Human Rights

Nepal: Transitional Justice Bill Needs to Protect Victims, not Abusers

Proposed Law Disregards Domestic and International Legal Standards

A bill to amend Nepal’s transitional justice legislation does not fully meet the country’s domestic law or international legal obligations and will not provide justice for victims if adopted in its current form, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the International Commission of Jurists said on March 23, 2023.

Iran: possible crimes against humanity, absence of accountability - top rights expert

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An aerial view of Tehran, Iran's capital city.

Pakistan: Drop Overbroad Terrorism Charges

Government and Protesters Should De-Escalate, Respect Rights

The police in Pakistan have used abusive measures in the escalating confrontation between police and Imran Khan’s supporters, Human Rights Watch said on March 21, 2023.

Haiti/France: Journalist Sued for Exposing Sex Abuse in Haiti Soccer

FIFA Appeals Reversal of Its Lifetime Ban on Federation President

A French investigative journalist who exposed sexual abuse accusations against Yves Jean-Bart, the former Haiti football federation president, is facing a defamation lawsuit by Jean-Bart, Human Rights Watch said on March 21, 2023.

Kyrgyzstan: Free the 22 ‘Kempir-Abad’ Protest Detainees

Protesters’ Due Process Rights Violated; Ensure Effective Investigation

Twenty-two civil activists, bloggers, journalists, and politicians who disagreed with the government over a border issue and are currently in pretrial facilities in Kyrgyzstan should be immediately released and their due process rights upheld, Human Rights Watch said on March 20, 2023.

South Sudan: Violence against civilians ticks up despite fall in attacks overall

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Waves of fighting have displaced families in the Upper Nile State in South Sudan.

Saudi Arabia: Jordanian Executed After Unfair Trial

Court Ignored Allegation He Confessed to Drug Charge Under Torture

Saudi authorities executed Hussein Abu al-Khair, a Jordanian citizen, on March 12, 2023, after his conviction for a nonviolent drug crime, Human Rights Watch said on March 17, 2023. The judge ignored his allegations that he had confessed only after days of torture and ill-treatment.

More than two years on, impact of Myanmar military coup ‘devastating’

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A woman holds her six-month-old son in front of their small makeshift home in Yangon, Myanmar.

Mozambique: Police Teargas Rapper’s Funeral Procession

Investigate Alleged Excessive Use of Force

Mozambican authorities should promptly and impartially investigate the police use of teargas on the funeral procession of a famous rap star on March 14, 2023, in Maputo, Human Rights Watch said on March 16, 2023. Edson da Luz, known as “Azagaia,” who died on March 9 from complications of a sudden illness, was known for his criticism of the government. Azagaia’s death was marked across Portuguese-speaking countries, with vigils in Angola, Mozambique, and Portugal.

Egypt: End Stranglehold on Nongovernmental Groups

Abolish Registration Deadline Until Law is Amended

The Egyptian government should abolish the April 11, 2023 registration deadline for the country’s draconian 2019 associations law until the law is amended to ensure that nongovernmental organizations can operate freely without intrusive government interference or harassment, Human Rights Watch said on March 16, 2023.