Trump Administration Undermines State Department’s Human Rights Report

Previous assertions from State Department officials, and reports of directives to remove passages on issues like reproductive rights and discrimination indicate that the department’s annual assessment of human rights around the world will downplay vital reports of violations.

Joanne Lin, national director of advocacy and governmental relations at Amnesty International USA, issued this statement:

“From the beginning, this Administration has sent the message that the United States will no longer prioritize efforts to hold the global community to account for human rights. Reports of the omission of key passages pertaining to sexual and reproductive rights, women’s rights and the rights of marginalized populations, combined with the Administration’s deference to known human rights violators like the governments of Saudi Arabia and Turkey, make us skeptical that these reports present a full picture of human rights around the world.

“Reproductive rights are human rights, and omitting the issue signals the Trump Administration’s latest retreat from global leadership on human rights. Human rights defenders should view the reports with a critical eye, and fight against any effort to obscure or diminish violations of human rights wherever they may occur.”