By Sonya Winter
Washington, March 6 (RFE/RL) - The U.S. State department says Russia and China continue to be serious human rights offenders, violating international norms.
The charge is made in the U.S. State Department's annual report on human rights practices around the world. The report, covering 1995, was made public today. It is required by the U.S. Congress and is used as a guide for U.S. foreign policy and economic assistance.
This year's report of more than 1,000 pages covers 194 nations and territories.
It says human rights abuses in Russia were committed during the "continued and widespread use of Russian military force against civilians in Chechnya."
The report says 1995 also saw the undermining of official institutions monitoring human rights in Russia, as well as "the continued violation of rights and liberties by security forces."