The introduction provides a narrative overview of human rights violations in various countries, followed by a description of Amnesty International's worldwide campaign to counter human rights violations, including support for the abolition of the death penalty and the provision of asylum for political refugees. Amnesty International's work with international organizations is also summarized. The narrative report on human rights violations in each of 138 countries covers incidents such as the imprisonment of persons for peaceful protests against the government; political prisoners denied fair trials; torture, "disappearance," and political killings; and the sentencing and execution of political dissidents. Much of the human rights violations and attendant suffering are in the context of ethnic or nationalist conflict. The report emphasizes that Amnesty International does not take sides nor propose solutions in complex conflicts within nations, but it does insist on compliance with international standards of human rights under all circumstances and by all parties in any conflict. Appended supplementary information.