Human Rights Watch urges Sri Lanka to prosecute perpetrators of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the civil war, citing a UN report on sexual violence against Tamil civilians.
Vicky Nanjppa reports on the demand from human rights organisations to reform laws and practices with regard to sexual assault.
In the wake of the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, global rights groups have asked India to end the use of executions and move towards abolishing the death penalty.
An international human rights group has asked the Indian government to prosecute those involved in the 1984 Sikh riots, following the assassination of former prime minister Indira Gandhi.
The report reveals that the inaction of the West Bengal state government, including tacit acceptance of the violent operations of the armed supporters of the CPI-M, resulted in serious human rights abuses, including unlawful killings, abductions, sexual assault of women and forced eviction and displacement of thousands of people in 2007.
Human Rights Watch said support for such "lawless action" will lead to future lawlessness by security forces and protesters.
India "routinely" uses vaguely-worded laws like sedition and criminal defamation as "political tools" to "stifle" dissent, a leading rights group said.
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