Human Rights Watch Warns Of A ‘Budding Police State’ In Iraq

Human rights in Iraq deteriorated in 2011 as Iraq “cracked down harshly” on freedom of expression and the media, according to Human Rights Watch’s annual World Report. “Iraq is quickly slipping back into authoritarianism as its security forces abuse protesters, harass journalists and torture detainees,” Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch told The New York Times. Whitson warned that with the U.S. departure in December 2011, a “budding police state” was left behind.