Human Rights

Israel/Palestine: Rights Workers Denied Gaza Access

Israeli Restrictions Cast Doubt on its Investigation Claims

The Israeli military authorities are blocking access to and from the Gaza Strip for human rights workers who document abuses and advocate to end them, Human Rights Watch said in a report released on Apr 02. The travel restrictions call into question the Israeli military authorities’ claim to rely on human rights organizations as an important source of information for their criminal investigations into potential serious crimes committed during the 2014 Gaza war.

Sisi-Trump Meeting Shows Mutual Contempt for Rights

Visit Comes at Nadir for Basic Freedoms in Egypt

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s scheduled meeting with United States President Donald Trump on April 3, 2017, comes at a time when human rights are at a nadir in Egypt and under threat in the US, Human Rights Watch said on Apr 02.

Thailand: Drop Suspension on TV Station for Criticizing Army

Junta Should Accept UN Call to End Restrictions on Media and Free Expression

The Thailand media regulator’s decision to suspend a television station’s broadcasts for seven days is blatant censorship that further undermines media freedoms and reinforces military dictatorship, Human Rights Watch said on Mar 30.

China: 3 Activists Convicted on Bogus Charges

Long Sentences Spotlight Unrelenting Persecution of Critics

Chinese courts in Guangdong and Sichuan provinces on March 31, 2017, convicted three activists on politically motivated charges that the authorities should quash, Human Rights Watch said on Mar 31.

Iraq/Kurdistan Region of Iraq: Troops Shot at Protesters

1 Dead, at Least 7 Wounded

Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) armed forces fired rubber and live bullets and teargas canisters at protesters in Sinjar on March 14, 2017, killing one person and wounding at least seven, Human Rights Watch said on Mar 30. KRG authorities should investigate the use of lethal force against the protesters.

China: Major Tibetan Buddhist Institution Faces Further Demolitions

Halt ‘Re-education,’ Humiliation of Monks, Nuns

Chinese authorities should halt the expulsion and political re-education of monks and nuns from a major Tibetan religious institution, Human Rights Watch said on Mar 29. According to a statement by an abbot of the institution, Chinese officials announced on March 12, 2017, that 3,225 homes at Larung Gar, the world’s largest Tibetan Buddhist institution, would be torn down by April 30.

Jordan: Arrest Sudan’s Bashir

ICC Members Should Not Allow Fugitives on Their Territories

Jordan should deny entry to Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir or arrest him if he enters the country, Human Rights Watch said on Mar 28. Al-Bashir has been invited to visit Jordan on March 29, 2017, to attend the 28th summit of the Arab League, news reports say.

Cambodia: No Justice for Grenade Victims 20 Years On

FBI Should Reopen Inquiry; Donors Should Demand Accountability

The Cambodian government has shielded and promoted those implicated in the deadly grenade attack on an opposition party rally 20 years ago that left at least 16 people dead and more than 150 injured, Human Rights Watch said on Mar 28. The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which became involved because an American citizen, Ron Abney, was severely injured, should complete its long-stalled investigation into the March 30, 1997 attack against the opposition leader Sam Rainsy.

Mosul: UN rights chief urges civilian protection as sniper fire, airstrikes kill dozens

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A family climbs out of their destroyed home to flee minutes after an ISIS suicide car bomber detonated his vehicle on the street outside their home in the Al Andalus neighbourhood of Mosul, Iraq.

EU: Ensure Aid Reaches Refugees with Disabilities

Improve Monitoring of Refugee Assistance Funds

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Lagkadika camp, Thessaloniki, home to 234 asylum seekers and other migrants, as of January 5, 2017. The rocky terrain in many camps makes it difficult for people who use wheelchairs to move independently, including to access basic services such as toilets or showers.