AAP Information Services Pty. There is a connection between economic freedom and political freedom, between open markets and open societies, between transparency of governance and the resilience of an economy. The State Department report highlighted improvements in the human rights situations in several countries, particularly China, but noted that North Korea remained one of the world's worst dictatorships. The military government's longstanding severe repression of human rights continued in 1997. There were credible reports of killings and rape by government troops.
Disappearances also continue and perhaps numerous political prisoners remain in jail.
The security forces were responsible for dozens of executions of political opponents. Torture and arbitrary arrest are constant problems. The report indicated that the human rights situation in China had improved somewhat in the past year. Abuses continued despite extensive constitutional safeguards. Most of them occurred in Jammu and Kashmir, regions where the judicial system has been disrupted by terrorist activities.