Crackdown On Civil Society

Hungary's parliament approved Tuesday a crackdown on foreign-backed civil society groups despite an international outcry, in a move seen as targeting US billionaire George Soros.

China began the trial of rights lawyer Xie Yang for "subversion of state power" and "disrupting court order" on Monday, a city court said on social media, a case that has drawn international concern amid claims Xie was tortured in jail.

U.N. human rights investigators demanded an end to a Chinese crackdown on lawyers on Thursday after more than 100 people were detained, intimidated or went missing over the past week.

China today touted "tremendous achievements" in human rights, citing legal improvements, poverty alleviation, and protections for minorities and freedom of speech, even as campaign groups point to a tough crackdown on dissent and civil society.

From China's crackdown on activists to flawed elections in Cambodia and widespread violence against Muslims in Myanmar, Asia's human rights record in 2013 remained poor, US officials said Thursday.

Hungary's parliament approved Tuesday a crackdown on foreign-backed civil society groups despite an international outcry, in a move seen as targeting US billionaire George Soros.

China began the trial of rights lawyer Xie Yang for "subversion of state power" and "disrupting court order" on Monday, a city court said on social media, a case that has drawn international concern amid claims Xie was tortured in jail.

U.N. human rights investigators demanded an end to a Chinese crackdown on lawyers on Thursday after more than 100 people were detained, intimidated or went missing over the past week.

China today touted "tremendous achievements" in human rights, citing legal improvements, poverty alleviation, and protections for minorities and freedom of speech, even as campaign groups point to a tough crackdown on dissent and civil society.

From China's crackdown on activists to flawed elections in Cambodia and widespread violence against Muslims in Myanmar, Asia's human rights record in 2013 remained poor, US officials said Thursday.