72% of the World Now Under 'Autocratic' Rule, Says HRW Report

The global human rights situation is in a "crisis" state, with a shocking 72% of the world’s population now living under autocratic regimes, according to the latest annual report by the United States-based Human Rights Watch (HRW).

Released on February 4, 2026, the report highlights that major powers such as the United States, China, and Russia are led by leaders who openly disregard the rule of law, despite their vast economic, military, and diplomatic powers. HRW warns that these countries’ increasing authoritarianism is worsening global human rights conditions.

The report sharply criticizes U.S. President Donald Trump for steering the country toward authoritarianism, particularly after his return to the White House. Under his leadership, human rights violations have escalated, with the report pointing to aggressive actions by the controversial Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. These agents carried out hundreds of violent and oppressive raids, previously unimaginable in the U.S.

In its analysis, HRW describes the U.S. under Trump as increasingly authoritarian, citing racial and ethnic scapegoating, the abuse of power by deploying the National Guard, retribution against political opponents, and attempts to disrupt democratic checks and balances. Furthermore, the report claims that the U.S. government is involved in forced disappearances, a violation of international law, with the case of 252 Venezuelan immigrants sent to an El Salvador prison serving as an example.

The situation in Russia and China, the report states, has further deteriorated global human rights. The global democracy index has now fallen to levels seen in 1985. Citizens in both countries have significantly fewer freedoms compared to two decades ago.

HRW’s executive director, Philippe Bolopion, has called on countries that respect human rights to unite and confront authoritarian leaders like Trump. He emphasized the need for alliances based on democracy, international law, and human rights to challenge such leaders.

In contrast to HRW’s report, the U.S. State Department’s recent report has ignored these human rights violations in Trump’s allied countries. For instance, the State Department claimed that there were no major human rights violations in El Salvador in 2024 and that crime rates had dropped to "historic levels," an assertion HRW strongly disputes. The HRW report claims that while gang violence in El Salvador decreased, human rights abuses such as mass arrests, forced disappearances, and torture continued.

Additionally, HRW again accuses Israel of committing "crimes against humanity, genocide, and ethnic cleansing" in Gaza, citing increased violence, hunger, and forced displacement against Palestinians. Both Israel and the U.S. have denied these allegations.