Too often, human rights defenders hone in on the majority group persecuted by the state apparatus (Islamists) and ignore the cases of non-state perpetrators of horrific abuses in the name of God.
And, in this broken state, the perpetrators are almost guaranteed immunity from prosecution.
For example, Zapf and Einarsen (2011) state that perpetrators of bullying might suffer from lack of emotional control or social competence, and use bullying as a way to enhance their self-esteem.
The scientists who created polio virus in their laboratory and published the results (front page, July 12) have played into the hands of state-sponsored perpetrators who have the intention of developing instruments of mass destruction.
The UN tells the BBC that neglecting these acts of violence makes the Iraqi state a perpetrator in the crimes.
In court testimony, William Petit stated that he felt a "jolt of adrenaline" coupled with a need to escape upon hearing one of the perpetrators state: "Don't worry, it's going to be all over in a couple of minutes".
If, however, the sexually abused child is closely related to the perpetrator, state law provides for radically more lenient treatment.
Her questioning during the argument took note of Congressional findings that states were major perpetrators of bias against the disabled.
The 2007 election violence brought Kenya to the brink of civil war, and in post-conflict states prosecution of perpetrators, and rehabilitation of victims and perpetrators, is important for national reconciliation and rebuilding.
Here the critical difference is that the emphasis is on the state as the perpetrator of violence and on republicans as the victims, something the 100,000 people who lined Sands' funeral route would have had no trouble in recognising.
