Human rights and wrongs

The emerging Cold Peace between the U.S. and Russia applies not only to missile defense, but also to human rights. Moscow was outraged by a U.S. State Department report this week on human rights that criticized Russia's record. Russian MP Konstantin Kosachev said he didn't recognize his own country in it. The CR would recognize itself, but not with any great pleasure. "Societal discrimination against women and Roma persisted, and trafficking in persons remained a significant problem," the report said. It went on: "Charges of corruption pervaded politics in the [CR] and were levelled against nearly all political parties at the highest levels of government. Political pressure and ineffective police investigative tools contributed to the lack of prosecutions of high-level corruption cases." True, but perhaps it's a bit harsh from a country seeking the support of Czech politicians on missile defense. [Czech Republic Country report on Human Rights Practices in the Czech Republic 2006]