Saif al Islam

"LONDON (AlertNet) - From the crisis in the Middle East to the arrest of Russian performers Pussy Riot, executions in the United States, Japan and other countries, and forced evictions across the globe, human rights have taken another battering in 2012.

Amnesty International said events in the past year should make leaders, companies and individuals the world over resolve to join the battle for human rights, as it published a timeline on Monday surveying some of the key human rights moments in 2012 to mark Human Rights Day.

"Across the world we see millions of individuals who have achieved extraordinary change against the odds," Salil Shetty, secretary general at Amnesty International, said in a statement. "These people stand in stark contrast to the governments which all too frequently stand by in the face of terrible violations from Syria to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

“Crimes such as torture, disappearances and violence against women remain commonplace in parts of the world even though progress elsewhere is there to be seen. What we want in 2013 is more action and commitment to ensure everyone can enjoy their dignity and freedom.”

Below are some of the key human rights events in the past 12 months, according to Amnesty. The list is not meant to be exhaustive but gives an overview of human rights trends and events around the world. "