The US government continues to step up surveillance of ordinary Americans, seriously violating the freedom of citizens, says a report on the US human rights record released on Sunday.
The US congress approved a bill in 2012 that authorizes warrantless wiretapping and electronic communications monitoring by the government, a move that violates people's rights to privacy, the report says.
Documents released by the American Civil Liberties Union in September 2012, reveal that federal law enforcement agencies are increasingly monitoring American's electronic communications.
Between 2009 and 2011, the US Justice Department's combined number of original orders for "pen registers" and "trap and trace devices" used to spy on phones increased by 60 percent, from 23,535 in 2009 to 37,616 in 2011, the report says.
The National Security Agency collects purely domestic communications of Americans in a "significant and systematic" way, intercepting and storing 1.7 billion emails, phone calls and other types of communications, it adds.
The Human Rights Record of the United States in 2012 was released by China's State Council Information Office in response to the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2012 issued by the US State Department.
Highlights:
US-led military operations bring forth ecological disasters to other countries: report
US-led wars cause massive civilian casualties: report
US women victims of discrimination, poverty, sexual violence: report
US scores low on children's rights protection: report
Racial discrimination remains rampant in US: report
Ethnic Americans in poverty due to discrimination: report
Wealth gap growing in US: report
US election marked by political donations: report
Abuse of suspects, jail inmates common in US: report
US govt steps up surveillance of citizens: report
Firearms-related crimes pose serious threat to US citizens: report
US people's lives, personal security not duly protected: report
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