abc news 26/05

Australia below-par on human rights: Amnesty

By Kirsten Aiken and staff reporters

The Australian Government has been accused of encouraging terrorism and fuelling instability around the world by betraying international standards on human rights.

The criticism is included in Amnesty International's annual report, which looks at human rights around the world.

Amnesty International secretary-general Irene Khan says many acts committed by armed groups during 2004 were a response to pursuit by some western governments of a new security agenda.

Ms Khan says Australia and the United States are among those to have betrayed international human rights standards under the guise of waging a war against terrorism.

Amnesty's report says the Australian Government did not seek the transfer or release of two Australian detainees, David Hicks and Mamdouh Habib, held at Guantanamo Bay.