The Human Rights situation in Latin America varies considerably country to country. In
some, such as Colombia,
disappearances, extra-judicial executions and torture have reached epidemic proportions. In others, such as Perú,
hundreds of innocent people continue to be in jail, falsely accused of "subversive activities". Yet in others, the main human
rights violations concern police brutality, inhuman prison conditions, and violations to economic and cultural rights. If
there is one violation that is common to most of the continent, it's impunity, the lack
of punishment - and often
even of investigation - to those who are responsible for committing the most dire human rights abuses.
Derechos and Equipo Nizkor believe that exposing human rights violations is the first
step in battling against them. It is much easier to kill, rape, torture and unjustly imprison under the cover of darkness. We
hope that the reports there will be useful to you, and that will also encourage you to work to stop human rights violations in
Latin America and the world.
