HRW: Democracy must step up as autocrats face turning point

By JAMEY KEATEN
Associated Press

GENEVA (AP) — A top rights activist feels populist autocrats could be facing a turning point as people learn that stirring words don’t always translate into action, but he says democratic politicians will have to step up with “visionary leadership” to keep autocrats from getting a second chance. Human Rights Watch executive director Kenneth Roth wants to counter what he sees as “conventional wisdom” holding that autocrats are in the ascendancy. He commented as the New York-based advocacy group released its annual report chronicling the human rights situations in roughly 100 countries where it works – from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. In an interview, Roth highlighted three places that top his long list of concerns for the coming year: Ethiopia’s Tigray region, Myanmar and Sudan