights Committee in 1993.

Iraq

As in previous years, several thousand suspected government opponents and others were reported to have been arrested during 1994 although in many cases it was difficult to obtain further information about their fate and whereabouts. Widespread arrests were said to have been carried out in the northern cities of Mosul and Kirkuk, in Basra and other towns and cities in the south as well as in Baghdad, al-Ramadi, Tikrit and Samarra'. Those detained included both Sunni and Shi'a Muslim religious scholars and clerics, medical personnel, engineers and members of other professions, and military personnel suspected of involvement in alleged anti-government plots. In most cases little information was available on those detained after their arrest, including the charges against them and their places of detention, and Amnesty International fears that some may have been executed. Hundreds of executions were carried out during 1994; the victims are believed to include suspected political opponents and military personnel executed in secret in prisons and detention centres, and people accused of a variety of criminal offences such as theft and currency speculation. Others were the victims of extrajudicial executions, among them individuals arrested in the southern marshes region. In July and August new punishments were introduced for theft and army desertion, involving amputation of the limbs or severance of the ear as well as branding of the forehead. Amnesty International has recorded at least 15 cases of individuals punished under these laws, and at least nine medical personnel who refused to perform these operations were reportedly arrested. The fate and whereabouts of detainees who "disappeared" in previous years remains unknown: they include an estimated 200,000 Kurds, Arabs and others arrested in the late 1980s and several hundred Kuwaiti and other nationals arrested during the 1990-1991 occupation of Kuwait. The severity of the human rights situation in Iraq was recognized in Resolution 1994/74 which again asked the UN Secretary-General to find additional resources for human rights monitors to be sent to locations that would facilitate information flow about the situation. The Commission must urge in the strongest terms that this step be taken and encourage governments of neighbouring countries to cooperate with the Special Rapporteur in implementing his mandate.

Israeli-Occupied Territories

Following the signing of an agreement on self-government arrangements between the Israeli Government and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) on 4 May 1994, the Palestine Authority was set up with jurisdiction over Gaza and Jericho. Although the Israeli authorities released thousands of detainees and prisoners, they have continued to commit serious human rights violations. Amnesty International's concerns include arbitrary arrest, the continued use of administrative detention without charge or trial, torture and ill treatment, killings of Palestinian civilians, and house destruction. Amnesty International has welcomed the PLO's commitment to respect internationally recognised human rights standards. However, dozens of suspected opponents have been arbitrarily arrested in the area under its jurisdiction and torture has occurred, leading in one case to the death of a detainee. Amnesty International believes the Commission should maintain its scrutiny of the situation in the Occupied Territories, through the Special Rapporteur whose report is noted with appreciation in resolution 1994/3, and propose effective on-site human rights monitoring throughout the Occupied Territories with a mandate to cover the actions of both Israeli and Palestinian law enforcement officials, for which Amnesty International has already called.

Myanmar

In its sixth year, the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), took some public steps designed to indicate its willingness to address the human rights situation while it continued to carry out human rights violations. For example, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was allowed to meet a United States Congressman in February and officials of SLORC in September and October, yet the SLORC have confirmed that she will continue to be detained at least until 1995. Despite the detailed appeals to the SLORC in Resolution 1994/85, hundreds of political prisoners arrested since the pro-democracy movement began in 1988 are still detained They include 28 members of the parliament-elect, most of whom were arrested in late 1990, and five people who were sentenced in October 1994 to prison terms ranging from seven to 15 years for peaceful opposition activities. Members of ethnic minorities continued to be subjected to extrajudicial killings, torture and ill-treatment while carrying out forced porter duty and working as forced unpaid labourers. The degree and scope of violations continues to warrant serious concern and the Commission must continue to press for the implementation of all the provisions of Resolution 1994/85.

Rwanda

Rwanda was the subject of a special session of the Commission in May 1994 which was held at the height of the appalling mass killings in the country following the deaths of Juvénal Habyarimana, President of Rwanda, and Cyprien Ntaryamira, President of Burundi, on 6 April 1994. Resolution S-3/1 called for the appointment of a Special Rapporteur to gather information on possible human rights violations "which may constitute breaches of international humanitarian law and crimes against humanity, including acts of genocide". The Special Rapporteur stated clearly that the killings of Tutsi after April amounted to genocide (UN document E/CN.4/1995/7, 28 June 1994, paragraph 48). In addition to the terrible massacres carried out by the forces and supporters of that government, they have continued since mid-July to carry out deliberate and arbitrary killings in refugee camps and some parts of the country. Amnesty International was also concerned about some deliberate and arbitrary killings by the former armed opposition Rwandese Patriotic Front before it, with others, formed a government in mid-July. Since that time, its concerns have included "disappearances"; detention without charge or trial; torture and ill-treatment of detainees and the death penalty by the present government. The Special Rapporteur has called for the deployment of human rights monitors to assist the return of refugees, reconstruction and investigate the massacres. This was reinforced by the High Commissioner for Human Rights who in August proposed the deployment of 147 monitors. This proposal, to which Amnesty International attaches high priority, has still only been partially implemented. The Commission should call for UN member states urgently to provide funds and logistical support for the full complement of monitors to be promptly deployed, if this has not happened by the time the Commission meets. It should ensure that there are funds and support for the High Commissioner for Human Rights to facilitate a strong human rights component in the UN's conflict resolution and peace-building activities, as requested in Resolution S-3/1; identify resources and expertise, including from the relevant thematic mechanisms of the Commission, to ensure the thorough investigation of human rights violations and assist the government in rebuilding the judicial system; encourage member states to provide funds and cooperation for the international tribunal adopted by the Security Council on 8 November 1994; and call on the government to guarantee that the death penalty will not be inflicted as a punishment in any domestic criminal proceedings.

South Africa

The human rights climate in South Africa has improved considerably since the country's first fully democratic national elections were held in April 1994 after a prolonged period of uncertainty and political violence. On 27 April the Interim Constitution, which guarantees fundamental human rights, came into effect. The new Constitutional Court will be crucial in upholding these guarantees and will rule on the constitutionality of the death penalty in February 1995; by November 1994 there were 447 prisoners under sentence of death. The Government of National Unity under President Mandela signed the International Covenants on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and Civil and Political Rights, among other international treaties on 3 October 1994, but has still not ratified the Convention against Torture which was signed by the previous government in January 1993. Although the level of extrajudicial executions has declined since the elections, 860 politically-related killings occurred in the following five months in KwaZulu-Natal Province, from where there was evidence of continuing security force collusion in attacks by Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) supporters against African National Congress (ANC) supporters in the North and South Coast areas. There was also evidence since the elections of continuing police complicity in killings of ANC activists and farm workers by members of white right-wing organizations in the Eastern Transvaal and North-West provinces. In some parts of the country the widespread torture by police of suspects in criminal investigations continued to be reported. Amnesty International believes that the Commission should keep the situation in South Africa under scrutiny during this transitionary phase. It should encourage the government to invite the Special Rapporteurs on torture and on extrajudicial, summary and arbitrary execution to investigate long-term human rights violations relevant to their mandates. Their recommendations could be taken up by the Centre for Human Rights and incorporated in the technical cooperation program envisaged in Resolution 1994/10.

Sudan

Severe human rights violations continue in all parts of Sudan. Any form of opposition to the government is banned by emergency constitutional provisions and security laws provide for detention without charge or trial. The authorities continue to detain hundreds of suspected political opponents in secret detention centres, known as "ghost houses", a pattern of harassment which involves arrest, torture and ill-treatment, release and re-arrest. Despite official claims there is no sign that the authorities have taken appropriate steps genuinely to investigate allegations of human rights violation. A compliant judiciary presides over unfair political trials. In the war zones gross abuses, including hundreds of killings of prisoners and defenceless civilians, have been perpetrated in 1994 by all parties -- the government and each faction of the armed opposition Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA). In late 1994 the government was persisting in its refusal, announced at the last session of the Commission, to cooperate with the Special Rapporteur on Sudan. Resolution 1994/48 expressed deep concern at the continuing and serious human rights violations in Sudan but failed to make appropriate calls for specific action by the Sudan Government and each faction of the SPLA. Amnesty International urges the Commission to give appropriate attention to the serious human rights situation in all parts of Sudan and to call for the creation of a body of international civilian human rights monitors by an appropriate intergovernmental organization to be placed in all parts of the country. Amnesty International is calling on the government and all armed opposition factions to invite such a body to operate in areas under their respective control.

Togo

The installation of a new government in Togo in May 1994, following the country's first ever multi-party elections in February, raised hopes that respect for human rights would improve. So far the new government has taken no steps to acknowledge and investigate past human rights violations such as torture and extrajudicial killings, and bring those responsible to justice. Furthermore, insecurity in the capital, Lomé, has continued since the February elections and recent information suggests that political activists are still being harassed and intimidated by members of the Togolese armed forces or by armed groups and individuals who may be working in collusion with the armed forces. At least 60 people were extrajudicially executed by the armed forces in January and the security forces have also allegedly arbitrarily detained people on account of their political opinions. At least eight people have "disappeared". Resolution 1994/78 encouraged the Togolese authorities to request advisory services from the Centre for Human Rights and to ensure the prevention of further human rights violations and the prosecution of perpetrators of past human rights violations. The UN's Human Rights Committee examined the situation in Togo in July 1994 and recommended that specific measures be taken to ensure that human rights are respected by the military and security forces and that all cases of human rights violations, including summary or arbitrary executions, "disappearances" and torture be investigated and the alleged perpetrators brought to justice. In August 1994, the UN Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities adopted its first ever resolution on the situation, which called on the Commission to appoint a Special Rapporteur on Togo. Amnesty International believes that the Commission should give careful consideration to this recommendation and continue to monitor the situation in Togo until the new government has taken action to investigate past violations and shown its full commitment to implementing and safeguarding respect for human rights.

The former Yugoslavia

Amnesty International's concerns include the deliberate or indiscriminate shelling by Bosnian Serb forces of civilians in Bosnia-Herzegovina until the ceasefires of February and March 1994; continuing reports of the forcible expulsion, often accompanied by violent robberies or other forms of harassment, of Muslims and Croats from Banja Luka, Prijedor, Janja and Bijeljina and other towns controlled by Bosnian Serb forces. There are reports of male civilians being detained and made to perform work in dangerous areas close to front lines (particularly Muslims who are made to perform this work by Bosnian Serb forces) and of detention of possible conscientious objectors by all sides. In Croatia, soldiers or police are reported to have beaten peaceful demonstrators in the course of evicting residents from flats formerly owned by the Yugoslav Army. In Kosovo, ethnic Albanians have reportedly been tortured or severely ill-treated in police stations or at their homes by the largely Serbian police force and there has been police violence against Serbs, notably political opponents of the government. Defendants in political trials in Kosovo and the Sandžak generally do not receive a fair trial. The last session of the Commission adopted four resolutions on the former Yugoslavia - 1994/72 to 1994/76 - which, among many other provisions, notes that past recommendations made by the Special Rapporteur have not been implemented; demands that the authorities in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) permit UN observer missions and the Special Rapporteur's field officers entry to Kosovo, the Sandžak and Vojvodina and allow the resumption of the missions of long duration of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE); and urges that the additional resources be made available to the Special Rapporteur to enable him to appoint field staff to collect information. However, the long term CSCE mission which was expelled in July 1993 has not been allowed to return and the Special Rapporteur on the former Yugoslavia has not been allowed to open an office in the Former Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY). Ethnic Albanians from Kosovo returning from abroad to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia may be at risk of forcible return to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Amnesty International calls on the Commission to reaffirm its view that human rights guarantees must be central to any peace agreement in Bosnia-Herzegovina, with a significant civilian human rights monitoring operation throughout the country - including in areas currently controlled by Bosnian Serbs - to ensure the guarantees are implemented and civilians are protected. The Commission should ensure that the Special Rapporteur has better resources, so he can carry out his mandate and strongly urge the Government of the FRY immediately to permit the Special Rapporteur to base field staff in the country. The Commission must also continue to work for the return of the CSCE resident mission to Kosovo, Sandžak and Vojvodina and urge the Government of the FRY to stop the torture and ill-treatment committed with impunity by the Serbian-dominated police force in Kosovo.

Zaire

Resolution 1994/87 recommended that the thematic mechanisms of the Commission keep a close watch on the human rights situation and proposed the appointment of a Special Rapporteur to establish direct contact with the authorities and people of Zaire where there has been a long-term pattern of human rights violations, including arbitrary detention, torture, extrajudicial execution and "disappearance". In July 1994 the new Prime Minister, Mr Kengo wa Dondo, announced a series of measures which he described as aimed at ending the state of insecurity, the defective working of the judicial system, indiscipline in the army and the widespread and uncontrolled use of lethal weapons. Amnesty International hopes that the Special Rapporteur will make recommendations to encourage the prompt and thorough implementation of these measures and other means to halt extrajudicial executions, secret and indefinite detention without charge or trial, torture and ill-treatment and to put the security forces under effective judicial and administrative control. The Commission should urge the government promptly to implement such steps, which are essential to ending the impunity enjoyed by the security forces. It should remind the government of its responsibility to stop the killings and other human rights violations being committed against Rwandan refugees by armed refugees and Zairian forces in the refugee camps.

COUNTRIES UNDER THE ADVISORY SERVICES ITEM

Amnesty International has welcomed positive improvements to the functioning of the advisory services and technical assistance programs in recent years, particularly in the formulation of projects, reports to the Commission and the appointment of a board of trustees for the Voluntary Fund for Technical Cooperation. However, it remains concerned that the advisory services and technical assistance mandated or encouraged by the Commission is not always appropriate to the human rights situation within the country. Amnesty International's primary concern is that the government receiving assistance must demonstrate a clear commitment to using it as part of a program to effect real and measurable changes in law and in practice for the promotion and protection of human rights. The Commission must ensure that the human rights situation is properly analyzed so that the limited resources available to the program can be applied to achieve real and lasting change.

The human rights situation in the countries described below are considered under the advisory services item; many others are the recipients of technical cooperation projects administered by the UN Centre for Human Rights. Some of the country situations, below, have been receiving assistance for some time but are still introducing or discussing the introduction of laws whose provisions fall below internationally accepted standards. These laws can only exacerbate long-term patterns of human rights violations.

In other cases, advisory services is being applied to situations where there has been or still is internal armed conflict and which have been the subject of UN peace-keeping operations. While Amnesty International believes that the advisory services program can have a role in rebuilding institutions such as the judiciary, there remains a strong need for fuller and better cooperation and coordination across the UN system to ensure that there is communication and coordination at an early stage to maximize available resources and complement rather duplicate areas of work.

Albania

Amnesty International is concerned about the use of the death penalty including executions; severe ill-treatment by police; and the imprisonment of political prisoners, who may be prisoners of conscience, following trials which fail to reach internationally accepted standards of fairness. Furthermore, some provisions of the draft Penal Code, which is currently under discussion, fall below standards contained in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Albania acceded in 1991. For example, its provisions may unduly restrict rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly; drastically increase the number of offenses which carry an optional death sentence; and allow for the prosecution and imprisonment of adult men who engage in consensual homosexual acts in private. Resolution 1994/57 called on the government to pursue positive steps towards meeting its requirements under international human rights instruments to guarantee effectively human rights and fundamental freedoms for all its citizens. The Commission should ensure that the government adheres to this objective and ask the UN Centre for Human Rights to evaluate the achievements of the technical cooperation program which was initiated in 1990.

Angola

In Angola, representatives of the government and the armed opposition movement, Uniáo Nacional para a Independência Total de Angola(UNITA), National Union for the Total Independence of Angola, signed a new peace agreement on 20 November 1994. In the preceding weeks both sides, but particularly the government, had stepped up hostilities and there were reports of deliberate and arbitrary killings by both. As Huambo, UNITA's stronghold, fell to government forces in early November, fleeing UNITA troops reportedly executed dozens of detained government supporters. A previous peace agreement had broken down after UNITA disputed the results of the UN supervised elections held in September 1992. That agreement had not provided adequate protection against human rights violations. The conflict following the elections was characterized by deliberate and arbitrary killings and other human rights abuses by both sides. In 1993 Amnesty International called for human rights to be fully protected under any new peace agreement. In 1994 it received assurances from the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Angola that the new draft agreement does contain increased protection for human rights. Resolution 1994/88 urged both parties immediately to stop all military actions in order to prevent further violation of human rights. Amnesty International hopes that the Commission will encourage the Angolan Government, UNITA and observers of the peace process in Angola to uphold the human rights provisions in the new agreement and urge them to be especially vigilant and to ensure that human rights violations are independently investigated and that strong remedial action is taken to break the cycle of impunity.

Cambodia

The situation of ethnic minorities, particularly the Vietnamese, continues to cause great concern. The Constitution promulgated in September 1993 affords human rights protection only to people of Khmer (Cambodian) origin and new immigration legislation passed in August 1994 could be used arbitrarily to expel ethnic Vietnamese from the country, even those whose family have lived in Cambodia for centuries. At least 17 ethnic Vietnamese have been killed since June 1994, apparently by members of the National Army of Democratic Kampuchea (NADK), the Khmer Rouge. Another growing concern during 1994 has been human rights violations against journalists, culminating in the death by shooting of the editor of the newspaper Samleng Yuvachan Khmer, Voice of Khmer Youth, in September apparently because of articles he had published that were critical of the government. During 1994 Amnesty International also received credible reports of a secret detention centre in Battembang province operated by members of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces where more that 40 people are believed to have been detained, and some killed, since 1993. Amnesty International believes that the Commission should continue to urge that all the steps contained in Resolution 1994/61 be carried out. It is important that governments contribute to the UN Trust Fund for Cambodia to ensure that the operational presence of the UN Centre for Human Rights is adequately resourced. The Commission must also urge the government to investigate fully reports of violations of human rights and bring the perpetrators to justice; give prompt attention to the human rights of ethnic minorities and the right of the press to freedom of expression; and act immediately on recommendations made by the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative on Cambodia.

El Salvador

For the first time, the Independent Expert will report under the advisory services agenda item at the next session of the Commission. While Amnesty International has welcomed the progress made in the implementation of some of the recommendations of the United Nations Observer Mission in El Salvador, ONUSAL, it remains concerned that human rights violations are still occurring. A series of political killings and death threats in the months leading up to the election of the new administration of President Calderón Sol in June 1994 appeared to be part of an intimidation campaign by elements linked to the military and civilian authorities, aimed at activists and supporters of the Farabundi Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN). Despite the July 1994 report of the Joint Group for the Investigation of Illegal Armed Groups (Grupo Conjunto), which was set up under the 1992 Peace Accords between the government and the FMLN to investigate the occurrence of political violence by "illegal armed groups", the vast majority of recent political killings, attacks and death threats remain unresolved. Amnesty International considers it very important that the Commission maintains the mandate of the Independent Expert until all ONUSAL's recommendations have been implemented.

Georgia

In Resolution 1994/59 the Commission encouraged a speedy agreement on a technical assistance program which was to include the creation of a national institution for the promotion and protection of human rights, a seminar on minority issues, reform of the system of the administration of justice and the penal code and training of law enforcement officers. Georgia acceded to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in May and the Convention against Torture in October 1994. However, the judicial process in the case of 19 men who have been on trial in Tbilisi since 5 October 1993 has not conformed to the standards laid down in these treaties. All the defendants, who are accused of political violence, have alleged that they were severely ill-treated while under interrogation; statements extracted under duress are being used against them in court; and their lawyers have been unable to present a full defence. In addition to ensuring that the technical assistance program moves swiftly to complete its objectives, the Commission should call on the government immediately to condemn the use of torture and make it clear to all law enforcement personnel that torture or other ill-treatment will not be tolerated under any circumstances.

Somalia

Rival Somali political groups have been unable to form an interim government and there was further inter-clan fighting during 1994. Among other human rights abuses, reliable reports indicate that unofficial Shari'a courts linked to one political group have been carrying out amputations as punishment for criminal offenses. The urgent need remains for a long-term program of assistance to re-establish human rights and the rule of law, as proposed in Resolution 1994/60. In particular, the human rights program of UNOSOM II, including training for police, prison personnel and the judiciary, must be maintained - under present arrangements, the termination of the peace-keeping operation will mean the end of the finance for this program. The embryonic human rights unit in the Justice Division should be developed and incorporated into the mandate of the Independent Expert on Somalia, by being brought under the advisory services program or the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in Somalia. The Commission should call for public reporting on UNOSOM II's human rights activities, and evaluation of the activities of the Justice Division including its human rights unit and recommend that the Justice Division's material resources, international and local staff, program content and local contacts with Somali groups, including non-governmental and human rights groups, should be redeployed within Somalia during the withdrawal of UNOSOM II forces, to be completed by March 1995.

COUNTRIES RAISED IN STATEMENTS BY THE CHAIRPERSON

Statements by the Chairperson of the Commission may be a convenient device for recording a consensus opinion about a country situation but they lack the authority of a resolution. Given, on the one hand, the range of remedies that the Commission has at its disposal through resolutions adopted under Item 12 and the advisory services item and, on the other, the continuing incidence, albeit to different degrees, of human rights violations in the countries below, Amnesty International continues to believe that the Commission should record its concerns in a resolution under the appropriate agenda item.

East Timor

Serious human rights violations have continued in East Timor during 1994, with pro-independence activists and protesters against Indonesian rule risking arbitrary arrest, imprisonment, torture and, in some cases, extrajudicial execution. Hundreds of alleged political opponents have been arbitrary detained during the year and at least 26 are currently serving terms of up to life imprisonment following political trials which did not meet international standards for fair trial. They include six prisoners of conscience sentenced during the year. The fate of most of those killed or "disappeared" in the Santa Cruz massacre of November 1991, and in previous years, has still not been clarified. In November 1994, the security forces arrested dozens of East Timorese in Jakarta to prevent them from joining 29 peaceful pro-independence protesters who entered the United States embassy. In Dili, at least 25, and possibly many more, East Timorese were detained and a number killed during several days of unrest, which was at times violent on both sides, beginning on 12 November. The Commission adopted a first resolution on East Timor, 1993/97, at its 49th session, which was not followed up in 1994 despite evidence of the worsening human rights situation. The Chairperson delivered only a consensus statement at the last session, as had occurred in 1992. Amnesty International welcomed the visits to East Timor by the Special Rapporteur on torture in 1991 and the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary and arbitrary executions in July 1994. However, it remains concerned that most of the recommendations contained in the 1992 report of the Special Rapporteur on torture and in Resolution 1993/97 have not been implemented by the government. Amnesty International calls on the Commission to ensure the full and prompt implementation of these recommendations and the adoption of a resolution under Item 12.

Romania

At the last session of the Commission, the human rights situation in Romania was covered by a statement by the Chairperson. This statement welcomed steps already taken by the government and noted its willingness to overcome remaining shortcomings. It asked the UN Secretary-General to present to the next session of the Commission a final evaluation of the advisory services program that was first proposed by the Commission in 1990. Amnesty International attaches considerable importance to this evaluation since the advisory services program in Romania is the most comprehensive to date. This evaluation should take into account continuing human rights violations such as widespread torture and ill-treatment, particularly of members of the Roma community who are liable to arbitrary arrest and prosecution. Prosecution of those responsible for acts of racial violence, of which more than 40 have been reported since 1990, has been initiated in only a few cases. Some provisions of the draft Penal Code fall below standards contained in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which Romania ratified in 1974, and may allow for the imprisonment of adult men who have engaged in consensual homosexual acts in private and those who exercise the right to freedom of expression as well as the right to freedom of assembly and association. Consequently, the Commission should give particular attention to continuing patterns of human rights violations and urge the government to identify means for preventing their future occurrence. To this end, the Commission should encourage the government to invite relevant thematic mechanisms, particularly the Special Rapporteurs on torture and racism, to visit the country.

Sri Lanka

At the last session of the Commission, the Chairperson endorsed the statement delivered by the representative of Sri Lanka containing commitments to respect for human rights. These included revisions of the Emergency Regulations. Amnesty International has welcomed the lifting of the state of emergency in southern Sri Lanka but is seeking information about the content and practice of the new Emergency Regulations in the northeastern part of the country as well as any changes to the security laws. Last year's statement also promised the promotion of the accountability of the security forces through investigation and prosecution. The Indemnity Act, which gives broad-ranging immunity from prosecution to all members of the security forces, members of the government and government servants involved in enforcing law and order, has still to be repealed. Amnesty International welcomed the decision of the government to establish three independent commissions to investigate the fate of thousands of people who have "disappeared" since 1 January 1988 but has urged the government to investigate other "disappearances" that took place in the northeast between 1984 and mid-1987 and in the south in 1987. It is also hoped that the ratification of the Convention against Torture is followed by the implementation of its provisions into national legislation and practice. Amnesty International hopes the Commission will urge the government to make additional declarations under Articles 21 and 22 of the Convention to recognize the competence of the Committee against Torture to receive communications from another state party or from individuals who wish to complain about a violation of the Convention. It should also encourage the newly elected government and incoming President to honour the commitments made by the previous administration and move swiftly towards full implementation of the recommendations made by the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances.

RESOLUTIONS HALTED BY PROCEDURAL MOTIONS

China including Tibet

At its last session, discussion of a draft resolution calling on the Government of China to take measures to ensure the observance of human rights was halted after the representative of China moved a procedural motion to take no action which was adopted by 20 votes to 16 with 17 abstentions. This was an inappropriate response to a long-term pattern of systematic human rights violations. Amnesty International continues to have serious concerns about arbitrary arrest, widespread reports of torture, the imprisonment of thousands of political prisoners, including many prisoners of conscience, unfair trials and the use of arbitrary detention and the death penalty. Prominent dissidents have been arrested since March 1994 in a new crackdown by the authorities and in July 1994, new legislation was introduced which increased restrictions on the rights to freedom of expression and freedom of association. A major political trial of 14 political activists, secretly arrested in 1992, started in Beijing in July 1994, after being postponed several times apparently due to lack of evidence.

Human rights violations also continue in Tibet. At least 50 Tibetans, mostly monks and nuns have been arbitrarily detained since early 1994 and many others beaten by armed police, following a series of peaceful pro-independence demonstrations in Tibet.

About 500 political prisoners are reported to be held in Tibet for pro-independence activities. Amnesty International urges the Commission to take action to halt the alarming incidence of human rights violations in China including Tibet.

OTHER COUNTRY SITUATIONS

Amnesty International is drawing the human rights situation in the follow countries to the urgent attention of the Commission. All are situations of the most severe and persistent human rights on which the Commission should take decisive action at its next session.

Algeria

As the human rights situation in Algeria continued to deteriorate during 1994, killings became a daily occurrence. Since the state of emergency was imposed in 1992 over 10,000 people are reported to have been killed by security forces and armed Islamist groups. Despite claims by the Algerian authorities that all those killed by the security forces were killed in armed clashes, the security forces have increasingly resorted to extrajudicial executions, often as a punitive measure against people suspected of having assisted or failed to denounce armed Islamist groups, or as an alternative to arrest. Civilians have been shot dead by the security forces in or near their homes, sometimes in front of their families and neighbours. Scores are reported to have been killed after arrest, either extrajudicially executed or killed under torture.

Armed Islamist groups have also deliberately and arbitrarily killed hundreds of civilians. The victims include people known to oppose the political agenda of these groups, or people belonging to certain professional groups which the armed Islamist groups accuse of supporting the government, such as journalists and intellectuals, civil servants and magistrates, as well as relatives of members of the security forces, women and foreigners. Thousands of members of the security forces have also been killed by armed Islamist groups, many of them not in situations of armed conflict. Some of the victims, both civilians and security forces had been taken hostage by these groups. Killings by armed Islamist groups have often been preceded by death threats, either specifically directed at particular individuals or groups of individuals, or more general threats directed at certain professional groups.

Anti-Islamist groups, alleged to be set up by, or linked to, the security forces have also abducted or issued death threats to Islamist civilians.

In addition to the killings by both security forces and armed Islamist groups, torture has become increasingly widespread in police and gendarmerie stations and military security centres. Tens of thousands of people have been detained under emergency laws, and trials in the special courts have failed to comply with international standards for fair trial. The government has failed to take any concrete measures to stop its security forces from resorting to serious human rights violations such as extrajudicial execution and torture. No investigations have been carried out into allegations of such violations and the security forces have thus been allowed to continue perpetrating grave violations with impunity.

Amnesty International has repeatedly urged the Algerian authorities to investigate allegations of human rights violations including extrajudicial executions and the torture and ill-treatment of detainees. The organization has also called on both the Algerian authorities and the leaders of the Front Islamique du Salut, FIS (Islamic Salvation Front) to put an immediate end to human rights violations and abuses committed by those who act in their names.

In view of the serious human rights situation, Amnesty International believes that it is time for the Commission to acknowledge and give priority attention to Algeria. It should call on the government to take immediate steps to halt human rights violations and provide information on substantive measures they will take to prevent their further occurrence.

Colombia

In the context of the long-running conflict between the armed forces and guerrilla groups widespread and systematic human rights violations have occurred in Colombia in recent years, including torture, arbitrary arrest, "disappearance" and extrajudicial execution, the overwhelming majority of victims are unarmed civilians. According to recent figures issued by the Centro de Investigación y Educación Popular (CINEP), the Popular Research and Education Centre, in the first two months of President Samper's administration there have been a total of 34 extrajudicial executions, 8 reported "disappearances", 64 cases of torture, 43 arbitrary detention, 51 cases of reported death threats, and more than 30 people are reported to have been killed as a result of "social cleansing" operations in Bogotá and Medellín. Human rights defenders, lawyers, judges, trade unionists, teachers and indigenous leaders have been deliberately killed because they were perceived in some way as a threat. Members of all political parties have also been assassinated. In August 1994, days after President Samper assumed office, Manuel Cepeda, the only senator belonging to the Union Patriotica (UP), Patriotic Union was killed.

All armed opposition groups in Colombia have contributed to the spiral of political violence with frequent violations of the principles of international humanitarian law. Guerrilla groups have been responsible for the arbitrary killings of civilians, kidnapping, hostage holding and the indiscriminate use of landmines employed to deliberately kill or maim civilians. The vast majority of human rights violations, however, have been perpetrated by the Colombian armed forces and the paramilitary groups they have created. Although the legal base for the foundation of paramilitary organizations was suspended by the government in 1989, with directives to the armed forces to disband such groups, paramilitary forces have continued to kill and "disappear" perceived opponents with impunity in many areas of the country and continue to work with the support of the security forces.

The newly-elected President Ernesto Samper Pizano, who took office in August 1994, has made commitments to improve the human rights situation. In a speech on 9 September 1994, designated National Human Rights Day, President Samper launched his government's human rights program, which includes the intention to tackle impunity, to eradicate paramilitary groups and invite the thematic mechanisms and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to visit Colombia. Unfortunately the government's commitment has recently been called into question by its failure to overturn the objections presented by former President Gaviria to a national draft law against "disappearances". These objections risk rendering the law ineffective, by continuing to give military courts jurisdiction in cases of "disappearance", thereby perpetuating impunity.

Amnesty International believes that the Commission can best ensure that real progress is made in Colombia by appointing a Special Rapporteur under item 12 of its agenda.

India (Jammu and Kashmir)

At the last session of the Commission a short draft resolution on the situation of human rights in Jammu and Kashmir was tabled by Pakistan without other co-sponsors, which requested access to be given to international humanitarian organizations and the thematic mechanisms of the UN, but this text was withdrawn without any discussion.

Human rights violations perpetrated in Jammu and Kashmir have risen dramatically in the course of the mounting conflict between the Indian government and the various armed groups who demand either independence from India or for the state to join Pakistan. Since late 1989, hundreds of men and women have been extrajudicially executed and have "disappeared". Many are arbitrarily detained on grounds of religious affiliation, sex, age or place of residence and taken to special interrogation centres where torture is routine and brutal. There are persistent reports of rape of family members of suspects. The numbers of custodial deaths in the state have reached alarming proportions: hundreds have reportedly been tortured and killed in custody in recent years and their mutilated bodies either returned to the family, or left on the road with officials claiming that they had been killed in "encounters" with the security forces, even though there were witnesses to their arrest. Thousands of political prisoners are held for months or years without being brought to court while being denied minimum legal safeguards provided in international human rights standards.

Hardly any of the 128 "disappearances" between 1990 and 1993 described by Amnesty International in An Unnatural Fate': "Disappearances" and impunity in the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab (AI Index ASA 20/42/93), published in December 1993, have been clarified by the government whose officials have subverted legal proceedings initiated to clarify "disappearances" by refusing to respond to numerous habeas corpus petitions brought by their relatives. Indeed, the Indian government has consistently dismissed reports of "disappearances" described by the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance, a reaction characteristic of the vast majority of the government's responses to other UN thematic mechanisms. In perpetrating these gross and systematic violations of human rights, the security forces have been able to act with virtual impunity. Independent international human rights and humanitarian organisations continue to be denied access to the state.

Armed opposition groups have committed numerous human rights abuses. They have kidnapped and killed dozens of officials and civilians, torturing a number of them. Suspected informers have been summarily killed. Even relatives of politicians have been assassinated. Local journalists are threatened by both sides and some have been killed apparently by these groups in attempts to intimidate the press. Amnesty International condemns these abuses and has repeatedly called on these groups to halt them.

Although recognizing and regretting the extreme politicization of the debate on Kashmir, Amnesty International believes that the Commission has a crucial responsibility to address the seriousness of the human rights situation there. It should urge the Government of India to take effective steps to halt and prevent further human rights violations, including inviting the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances and the Special Rapporteurs on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions and torture to visit and acting swiftly on their recommendations and allowing free access to the area for international human rights and humanitarian organizations.

Indonesia

As described in the report Power and Impunity (AI Index ASA 21/17/94, September 1994) the Government of Indonesia has been responsible for human rights violations on a staggering scale since it came to power in 1965. Arbitrary arrest and detention are used by the government to suppress dissent, and some 350 political prisoners, many of whom are prisoners of conscience, convicted after unfair trials remain in prison, some of them under sentence of death. In many parts of the country, security forces frequently use excessive force in dealing with peaceful political opponents and alleged criminals, sometimes resulting in death or serious injury. Despite official promises over the last five years of greater "political openness" and a commitment to human rights, the pattern of violations and impunity persists.

The human rights situation deteriorated in the run up to the APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation) summit held in Jakarta and Bogor in November 1994 as the government sought to clear the capital of "economic and political criminals". The crack-down, which began in April with an anti-crime campaign called "Operation Cleansing" later broadened to affect a wide range of government critics.

For example, in late June, the government banned Indonesia's three leading news magazines - Tempo, Editor and DeTikwhich has limited the channels available to human rights activists and other peaceful critics of the government to air their views. When journalists, artists and students took to the streets on 27 June to protest peacefully, they were beaten and arrested by security forces.

A draft Presidential Decree imposing severe restrictions on all domestic non-governmental organizations was in the final stages of approval within the State Secretariat in November 1994. This stipulates the fields of activity in which non-governmental organizations are permitted to be involved and explicitly forbids political activity. It requires all non-governmental organizations to adopt the official ideology Pancasilaand to report all their activities and financial arrangements to the Ministry of Home Affairs. The security forces have targeted individual human rights activists and academics, subjecting them to arbitrary arrest and, in some cases, torture or ill-treatment. Eleven activists, accused of "incitement" in connection with labour unrest in North Sumatra in April, have been brought to trial during the year, seven of whom had been sentenced by November to terms of up to three years' imprisonment. They include Dr Muchtar Pakahan, the national chairperson of the independent trade union Serikat Buruh Sejahtera Indonesia(SBSI), Indonesian Prosperous Workers Union, whom Amnesty International considers to be a prisoner of conscience detained for his non-violent activities in the field of labour rights.

The recent crack-down has led to an apparent increase in the already common practice of extrajudicial executions by police of alleged criminals. While the circumstances of these killings remains obscure, Amnesty International believes that many of the victims may have been unlawfully executed. At least some of the victims are reported to have been shot while in handcuffs, and others were shot in the head or the chest at close range. Concern has been heightened by official statements that appear to condone the killings of criminals. For example, in late September the Chairperson of the Jakarta City Council was quoted in the local press as saying that summary killings of alleged criminals were lawful as long as warning shots were fired first and the victims were hardcore criminals or repeat offenders.

Although the Commission acknowledged the seriousness of the human rights situation in East Timor in 1993 (see above), Amnesty International believes that it is time that it recognizes and acts on the persistent and severe problem of human rights violations in Indonesia as a whole by adopting a resolution under item 12 of its agenda. This resolution should call on the government to halt human rights violations by promptly implementing recommendations made by the Special Rapporteur on torture following his visit in 1992 and by the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions in July 1994; invite the Working Groups on Arbitrary Detention and Involuntary or Enforced Disappearances; ratify international human rights treaties and move swiftly to implement their provisions in law and in practice; and allow the unhindered monitoring of human rights by domestic and international non-governmental organizations.

Turkey

During 1994 the human rights situation in Turkey has continued to deteriorate rapidly. Journalists, writers, lawyers, academics, parliamentarians, trade unionists and human rights workers are among those who, because they have publicly discussed the issue of Turkey's Kurdish minority in terms considered unacceptable by the authorities, have been arbitrarily detained and allegedly tortured by police and gendarmerie, imprisoned, "disappeared" or killed in circumstances which strongly suggest security force involvement. There have been at least 45 "disappearances" so far in 1994.

Kurdish villagers have borne the brunt of human rights violations by government forces and by the Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK). Villagers who refuse to join the village guard system are subjected to torture, bombings or being burned out of their homes by government forces. According to reports 1,334 villages have been evacuated or destroyed in the past seven years. During 1994 more than 50 people, most of them villagers detained by soldiers in the course of these brutal operations, have "disappeared" while in custody. Women and children have been wounded and killed in mortar and aerial bombing attacks on residential areas, which have often occurred after members of the security forces have been killed in PKK raids. The PKK has targeted teachers, local politicians, the families of village guards and other civilians whom it regards as agents of the state or people it suspects of collaborating with the security forces. In the latest of a pattern of killings, Amnesty International has received reports of a series of attacks by the PKK on teachers, 13 of whom have been summarily executed by PKK guerrillas since September 1994. The PKK has also claimed responsibility for bomb attacks directed at civilian targets.

Many of those now imprisoned or threatened with imprisonment have been convicted solely for the expression of their non-violent opinions under Article 8 of the Anti-Terror Law which punishes any expression of separatist thought with two to five years' imprisonment and heavy fines. Revisions of Article 8, only some of which would meet international standards, have been regularly discussed in parliamentary committees ever since the Anti-Terror Law was passed.

The conflict in southeast Turkey between government forces and guerrillas of the PKK has claimed almost 13,000 lives since 1984. A state of emergency remains in force in 10 provinces where police and gendarmerie have the right to hold political suspects incommunicado for up to one month. Procedures laid down in the Turkish Criminal Procedure Code for the prompt and proper registration of detainees, and for notification of their families, are almost universally ignored in the southeastern provinces and increasingly disregarded in the rest of Turkey, thereby creating the conditions in which torture and "disappearances" take place.

Since September 1994 the government has refused to admit Amnesty International into Turkey to collect information about human rights violations.

Amnesty International strongly believes that the international community can no longer ignore the grave human rights situation in Turkey and calls on the Commission to identify steps to prevent the continuing incidence of human rights violations in Turkey. It should urge the government to allow access to the country by international non-governmental organizations including Amnesty International, and by the UN Working Group on enforced or involuntary disappearances, and the Special Rapporteurs on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions and torture.

INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS STANDARDS

Human Rights Defenders

In 1985 the Commission on Human Rights established an open-ended working group to draft a Declaration on the right and responsibility of individuals, groups and organs of society to promote and protect universally recognized human rights and fundamental freedoms, usually referred to as the "Declaration on human rights defenders". The drafting process has been painfully slow and characterized by tensions between those wanting to enhance the rights of human rights defenders and certain governments which prefer to emphasize the duties and responsibilities of human rights defenders.

As in previous years, Amnesty International attended the Working Group's session in 1994. At that session, the Working Group was able to adopt either completely or partially 14 of the 21 articles. The Preamble was not discussed. This was a significant step forward in the drafting process owing to the flexibility shown by many of the government delegations as well as non-governmental organizations, and a general willingness to compromise over the wording of the text wherever possible.

However, it was not possible for the Working Group to adopt a final draft because a few governments continued to raise major objections which they had used to block agreement at previous sessions. The obstacles currently preventing adoption of the text include: requirements that the activities of human rights defenders are subject to domestic legislation, including minor administrative regulations; strict limits on groups or individuals seeking funds from outside the country where they are active; the imposition of duties and responsibilities on human rights defenders to make their activities comply with state ideology; an unwillingness to recognize the necessity of international cooperation among non-governmental organizations in monitoring the protection of human rights, particularly through trial observations; reluctance to accept the state's responsibility for the protection of human rights defenders; attempts to impose on human rights defenders the responsibility for reporting on human rights abuses committed by non-state actors.

Cuba's position constituted an extreme case of a government intending to impose severe restrictions on the actions of human rights defenders. It proposed adding a paragraph of limitations which was so broadly worded that it could be interpreted as a pretext for imposing severe restrictions on the legitimate work of human rights defenders. The proposal included points requiring human rights defenders to: "refrain from using the promotion and protection of human rights for political purposes extraneous to the humanitarian essence of those activities"; refrain from activities detrimental to national sovereignty and to the rights of the people "to achieve full self-determination"; observe the "principles of objectivity, impartiality and non-selectivity" in their work.

Amnesty International, along with other international and national non-governmental organizations, considers it unacceptable that some governments are attempting to introduce amendments that would distort the very nature and objectives of a declaration which was designed to protecthuman rights defenders against violations of their own rights by governments. The Declaration is not intended to shield governments from the consequences of peaceful human rights promotion and protection activities by non-governmental organizations.

The Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action recommended the speedy adoption of the draft declaration. Amnesty International urges governments from all regions to attend the tenth session of the Working Group and make every effort to ensure the adoption of a text that effectively guarantees the protection of human rights defenders. Amnesty International hopes that the Commission will adopt the draft declaration in 1995 so it can be transmitted to ECOSOC and adopted by the UN General Assembly.

The draft Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture

The Working Group to examine the question of a draft Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture, established under Resolution 1992/43, held its third meeting in October 1994. In this session, the Working Group embarked on its examination and revision of the draft text submitted by Costa Rica. Articles 8 to 13 were discussed and revised. An informal open-ended drafting group worked out proposals on the concrete wording of the articles analyzed. The main issues considered were the distinction between a visit and a mission; the need for cooperation between the Sub-Committee established by the draft Optional Protocol and similar bodies established under regional conventions; criteria for the selection of experts to assist the Sub-Committee; prior notification of the State Party targeted for a mission; and conditions under which a State Party may object to a visit to a place of detention.

Many governments did not take part in the Working Group. The absence of most African and Asian governments was particularly disappointing. Amnesty International hopes that non-governmental organizations and governments from all regions of the world will attend the next session. It should be recalled that the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action called for the early adoption of the Optional Protocol to establish a preventive system of regular visits to places of detention. Amnesty International believes that the Commission has a duty to ensure its Working Group rapidly completes the drafting in a form which retains the essence of the Costa Rican proposal.

Third Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

Amnesty International welcomes the resolution of the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities calling for the establishment of an open-ended working group to draft a third Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. This protocol would be aimed at making certain aspects of the right to a fair trial non-derogable, so that they are guaranteed at all times even during a state of emergency. Amnesty International hopes that, as proposed, the 52nd session of the Commission will pass a resolution to this effect.

HUMAN RIGHTS AND MASS EXODUSES

For the first time at the last session, human rights, mass exoduses and the displaced were given a separate sub-item on the agenda, enabling a more focused discussion. In resolution 1994/66 on human rights and mass exoduses the Commission requests the Secretary-General to prepare a report "containing information and views on solutions that governments, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations have found to be effective in the area of mass exoduses, a compilation of information and recommendations from human rights mechanisms on problems resulting in mass exoduses of populations or impeding their voluntary return home and his views on the matters referred to in his report". This part of the resolution was considerably stronger than in 1993, when the UN Secretary-General was simply asked for a report on the principal developments within the UN system with regard to early warning and preventive diplomacy since the publication of An Agenda for Peace. Furthermore, the resolution explicitly asks the High Commissioner for Human Rights to pay attention to situations of mass exodus in the exercise of his mandate.

Throughout 1994, Amnesty International has continued to document serious and widespread human rights violations in many countries from which large numbers of people have fled and are currently seeking protection in other countries. The organization believes that many of the most pressing refugee situations currently facing the international community have arisen as a direct consequence of such violations. In particular, human rights violations in Algeria, Colombia, India (Jammu and Kashmir), Mali, Tunisia and Turkey continue to contribute to refugee movements. Under Resolution 1994/66, Amnesty International submitted a number of documents for the preparation of the Secretary-General's report under this item, drawing attention to these situations.

In addition to the countries on which Amnesty International submitted documents, there are also other countries, which are already on the agenda of the Commission, from which refugees continue to flee as a result of human rights violations, such as Afghanistan, Burundi, Equatorial Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Myanmar, the Sudan, the former Yugoslavia and Zaire, and Amnesty International drew attention to these in its submission. Amnesty International also submitted its latest report on Rwanda, despite its already being on the Commission's agenda, specifically to draw attention to human rights violations in that country after April 1994, which may impede the return of refugees.

In resolution 1994/68 on Internally Displaced Persons, the Commission asked the representative of the Secretary-General to take into account specific situations in his report, thus enabling him to address human rights violations which contribute to displacement. Under this resolution, Amnesty International submitted reports on Algeria, Colombia, India (Jammu and Kashmir) and Turkey, countries where the human rights situation is causing internal displacement. The organization also drew attention to other countries which are on the agenda of the Commission, such as Afghanistan, Burundi, Iraq, Myanmar, Rwanda, the Sudan, the former Yugoslavia and Zaire.

While welcoming the developments of the last two years, Amnesty International believes that there is still room for the Commission to strengthen its approach and would urge it to give careful attention to establishing concrete measures to address human rights violations which contribute to refugee movements. The Commission should continue to urge its country and thematic mechanisms, as well as other UN bodies, to give full attention to human rights violations resulting in mass exodus or impending the voluntary return of those who have fled. Such country situations which are not on the Commission's agenda should be taken up for scrutiny.

WOMEN

Amnesty International regards Resolution 1994/45 on integrating the rights of women into the human rights mechanisms of the UN and the elimination of violence against women as an important step in the Commission's work on the human rights of women and the implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action. This stated that the enjoyment of full and equal human rights by women should be a priority for governments and the UN and encouraged the integration of objectives and goals relating to women in the work of all relevant UN bodies.

Amnesty International welcomed the appointment of the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, including its causes and consequences, under Resolution 1994/45 and hopes that the Commission will give full support to her work. It continues to believe that the Commission needs to urge strongly that all its country and thematic mechanisms and other UN mechanisms, including the treaty bodies, should take much greater account of the characteristics and practice of human rights violations against women, particularly those which are specific to or primarily directed against women or to which women are particularly vulnerable. Delegations carrying out on-site visits should include members with expertise in women's issues, who should preferably be women, to provide professional expertise to the delegation. Wherever possible, such delegations should use female interpreters to facilitate the collection of information from victims of rape and sexual abuse or in other circumstances where women may not feel able to speak freely to male delegates. It would be highly appropriate for the Commission to recommend that the Special Rapporteur on violence against women undertake joint missions with other thematic or country mechanisms to investigate situations where women are victims of human rights violations.

Resolution 1994/45 also recommended the strengthening of cooperation and coordination between the Commission and other UN bodies and agencies including the Commission on the Status of Women, whose responsibilities include preparations for the Fourth UN World Conference on Women to be held in Beijing, China, in September 1995. It is important that the Commission ensure that the Special Rapporteur on violence against women be encouraged in play a key role in the World Conference. In addition, the Commission should do all it can to ensure that the final document from the World Conference, the Platform for Action, emphasizes the universality and indivisibility of the human rights of women and the girl-child. As explained in Equality by the Year 2000? Amnesty International's recommendations for the Fourth UN World Conference on Women's Platform for Action(AI Index IOR 41/06/94, September 1994), it may seem that the themes of the World Conference - equality, development and peace - concern different human rights from those on which Amnesty International campaigns. However, any woman who is the victim, or is at risk of imprisonment, torture, summary or arbitrary execution or "disappearance" stands no chance of exercising her rights to equality, development or peace.

CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION TO MILITARY SERVICE

Resolution 1993/84 drew attention to the right of everyone to have conscientious objection to military service as a legitimate exercise of the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. It affirmed the right to conscientious objection by those performing compulsory military service and reminded states that have compulsory military service that they should provide alternative service for conscientious objectors that should be civilian and non-punitive in nature.

Amnesty International hopes that the Commission will strengthen the provisions of Resolution 1993/84 by welcoming and endorsing General Comment No 22 (48) of the Human Rights Committee which stated that "there should be no differentiation among conscientious objectors on the basis of the nature of their particular beliefs; likewise, there shall be no discrimination against conscientious objectors because they have failed to perform military service". Since some governments only allow limited grounds for refusing military service, it is important that the Commission urges all governments to guarantee the right to conscientious objection for any reason of conscience or profound conviction arising not only from religious motives but also from ethical, moral, humanitarian, philosophical, political or similar motives.

In some countries there is no right to claim conscientious objection based on conscience or profound conviction developed after conscription into the armed services. The Commission should recognize that the right to claim conscientious objection extends to such situations and applies equally to volunteers who subsequently develop conscientious objections.

Amnesty International would also urge the Commission to recognize that a person has a right to refuse to perform not only armed service, but any other direct or indirect participation in war or armed conflict. Furthermore, a person may object to participation in a specific conflict but still be willing to serve in the armed forces or serve in a different conflict. As long as such a refusal is for reasons of conscience or profound conviction arising from religious, ethical, moral, humanitarian, philosophical, political or similar motives, this too is a legitimate expression of the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.

Lastly, Amnesty International urges the Commission to affirm the right to asylum of those who flee their country because there is no, or inadequate, provision for conscientious objection or because they refuse to serve in armed forces which are responsible for breaches of international human rights or humanitarian law.

RESOURCES FOR THE UN CENTRE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

The importance of adequate resources to enable the Centre for Human Rights to coordinate its action has been given attention by both the General Assembly and the Commission. Recent resolutions, including 1994/55, have emphasized recommendations contained in the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, particularly that resources from the regular budget of the UN be allocated to its human rights program. Budgetary questions relating to the regular activities of the Centre, the implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action and the work of the office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights are all under discussion at the General Assembly. Amnesty International hopes that in discussions of this question the Commission will consider such issues as extra resources for the thematic mechanisms and for additional professional posts for the effective administration of the Centre.

LIST OF AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTS

The following documents are available from Amnesty International section offices, the International Secretariat or the Amnesty International UN office in Geneva.

GENERAL

Amnesty International Report 1994

Statements to the 50th session of the UN Commission on Human Rights

(IOR 41/01/94) April 1994

Equality by the Year 2000? Amnesty International's recommendations for the Fourth UN World Conference on Women's Platform for Action

(IOR 41/06/94) October 1994

COUNTRIES

Albania

Amnesty International concerned about alleged violation of right to fair trial

(EUR 11/WU 02/94) 11 August 1994

Amnesty International concerned about reports of ill-treatment of Greek lawyers and journalists outside Tirana courthouse

(EUR 11 WU 03/94) 18 August 1994

Amnesty International writes to President about continuing concerns

(EUR 11/WU 04/94) 30 September 1994

Algeria

Repression and violence must end

(MDE 28/08/94), October 1994

Burundi

Time for international action to end a cycle of mass murder

(AFR 16/08/94) 17 May 1994

Briefing paper from Amnesty International visit to Burundi 25 July - 4 August 1994

(AFR 16/WU 10/94)

Cambodia

Ethnic Vietnamese civilians need protection from attack

(ASA 23/WU 01/94) 12 April 1994

Arrest of newspaper editor Nguon Non

(ASA 23/12/94) 18 July 1994

Amnesty International queries shooting death of Cambodian newspaper editor

(ASA 23/WU 04/94) 9 September 1994

Illegal detention of nine Thai nationals

(ASA 23/14/94) October 1994

Colombia

Political violence, myth and reality

(AMR 23/01/94), March 1994

The human rights movement under siege

(AMR 23/09/94) March 1994

"Violence is against our beliefs, our traditions, our being". Human rights abuses against indigenous people

(AMR 23/43/94) June 1994

China

Human rights violations five years after Tiananmen

(ASA 17/20/94) June 1994

Update on dissidents held in Beijing and Shanghai

(ASA 17/26/94) 2 August 1994

Further news on dissidents detained in Beijing since March 1994

(ASA 17/30/94) 13 September 1994

Three Shanghai dissidents sentenced without trial

(ASA 17/32/94) 12 October 1994

Death penalty log : January to June 1994

(ASA 17/33/94) 1 November 1994

Cuba

Hundreds imprisoned for "Dangerousness"

(AMR 25/01/94) February 1994

Amnesty International concerned for human rights of peaceful government opponents and human rights activists

(AMR 25/WU 02/94) 11 August 1994

United States/Cuba : Cuban "rafters" - Pawns of two governments

(AMR 51/86/94) October 1994

Further information concerning the arrest of Domiciano Torres Roca

(AMR 25/12/94) November 1994

Equatorial Guinea

A missed opportunity to restore respect for human rights

(AFR 24/01/94) February 1994

Arrests since the elections in November 1993

(AFR 24/04/94) March 1994

Georgia

Concerns in Europe

(EUR 01/02/94) June 1994

Guatemala

Extrajudicial executions persist under government of former Human Rights Procurator

(AMR 34/31/94) July 1994

Haiti

On the horns of a dilemma: military repression or foreign invasion?

(AMR 36/33/94) 24 August 1994

India (Jammu and Kashmir)

"An unnatural fate". "Disappearances" and impunity in the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab

(ASA 20/42/93) 15 December 1993

Reaction to the Government response to Amnesty International's report on "disappearances" and impunity in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab

(ASA 20/24/94) July 1994

Indonesia/East Timor:

Indonesia: Labour Activists Under Fire

(ASA 21/10/94) May 1994

Indonesia: Student prisoners of conscience

(ASA 21/14/94) June 1994

Indonesia: Free Speech Protesters Detained and Beaten

(ASA 21/27/94) 29 June 1994

Indonesia: Update on student prisoners of conscience

(ASA 21/25/94) July 1994

East Timor: Who is to blame? Statement before the UN Special Committee on Decolonization - July 1994

(ASA 21/31/94) August 1994

East Timor: Protesters beaten, detained, "disappeared"

(ASA 21/34/94) August 1994

Indonesia and East Timor: Power and impunity. Human rights under the new order

(ASA 21/17/94) September 1994

Indonesia: "Operation Cleansing" - Human rights and APEC

(ASA 21/50/94) November 1994

Indonesia and East Timor: The 12 November protests

(ASA 21/53/94) November 1994

Iran

Two more Church leaders found dead, others may be at risk

(MDE 13/WU 01/94) 7 July 1994

Iraq

Medical concern : Amputation and branding - detention of health professionals

(MDE 14/13/94) 20 October 1994

Israel and the Occupied Territories

Amnesty International calls for a review of Israeli policing of the Occupied Territories and for the introduction of effective international human rights monitoring

(MDE 15/WU 05/1994) 11 March 1994

Torture and ill-treament of political detainees

(MDE 15/03/94) April 1994

Amnesty International calls for end to systematic torture or ill-treatment of detainees

(MDE 15/WU 08/94) 22 April 1994

Amnesty International deeply concerned at apparent extrajudicial executions of Palestinians

(MDE 15/WU 11/94) 9 June 1994

Areas under the jurisdiction of the Palestinian Authority : Death in Custody

(MDE 15/WU 12/94) 14 July 1994

Myanmar

Human rights still denied

(ASA 16/18/94) November 1994

Papua New Guinea

Human rights Commission mooted

(ASA 34/10/94) 5 October 1994

Romania

"Public scandal" ruling threatens rights of homosexuals

(EUR 39/WU 02/94) 20 July 1994

Rwanda

Mass murder by government supporters and troops in April and May 1994

(AFR 47/11/94) 23 May 1994

Reports of killings and abductions by the Rwandese Patriotic Army, April - August 1994

(AFR 47/16/94) 20 October 1994

Somalia

Human rights a priority in rebuilding Somalia

(AFR 52/WU 01/1994) 30 March 1994

Sudan

Outside the war zones: secret detention and torture in northern Sudan

(AFR 54/31/94) September 1994

Sri Lanka

When will justice be done ?

(ASA 37/15/94) July 1994

Amnesty International welcomes investigations into past human rights violations

(ASA 37/WU 04/94) 1 September 1994

South Africa

Human rights abuses underscore urgent need for action against perpetrators within the security forces

(AFR 53/WU 06/94)

Togo

A new era for human rights?

(AFR 57/02/94) 15 September 1994

Turkey

More people "disappear" following detention

(EUR 44/15/94) March 1994

Dissident voices jailed again

(EUR 44/45/94) June 1994

Human rights defenders at risk

(EUR 44/88/94), September 1994

former Yugoslavia

Ethnic Albanians - Trial by truncheon

(EUR 70/01/94) Febraury 1994

Bosnia-Herzegovina : "You have no place here" : Abuses in Bosnian Serb-controlled

areas

(EUR 63/11/94) June 1994

Bosnia-Herzegovina : Abuses in Serb areas : Update

(EUR 63/15/94) July 1994

Police violence in Kosovo province - the victims

(EUR 70/16/94) September 1994

Zaire

Appeal by Amnesty International to the new Prime Minister

(AFR 62/03/94) 14 September 1994