United Nations: High Commissioner says “war on terror” an excuse to violate human rights

At a press conference upon her return from visits to Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan, High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour said that Central Asian states continue to use the “war on terrorism” as an excuse to violate human rights. According to the High Commissioner, these countries explicitly justify a strong Executive and robust law enforcement as necessary tools in the “war on terrorism.”