US human rights record scrutinised

Is the US failing to scrutinize the conduct of some of its allies?

In a HARDtalk interview broadcast on 3 November, Tim Sebastian talks to the Executive Director of Human Rights Watch, Kenneth Roth, about why his group is keeping a close eye on the America's human rights record.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) Executive Director, Kenneth Roth, says the US has done more to develop and enforce human rights than any other country, and that is precisely why it is scrutinized so severely in HRW reports.

"When the US misbehaves, it lowers the bar for everyone, so we have to pay special attention to the USA when it doesn't follow international standards", Mr Roth told HARDtalk's Tim Sebastian.

Mr Roth says the US is failing to scrutinize the conduct of some of its new allies in the war against terrorism.

"We do not quarrel with the need for political and military alliances of convenience. The problem is that should not be a justification for abandoning the basic human rights principles, because if you do, you end up sending the message that the ends justifies the means - and that's what the terrorists think."

Chechnya

Mr Roth is particularly critical of America's failure to offer criticism of Russian conduct in Chechnya.

"For Washington to suddenly abandon its advocacy on Chechnya to say, basically, Putin you can commit your atrocities in Chechnya, just help us stop the atrocities against us.

"It's important for the opponents of terrorism to take the ground to affirm international legal principles, that frankly help explain what's wrong with terrorism and by having that positive vision to gain the support that's going to be needed to defeat terrorism."

Mr Roth says that before September 11, the UN Human Rights Commission condemned Russia's conduct in Chechnya two years running, but since then there has been only "token effort or no effort to condemn Russia, because Putin has bought silence."

"I think that was bought at too high a price," he says.

HARDtalk can be seen on BBC World at 04:30 GMT, 11:30 GMT, 15:30 GMT, 19:30 GMT and 00:30 GMT

It can also be seen on BBC News 24 at 04:30 and 23:30