Moroccan rights group says referendum was rigged
A human rights group on Tuesday said Moroccan authorities violated their obligation of impartiality by using religion and the media to promote a “yes” vote in the recent constitutional referendum.Continue Reading
Hong Kong: Investigate Police Actions at July 1 Rally
(New York) – The Hong Kong government should immediately investigate allegations that police violated participants’ rights during the annual Hong Kong protest march on July 1, 2011, Human Rights Watch said today.
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Bangladesh: Guarantee Fair Trials for Independence-Era Crimes
(New York) – Amendments to the rules of procedure for Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) address some key problems but fail to bring other areas of the law and rules into compliance with international standards, Human Rights Watch said to…Continue Reading
Morocco: Police Violence a Test for Revised Constitution
The constitutional revisions approved in the July 1, 2011 referendum can significantly advance Moroccans’ rights, but only if authorities use these new constitutional principles to reform repressive laws and pract…Continue Reading
The books aren’t closed on Bush’s torture policy
President Obama’s policy toward the Bush administration’s use of torture has been one of splitting the difference — Obama ordered an end to further torture but largely avoided investigating, let alone prosec…Continue Reading
Sudan: African Commission Should Act on Southern Kordofan
(Juba) – The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights should call on Sudan to cease human rights abuses in Southern Kordofan, Human Rights Watch, Interights, REDRESS, and the Sudan Democracy First Group said today.
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UN investigator regrets posting anti-Semitic cartoon, rejects calls to resign
GENEVA – A U.N. human rights expert investigating Israel’s treatment of Palestinians expressed regret on Monday for posting an anti-Semitic cartoon on his blog, but rejected calls to resign his role saying critics were using a “careless” mistake to att…Continue Reading
United States: Investigate Bush, Other Top Officials for Torture
Overwhelming evidence of torture by the Bush administration obliges President Barack Obama to order a criminal investigation into allegations of detainee abuse authorized by former President George W. Bush and ot…Continue Reading
Judges ‘too narrow’ on bias claims
Judges have been criticised by the human rights watchdog for interpreting the law “too narrowly” in high-profile religious discrimination claims brought by Christians.Continue Reading
Making Nice with Beijing
In a speech last week before a Toronto business audience, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said that while Canada will have “frank yet respectful” discussions with Beijing about human-rights issues, he nonetheless fully appreciated that “China…Continue Reading
Syrian troops storm central city
A human rights activist says Syrian troops have stormed into a central city, killing at least one person and wounding 20 in attacks that included heavy machine gun fire.Continue Reading
Rights groups blame Congo police for deadly stampede
Two Congolese human rights groups on Monday blamed police for a stampede that left seven people dead at the opening of a pan-African musical festival in a Brazzaville stadium.Continue Reading
U.N. rights boss in last-minute plea to Senegal on Habre
GENEVA (Reuters) – The top U.N. human rights official called on Senegal on Sunday not to extradite former Chadian President Hissene Habre to his homeland unless he is guaranteed to get a fair trial and not face torture or execution.Continue Reading
Risky Business: Getting information out of Syria
GUEST BLOG: By a journalist who has just been inside Syria.
The views expressed are not necessarily those of Amnesty International.
Faced with a growing anti-government protest movement, the Syrian authorities have stifled freedom of speech in Syria as…Continue Reading
Syria: Defectors Describe Orders to Shoot Unarmed Protesters
(New York) – Defectors from Syria’s security forces described receiving, and following, orders to shoot on protesters to disperse them, Human Rights Watch said today.read moreContinue Reading