Excerpts of annual US human rights report

WASHINGTON, Mar 6 (Reuters) The US State Department released today its annual assessment of human rights around the world. Below are excerpts on selected countries.

IRAQ: Sectarian-driven violence, acts of terrorism and revenge by armed groups in a climate of criminality and impunity undercut government efforts to establish and maintain the rule of law.

On one side, predominantly Sunni Arab groups such as al Qaeda in Iraq, irreconcilable remnants of the Baathist regime, and insurgents waging guerrilla warfare violently opposed the government and targeted Shi'a communities.

The other, predominantly Shi'a militias with some ties to the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), targeted Sunnis in large-scale death squad and kidnapping activities.

PAKISTAN: Despite President (Pervez) Musharraf's stated commitment to democratic transition and ''enlightened moderation,'' Pakistan's human rights record continued to be poor.

The security forces continued to commit extrajudicial killings.

Arbitrary arrest and torture remained common. Corruption was pervasive throughout the government and police forces.

RUSSIA: Russia experienced continuing centralization of power in the executive branch, including amendments to election laws and new legislation for political parties that grants the government broad powers to regulate, investigate, limit, and even close down parties.

Taken together with a compliant State Duma, corruption and selectivity in law enforcement, political pressure on the judiciary, and restrictions on the NGOs and the media, these trends resulted in the further erosion of government accountability.

AFGHANISTAN: Although Afghanistan made important human rights progress since the fall of the Taliban in 2001, its human rights record remained poor.

There were continued reports of cases of arbitrary arrests and detention, extrajudicial killings, torture, and poor prison conditions.

NORTH KOREA: In 2006 North Korea remained one of the world's most isolated and repressive regimes.

The regime controls almost all aspects of citizens' lives, denying freedom of speech, press, assembly, and association, and restricts freedom of movement and worker rights.

An estimated 150,000 to 200,000 people, including political prisoners, were held in detention camps, and many prisoners died from torture, starvation, disease, and exposure.

MYANMAR: The military government in Burma extensively used executions, rape, torture, arbitrary detention, and forced relocation of entire villages, particularly of ethnic minorities, to maintain its grip on power.

Prisoners and detainees were subjected to abuse and held in harsh, life-threatening conditions.

IRAN: The Iranian government flagrantly violated freedom of speech and assembly, intensifying its crackdown against dissidents, journalists, and reformers -- a crackdown characterized by arbitrary arrests and detentions, torture, disappearances, the use of excessive force, and the widespread denial of fair public trials.

ZIMBABWE: In Zimbabwe, the Mugabe government continued across-the-board violations of human rights. Official corruption and impunity were widespread.

CUBA: In Cuba, the government, temporarily headed by Raul Castro due to Fidel Castro's illness, continued to violate virtually all the rights of its citizens, including the fundamental right to change their government peacefully or criticize the revolution or its leaders.

CHINA: The Chinese government's human rights record deteriorated in some areas in 2006. There was an increased number of high-profile cases involving the monitoring, harassment, detention, and imprisonment of political and religious activists, journalists, and writers as well as defense lawyers seeking to exercise their rights under the law.

REUTERS SP KN2252