Behind Oklahoma’s ‘Save our State’ Vote
Oklahoma voters overwhelmingly passed a constitutional amendment on Nov. 2 that forbids judges from taking Sharia law and international law into consideration when making decisions. A federal judge has already blocked it from taking effect.
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In the Name of the Law
The harrowing torture recounted by William Finnegan lays bare a practice that is all too common in Mexico’s war on drugs (“In the Name of the Law,” October 18th). Human Rights Watch has documented more than a hundred credible allegations of tortu…Continue Reading
Pakistan: Filthy Business
WHAT on earth did Aasia Bibi do to merit the dubious distinction of becoming the first woman in Pakistan to be sentenced to death for blasphemy? Basically, she, a Christian, and a peasant to boot, had the gall to feel insulted.
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Russia: Vienna Trial Should Prompt Inquiry
(New York) - The Russian government should closely examine evidence gathered by the Austrian police relating to Chechnya’s leader, Human Rights Watch said today. The evidence suggests that the Kremlin-appointed leader of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, was…Continue Reading
Commission’s Kosovo Assessment Ignores Migration Abuses
With Brussels increasingly the most influential actor in Kosovo, the European Commission annual progress report is a key benchmark for its performance on human rights.
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Myanmar’s Suu Kyi, newly free, calls for talks
Myanmar democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, freed from seven years of house arrest, told thousands of wildly cheering supporters Sunday that she would continue to fight for human rights and the rule of law in the military-controlled nation. She called f…Continue Reading
Cheers as freed Myanmar democracy leader appears
Myanmar’s democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi, freed from seven years of house arrest, told thousands of wildly cheering supporters Sunday that she would continue to fight for human rights and the rule of law in the military-ruled nation.Continue Reading
Cluster Bomb Treaty: Nations Approve Bold Action Plan
(Vientiane) – Nations that have joined the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions approved a bold and comprehensive action plan
to eradicate cluster bombs as they concluded their first meeting. The Vientiane Declaration and Action Plan were agreed on
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Azerbaijan: Court Defies European Court Instruction to Free Journalist
(New York) – The Azerbaijan Supreme Court has refused to abide by a binding European Court of Human Rights judgment to release a wrongfully imprisoned, outspoken journalist, Human Rights Watch said today. The authorities used trumped up charges to cont…Continue Reading
Problems in China’s National Labor Laws
Author Kimiko K. Julie analyzes Chinese human rights issues through an in-depth studyContinue Reading
Burma: Chronology of Aung San Suu Kyi’s Detention
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Burma: Suu Kyi Release Spotlights Remaining Political Prisoners
(New York) – Democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s release should be the first step for Burma’s military government to free more than 2,100 political prisoners, Human Rights Watch said today. The government released Suu Kyi, a Nobel laureate, from house …Continue Reading
Foreign Secretary Invites Human Rights Centre Chair to Join Key Advisory Group
Professor Sir Nigel Rodley, chair of the Human Rights Centre at the University of Essex, has been invited to join the Advisory Group on Human Rightsis established by the Foreign Secretary William Hague.Continue Reading
The High Price of Journalism in Putin’s Russia
(Moscow) As a journalist for Russia’s leading independent newspaper, Novaya Gazeta, I have been lucky. For over a decade I’ve had the privilege to report extensively on dramatic current events in my country-including in Chechnya and other turbulent Nor…Continue Reading