In its annual report on the “State of the World’s Human Rights,” Amnesty International praises the growing protest movements in North Africa and the Middle East.

Salil Shetty, Amnesty International’s Secretary General: “I think there’s no question that what’s happened is unprecedented, and we haven’t seen anything like this after the fall of the Berlin Wall. And in places like Egypt and Tunisia, which you’d never have expected, some of the most brutal dictators and also several myths have been exploded. The idea that human rights is a Western concept, that it’s not compatible with Islam, that people in very brutal regimes will never raise their voice — all of that has been exploded. So I think there’s enormous hope.”

Amnesty’s Salil Shetty warned repressive governments are threatening the pro-democracy movements.

Salil Shetty: “While the people of Tunisia inspired the people of Egypt, it’s also true that some of the governments, like Libya, who crack down on their people, have inspired other governments, like Yemen and Syria, which is why the report says we are at a 'knife-edge.' A lot depends on how things pan out over the coming months and the role of the international community and Western powers, who we hope have also learned some lessons, that you can’t just be opportunistic and prop up dictators.”