Archive for the ‘Europe/Central Asia’ Category
(Berlin) – A prominent Azerbaijani journalist was viciously attacked by police and security guards on the outskirts of Baku on April 18, 2012, demonstrating the government’s ugly disregard for media freedoms in the final weeks before the Eurovision song contest is to be held in the city, Human Rights Watch said today.
(Berlin) – The authorities should immediately conduct a thorough investigation into an attack against a leading human rights organization in Armenia’s northern town of Vanadzor, Human Rights Watch said today.
(New York) – Uzbek authorities released the rights defender Alisher Karamatov from prison on April 12, 2012, after he served almost two thirds of a 9-year prison sentence, Human Rights Watch said today.
(Budapest) – Hungarian police should immediately revoke their decision to refuse planners of the 2012 Pride March permission to pursue their chosen route, Human Rights Watch said today. The march should be allowed to go ahead as planned on July 7.
(Moscow) – Russian authorities should carry out a prompt and effective investigation into the vicious beating by unknown assailants of Elena Milashina, a prominent Russian journalist and human rights defender, Human Rights Watch said today.
(Sarajevo) – Roma, Jews, and other national minorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina remain excluded from participation in national politics 20 years after war began, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. Bosnia needs to remove ethnic discrimination against national minorities from its constitution, laws, and public institutions, Human Rights Watch said.
(Berlin) – Serbia should immediately release two Kosovo Albanians arbitrarily arrested on March 28, 2012 in “retaliation” for the arrest of four Serbs on March 27, Human Rights Watch said today. Kosovo should facilitate an urgent review by an EU Kosovo mission judge of the charges and house arrest of the four Serbs, Human Rights Watch said.
(New York) – The Turkmen government should urgently heed the calls by the UN Human Rights Committee to improve its abysmal rights record, Human Rights Watch, International Partnership for Human Rights, and Turkmen Initiative for Human Rights said today
(Almaty) – The Kazakhstan judiciary should ensure a fair and public trial for the 37 people scheduled for trial on March 27, 2012, on charges of organizing and participating in mass unrest in December 2011, Human Rights Watch said today.