Turkey: Backward Step for Women’s Rights
(Istanbul) – The Turkish government’s changes to the current Ministry for Women and Family is a step backward in its struggle to combat gender inequality and violence against women, Human Rights Watch said today.
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Equatorial Guinea’s Human Rights Record
The tiny Gulf of Guinea country of Equatorial Guinea, divided between the island of Bioko and a sliver of mainland west central Africa, has long been held up as a prime example of a repressive and corrupt government, according to international human ri…Continue Reading
Making Noise About Violence and Women
Violent women are making news these days. Last week, the singer Rihanna released a music video, Man Down, depicting a woman (herself) assassinating the man who had sexually assaulted her.
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Oral Statement – U.N. Follow Up Libya Special Session
Delivered on June 9, 2011 by Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch welcomes the report of the Libya Commission of Inquiry, which has rightly highlighted serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. We believe the Commission …Continue Reading
Syria: Joint Letter to President Medvedev from Human Rights Groups
President of the Russian Federation
Dmitry Anatolyevitch Medvedev
Re: UN Security Council action on Syria
Dear President Medvedev,
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DR Congo: Strengthen Civilian Protection Before Elections
(New York) – The United Nations Security Council should ensure that the UN mission in Congo (MONUSCO) has adequate and appropriate resources to protect civilians from attacks by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and to avert election-related violence, a…Continue Reading
NGOs urge Chad dictator’s extradition to Belgium for trial
Human rights bodies Thursday accused Senegal of delaying justice for Chad’s ex-president Hissene Habre and demanded it extradite him to Belgium to stand trial for alleged atrocities under his rule.Continue Reading
Tunisia: Free Would-Be Whistle-Blower Policeman
(Tunis) – Tunisian authorities should free the police officer Samir Feriani from military detention and drop any charges that are based solely on his whistle-blowing efforts and transfer any other charges to a civilian court, Human Rights Watch said to…Continue Reading
Canada: Caribbean Activists Honored
Today, the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network and Human Rights Watch will jointly present their 2011 International Award for Action on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights to the late Dr. Robert Carr and the organization he fou…Continue Reading
U.N. rights boss calls on Syria to halt "assault"
The top U.N. human rights official called on Syria on Thursday to halt its “assault on its own people” and said more than 1,100 people may have been killed and up to 10,000 detained since March.Continue Reading
Domestic workers’ conditions ‘akin to slavery’
Asma – not her real name – left her village at age 13 to journey to Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta. She had just graduated from elementary school, but was being pressured to marry a 23-year-old man. To avoid this, she allowed her cousin to arrange a job …Continue Reading
Senegal: Habré Trial an ‘Illusion’
(Dakar) – Senegal’s withdrawal from talks to establish a court to try the former Chadian dictator Hissène Habré was the "last straw," a coalition of his victims and human rights groups said today.
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U.N. rights boss calls on Syria to halt "assault"
The top U.N. human rights official called on Syria on Thursday to halt its “assault on its own people” and said more than 1,100 people may have been killed and up to 10,000 detained since March.Continue Reading
Time to Go Beyond Ocampo Six
On May 30, International Criminal Court (ICC) judges turned down the latest effort by some in the Kenyan government to thwart the court’s cases against six leading political and government officials. The "Ocampo Six" are accused of involvemen…Continue Reading
At AIDS Summit, UN Must Focus on Key Populations and Human Rights to Meet Goal of Zero New Infections
As new reports reaffirm importance of key populations, Global Forum on MSM & HIV calls for commitment to evidence and human rights in UN political declaration on AIDSContinue Reading