Human Rights Watch: 'Infatuation with strongman rule' dangerous to democracy

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An annual human rights report that typically focuses on abuses in developing countries has taken aim at the rise of populist movements in developed countries.

Times of Ahmad | News Watch | UK Desk
Source/Credit: DW News
By DW News | January 12, 2016

[Excerpt]

Human Rights Watch issued a stern warning on Thursday that the rise of populist politicians in the United States and Europe poses a threat to the rights movement and, potentially, to western democracy.

The 704-page "World Rights 2017" focused on conditions in 90 countries but singled out the rhetoric of US President-elect Donald Trump as "a vivid illustration of (the) politics of intolerance."

If such voices prevail, it continued, "the world risks entering a dark era."

The report said Trump's success illustrated a dangerous and growing "infatuation with strongman rule" also evident in Russia, China, Venezuela and the Philippines.

In presenting the report, HRW executive director Kenneth Roth said Trump's rise had emboldened leaders like Cambodia's Hun Sen, who sees Trump's election "as a green light to continue his repression," and added that one Hungarian politician justified a crackdown by saying, "This is the era of Trump."

The report also noted that Syria represented "perhaps the deadliest threat to rights standards" because of the indiscriminate attacks on civilians by Syrian and allied Russian forces.

It said government-backed atrocities "could easily breed new extremist groups" even if ISIS is defeated on the battlefield.

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