In this New York Times op-ed, Eileen Donahoe weighs in on U.S. participation in the United Nations Human Rights Council, a year after taking a seat as a member.

In this Der Spiegel interview, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki comments on Iran's policy of stoning as punishment, the impact of sanctions, and the risk of a military attack on Iran.

Arang Keshavarzian analyzes how growing economic discontent sparked the recent Tehran bazaar protests and why they could bode badly for the Iranian regime.

Existing U.S. sanctions on Burma are based on various U.S. laws and Presidential Executive Orders. This report provides a brief history of U.S. policy towards Burma and the development of U.S. sanctions, a topical summary of those sanctions, and an examination of additional sanctions that have been considered, but not enacted, by Congress, or that could be imposed under existing law or executive orders. The report concludes with a discussion of options for Congress.

State policies permitting the use of targeted killings are often justified as a necessary and legitimate response to "terrorism" and "asymmetric warfare," but have had the very problematic effect of blurring and expanding the boundaries of the applicable legal frameworks. This report describes the new targeted killing policies and addresses the main legal issues that have arisen.

Tad Stahnke discusses how blasphemy and "defamation of religion" laws have resulted in arrests and arbitrary detentions, in addition to sparking assaults, murders and mob attacks around the world.

This report from the International Crisis Group provides an overview of the existing humanitarian crisis in North Korea and how tightening sanctions and domestic problems have deepened the DPRK human security tragedy.

This report from The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life presents the first quantitative study to measure governments and private actors' infringements on religious beliefs and practices worldwide.  The study covers 198 countries and self-administering territories and finds that although a minority of countries have high restrictions on religion, they contain most of the world's population.   

In a Los Angeles Times op-ed, Malcolm Potts argues that Afghanistan will turn into a failed state if Afghan women remain "enslaved" in the nation's patriarchal society.

The Economist examines whether or not the Geneva conventions and their later protocols are suited to today's conflicts.

Josh Chin argues that the unrest in China's Xinjiang province is less about Islam and more about economics.

Christina Larson writes that although China's crackdown in Xinjiang province was effective in quelling the restless Uigher population, the tactics "seem more likely to foster resistance and resentment than peace and passivity."

Sarah E. Mendelson argues that unless the human rights community in the United States makes a strategic case about the inherent dangers for national security that come from overlooking abuse or corrupt rule of law, human rights will not be able to shape U.S. foreign policy during the Obama years.

The torture debate is critical not only because it gets us to the core of our values, but because the danger to American cities is not from tanks and armies, but from individuals and their intentions.

This report by the United States Institute of Peace outlines the specific actions U.S. policymakers can take to prevent genocide, ranging from institution building to international parternships.

The Genocide Prevention Task Force was launched on November 13, 2007 and released its report to the public on December 8, 2008. It was jointly convened by the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, The American Academy of Diplomacy, and the U.S. Institute of Peace.  It was funded by private foundations.  Its goals were: (1) To spotlight genocide prevention as a national priority; and; (2) To develop practical policy recommendations to enhance the capacity of the U.S. government to respond to emerging threats of genocide and mass atrocities.

The report, which is entitled "Preventing Genocide: A Blueprint for U.S. Policymakers", asserts that genocide is preventable, and that making progress toward doing so begins with leadership and political will.  The report provides 34 recommendations, starting with the need for high-level attention, standing institutional mechanisms, and strong international partnerships to respond to potential genocidal situations when they arise; it lays out a comprehensive approach, recommending improved early warning mechanisms, early action to prevent crises, timely diplomatic responses to emerging crises, greater preparedness to employ military options, and action to strengthen global norms and institutions.

William Dalrymple describes why democracy does not thrive in Pakistan but also writes that cultural changes are taking place and that Pakistan is "...not about to fall apart, or implode, or break out into civil war, or become a Taliban state with truckfuls of mullahs pouring down on Islamabad from the Khyber Pass."

Human Rights Watch reports on detention conditions and mental health at Guantanamo.

During an exclusive interview at the headquarters of the Tibetan government-in-exile in Dharamsala, India, the Dalai Lama talked about his willingness to negotiate with Beijing, his fears for the future, and how some government officials in China have sent him private messages of sympathy.

Jorge G. Castañeda argues that Raul Castro’s shy attempt to embark on a Vietnamese- or Chinese- style communism is neither progressive nor possible as long as Fidel Castro remains as Secretary of the Cuban Communist Party and the government violates human rights.

Ever since Ethiopian armed forces removed the Islamic Courts movement from control of south-central Somalia in December 2006, Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, has been the scene of growing urban warfare. In March-April 2007 Ethiopian and Somali government forces joined battle with a coalition of insurgent groups composed of Islamic Courts supporters, clan militia, and others opposed to the Ethiopian presence in Somalia. Residents of Mogadishu were trapped by a terrifying escalation of violence that killed hundreds of civilians, provoked almost 400,000 people to flee the city, and shattered the lives, homes, and livelihoods of thousands of families. Shell-Shocked: Civilians Under Siege in Mogadishu, based upon on-the-ground research soon after the fighting, presents the first detailed account of civilian suffering during the conflict and violations of the laws of war.