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Human rights, such as freedom of expression, are under threat in Germany and other European countries, according to the 2024 Human Rights Report by the US State Department.

The report, which in former years has been seen as a reliable point of reference for global human rights advocacy, has been criticized by human rights groups as containing numerous omissions and mischaracterizations to fit the current US administration’s political aims.

The German government rejected the report. 

“There is no censorship in Germany,” Deputy Government Spokesman Steffen Meyer said.

“We have a very high level of freedom of expression in Germany, and we will continue to defend it in every form,” he added.

What did the report say about Germany?

“The human rights situation in Germany worsened during the year,” an executive summary of the report’s Germany entry said.

“Significant human rights issues included restrictions on freedom of expression and credible reports of crimes, violence, or threats of violence motivated by antisemitism,” the report said.

The report stated, however, that the German government “took some credible steps to investigate, prosecute, and punish officials who committed human rights abuses.”

The report follows on from comments made by US Vice President JD Vance in February, in which he accused Germany and other European allies of imposing restrictions on free speech and attempting to marginalize far-right parties, including the Alternative for Germany (AfD).

His remarks have been described as “intrusive” by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

Kid gloves for Israel, El Salvador 

The report devotes a much smaller section to Israel than it did last year and fails to mention the severe humanitarian crisis and death toll in the Gaza Strip amid Israel’s ongoing offensive against the Palestininian militant group Hamas.

El Salvador, which was described in the 2023 report under the Biden administration as having “significant human rights issues,” also got off lightly in 2024.

“There were no credible reports of significant human rights abuses,” the 2024 report said about the Central American country, whose president, Nayib Bukele, is accused of overseeing unlawful and arbitrary killings, torture and harsh prison conditions.

The Trump administration’s relations with El Salvador have strengthened in recent months, with Washington using a high-security mega-prison in the country to house migrants it has deported under draconian new migration policies.

Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine was referred to in the report mainly as the “Russia-Ukraine war,” though it did say Russia’s forces and officials were reported to have committed war crimes, crimes against humanity and abuses in Ukraine.

In contrast, countries such as South Africa and Brazil, with whose governments Trump has clashed, came in for severe criticism that was not contained in the 2023 report.

‘Reflective of Soviet propaganda’

The report was issued with a delay as officials appointed by US President Donald Trump altered an earlier draft to bring it into line with his administration’s foreign policies and ideological slant.

It was prepared after the department underwent a major revamp during which hundreds of people were dismissed, many from the  agency’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, which has a large role in writing the report.

In April, Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote in an opinion piece that the bureau had become a nest of “left-wing activists” and pledged that the Trump administration would change its focus in favor of “Western values.”

“The report demonstrates what happens when political agendas take priority over the facts,” said Josh Paul, a former State Department official and director of nongovernmental organization A New Policy.

“The outcome is a much-abbreviated product that is more reflective of a Soviet propaganda release than of a democratic system,” he told Reuters news agency. 

Rights groups Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have also criticized the report, saying the Trump administration had mischaracterized some records of abuses and omitted others to suit its political agenda.

State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce, however, defended the report, saying it had been restructured to improve readability and to stop it from being a list of “politically biased demands and assertions.”

Edited by Sean Sinico

The TWZ Newsletter

Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.

A backseat passenger in an F-15D Eagle belonging to the 104th Fighter Wing appears to have accidentally ejected from the aircraft while it was on the ground at Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield, Massachusetts.

An undated video posted on social media shows the aftermath of the incident. A puff of smoke is seen wafting from the backseat as the F-15 is still taxiing. The canopy, having been blown off during the ejection sequence, is laying on the Eagle’s left wing. The passenger appears to be crawling next to the runway near what looks like a parachute as the F-15 continues to roll by.

An F-15 backseater from Barnes Ops tested its zero/zero ejection seat today (zero elevation and airspeed). It appears successful, but someone has some explaining to do. pic.twitter.com/QJxed8DhP1

— Dale Stark (@DaleStarkA10) August 13, 2025

A near zero-zero (no speed or altitude) ejection has its own added dangers, but it’s not the first time someone on a ride-along has inadvertently punched out of a tactical jet, although it is certainly a very rare occasion.

“Incentive flight ejected on the flight line before even taking off, member was apparently a recruiting officer from the 104FW at Barnes ANGB,” the Air Force amn/nco/snco Facebook page stated under their post of the video. We cannot confirm who the rear seat occupant was at this time.

We reached out to the 104th Fighter Wing for details and will update this story with any pertinent information provided.

This is a developing story.

Contact the author: [email protected]

The TWZ Newsletter

Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.

A backseat passenger in an F-15D Eagle belonging to the 104th Fighter Wing appears to have accidentally ejected from the aircraft while it was on the ground at Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield, Massachusetts.

An undated video posted on social media shows the aftermath of the incident. A puff of smoke is seen wafting from the backseat as the F-15 is still taxiing. The canopy, having been blown off during the ejection sequence, is laying on the Eagle’s left wing. The passenger appears to be crawling next to the runway near what looks like a parachute as the F-15 continues to roll by.

An F-15 backseater from Barnes Ops tested its zero/zero ejection seat today (zero elevation and airspeed). It appears successful, but someone has some explaining to do. pic.twitter.com/QJxed8DhP1

— Dale Stark (@DaleStarkA10) August 13, 2025

A near zero-zero (no speed or altitude) ejection has its own added dangers, but it’s not the first time someone on a ride-along has inadvertently punched out of a tactical jet, although it is certainly a very rare occasion.

“Incentive flight ejected on the flight line before even taking off, member was apparently a recruiting officer from the 104FW at Barnes ANGB,” the Air Force amn/nco/snco Facebook page stated under their post of the video. We cannot confirm who the rear seat occupant was at this time.

We reached out to the 104th Fighter Wing for details and will update this story with any pertinent information provided.

This is a developing story.

Contact the author: [email protected]

Merz and other European leaders demand that Putin first agrees to a ceasefire before any peace talks or land swaps between Moscow and Kyiv can take place. They have also made clear that any potential territorial exchanges must be balanced and agreed with Kyiv, and that Ukraine should receive firm security guarantees to protect it against further aggression.

Three diplomats told POLITICO that Merz’s team had been in intensive discussions with other capitals in recent days to organize the virtual meeting.

Merz also spoke with Trump via phone Sunday night, and has repeatedly urged the U.S. president to increase pressure on Putin by imposing crippling sanctions against Russia’s banking sector as well as secondary sanctions against Moscow’s trading partners.

Merz told the German public broadcaster on Sunday night that “we cannot accept that territorial issues between Russia and America are discussed or even decided over the heads of the Europeans, over the heads of the Ukrainians,“ and added: “Putin only acts under pressure.”

According to a schedule seen by POLITICO, the virtual meetings will start at 2 p.m. German time on Wednesday, beginning with a one-hour discussion including leaders from Germany, Finland, France, the U.K., Italy, Poland, plus the European Commission and European Council presidents as well as Zelenskyy and NATO chief Mark Rutte.

The schedule then contains a one-hour discussion from 3 p.m., between the European leaders and Zelenskyy, with Trump and his Vice President J.D. Vance.

Finally, the so-called coalition of the willing of military supporters of Ukraine will come together for a joint call from 4.30 p.m., hosted by Germany, the U.K. and France.

This story has been updated.

Merz and other European leaders demand that Putin first agrees to a ceasefire before any peace talks or land swaps between Moscow and Kyiv can take place. They have also made clear that any potential territorial exchanges must be balanced and agreed with Kyiv, and that Ukraine should receive firm security guarantees to protect it against further aggression.

Three diplomats told POLITICO that Merz’s team had been in intensive discussions with other capitals in recent days to organize the virtual meeting.

Merz also spoke with Trump via phone Sunday night, and has repeatedly urged the U.S. president to increase pressure on Putin by imposing crippling sanctions against Russia’s banking sector as well as secondary sanctions against Moscow’s trading partners.

Merz told the German public broadcaster on Sunday night that “we cannot accept that territorial issues between Russia and America are discussed or even decided over the heads of the Europeans, over the heads of the Ukrainians,“ and added: “Putin only acts under pressure.”

According to a schedule seen by POLITICO, the virtual meetings will start at 2 p.m. German time on Wednesday, beginning with a one-hour discussion including leaders from Germany, Finland, France, the U.K., Italy, Poland, plus the European Commission and European Council presidents as well as Zelenskyy and NATO chief Mark Rutte.

The schedule then contains a one-hour discussion from 3 p.m., between the European leaders and Zelenskyy, with Trump and his Vice President J.D. Vance.

Finally, the so-called coalition of the willing of military supporters of Ukraine will come together for a joint call from 4.30 p.m., hosted by Germany, the U.K. and France.

This story has been updated.

Merz and other European leaders demand that Putin first agrees to a ceasefire before any peace talks or land swaps between Moscow and Kyiv can take place. They have also made clear that any potential territorial exchanges must be balanced and agreed with Kyiv, and that Ukraine should receive firm security guarantees to protect it against further aggression.

Three diplomats told POLITICO that Merz’s team had been in intensive discussions with other capitals in recent days to organize the virtual meeting.

Merz also spoke with Trump via phone Sunday night, and has repeatedly urged the U.S. president to increase pressure on Putin by imposing crippling sanctions against Russia’s banking sector as well as secondary sanctions against Moscow’s trading partners.

Merz told the German public broadcaster on Sunday night that “we cannot accept that territorial issues between Russia and America are discussed or even decided over the heads of the Europeans, over the heads of the Ukrainians,“ and added: “Putin only acts under pressure.”

According to a schedule seen by POLITICO, the virtual meetings will start at 2 p.m. German time on Wednesday, beginning with a one-hour discussion including leaders from Germany, Finland, France, the U.K., Italy, Poland, plus the European Commission and European Council presidents as well as Zelenskyy and NATO chief Mark Rutte.

The schedule then contains a one-hour discussion from 3 p.m., between the European leaders and Zelenskyy, with Trump and his Vice President J.D. Vance.

Finally, the so-called coalition of the willing of military supporters of Ukraine will come together for a joint call from 4.30 p.m., hosted by Germany, the U.K. and France.

This story has been updated.

Merz and other European leaders demand that Putin first agrees to a ceasefire before any peace talks or land swaps between Moscow and Kyiv can take place. They have also made clear that any potential territorial exchanges must be balanced and agreed with Kyiv, and that Ukraine should receive firm security guarantees to protect it against further aggression.

Three diplomats told POLITICO that Merz’s team had been in intensive discussions with other capitals in recent days to organize the virtual meeting.

Merz also spoke with Trump via phone Sunday night, and has repeatedly urged the U.S. president to increase pressure on Putin by imposing crippling sanctions against Russia’s banking sector as well as secondary sanctions against Moscow’s trading partners.

Merz told the German public broadcaster on Sunday night that “we cannot accept that territorial issues between Russia and America are discussed or even decided over the heads of the Europeans, over the heads of the Ukrainians,“ and added: “Putin only acts under pressure.”

According to a schedule seen by POLITICO, the virtual meetings will start at 2 p.m. German time on Wednesday, beginning with a one-hour discussion including leaders from Germany, Finland, France, the U.K., Italy, Poland, plus the European Commission and European Council presidents as well as Zelenskyy and NATO chief Mark Rutte.

The schedule then contains a one-hour discussion from 3 p.m., between the European leaders and Zelenskyy, with Trump and his Vice President J.D. Vance.

Finally, the so-called coalition of the willing of military supporters of Ukraine will come together for a joint call from 4.30 p.m., hosted by Germany, the U.K. and France.

This story has been updated.

Merz and other European leaders demand that Putin first agrees to a ceasefire before any peace talks or land swaps between Moscow and Kyiv can take place. They have also made clear that any potential territorial exchanges must be balanced and agreed with Kyiv, and that Ukraine should receive firm security guarantees to protect it against further aggression.

Three diplomats told POLITICO that Merz’s team had been in intensive discussions with other capitals in recent days to organize the virtual meeting.

Merz also spoke with Trump via phone Sunday night, and has repeatedly urged the U.S. president to increase pressure on Putin by imposing crippling sanctions against Russia’s banking sector as well as secondary sanctions against Moscow’s trading partners.

Merz told the German public broadcaster on Sunday night that “we cannot accept that territorial issues between Russia and America are discussed or even decided over the heads of the Europeans, over the heads of the Ukrainians,“ and added: “Putin only acts under pressure.”

According to a schedule seen by POLITICO, the virtual meetings will start at 2 p.m. German time on Wednesday, beginning with a one-hour discussion including leaders from Germany, Finland, France, the U.K., Italy, Poland, plus the European Commission and European Council presidents as well as Zelenskyy and NATO chief Mark Rutte.

The schedule then contains a one-hour discussion from 3 p.m., between the European leaders and Zelenskyy, with Trump and his Vice President J.D. Vance.

Finally, the so-called coalition of the willing of military supporters of Ukraine will come together for a joint call from 4.30 p.m., hosted by Germany, the U.K. and France.

This story has been updated.

The charges are the latest development in Finland’s investigation, which also led to the seizure of the Eagle S, prime suspect in the December 2024 incident that damaged four submarine cables and disrupted another in the Gulf of Finland.

The sabotage triggered calls for more robust action against Moscow’s shadow fleet, an armada of aging, often uninsured tankers that sanctioned nations like Russia rely on to bypass international penalties.

NATO has also mobilized forces to protect the seabed and critical communications infrastructure amid a pattern of similar incidents in the Baltic Sea, including the severing of an internet cable between Finland and Germany in November 2024, and another between Finland and Sweden in December 2024.

POLITICO has contacted the prosecutor’s office for comment.