The international organization Human Rights Watch says world governments make a serious mistake when they sacrifice human rights in the name of tightening security measures.

In its annual review of global human rights released Thursday, the group said Nigeria, Iraq, Syria, Israel and the United States are among the nations using security concerns to justify the violation of human rights.

According to Executive Director Kenneth Roth, tightening security can be “counterproductive” by eroding trust and aggravating tensions among groups.

“Some governments make the mistake of seeing human rights as a luxury for less trying times, instead of an essential compass for political action,” he said. “Rather than treating human rights as a chafing restraint, policymakers worldwide would do better to recognize them as moral guides offering a path out of crisis and chaos.”

Blame Syria, Iraq

The report blamed Iraq and Syria for “sectarian and abusive” policies that fueled the rise of Islamic State extremism. It said Syrian use of violence on civilians and the Iraqi government’s isolation of Sunni Muslim communities gave the Islamic State an opportunity to recruit support from those groups.

Human Rights Watch also said Nigeria and Israel have allowed their military personnel to be abusive as they struggle to contain the militant groups Boko Haram and Hamas.

And the group said President Barack Obama has refused to investigate or prosecute those responsible for alleged torture by the CIA, which was detailed in a recent U.S. Senate probe.

“That abdication of his legal duty makes it more likely,” said the documents, “that future presidents will treat torture as a policy option instead of a crime.”

The report said meeting security challenges demands not only containing dangerous elements, but also, “rebuilding a moral fabric that underpins the social and political order.”
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