The Wordsmith's Forge

The State Department is changing its mind about what it calls human rights

Despite decades of precedent, the reports, which are meant to inform congressional decisions on foreign aid allocations and security assistance, will no longer call governments out for such things as denying freedom of movement and peaceful assembly. They won't condemn retaining political prisoners without due process or restrictions on "free and fair elections."

Forcibly returning a refugee or asylum-seeker to a home country where they may face torture or persecution will no longer be highlighted, nor will serious harassment of human rights organizations.


Look at the list of things removed from the report. These are all things the government is doing, intends to do, or approves of other people doing. As I've said before, you don't have rights, you have privileges.  Of course, when people don't have rights, they tend not to respect the law or government much, as those don't protect them.  So they're much less likely to defend those institutions, and might jump on an alternative if it became available.  That shoots your national security in both feet.

TL;DR -- don't trust anything the American government says.  Seek reliable news sources.