Turkey: Journalists, Writers Face Terrorism, Separatism Charges
The prosecution of writers and journalists charged with terrorism and separatism for their association with a newspaper raises serious concerns for freedom of expression in Turkey, Human Rights Watch said on Dec 28. The first trial hearing begins on...
UAE: Free Jordanian Journalist
UAE authorities have detained a Jordanian journalist without trial or access to a lawyer for over a year, Human Rights Watch said on Dec 28. Tayseer al-Najjar was apparently detained over three Facebook posts in which he criticized Egypt, Israel, and...
Iraq: ISIS Executed Civilians in Village Uprising
The Islamic State, also known as ISIS, summarily executed at least 13 people including two boys following a village uprising in October 2016, Human Rights Watch said on Dec 27. The executions, which are war crimes, took place in the neighboring...
South Sudan: Arms embargo, sanctions fail at UN Security Council
The United Nations Security Council’s failure to approve a 23 December, 2016, resolution that would have imposed an arms embargo on South Sudan and placed a travel ban and asset freeze on three senior South Sudanese leaders was deeply disappointing,...
European Union Funding Helps World Food Programme Save Lives In South Sudan
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) says that during 2016, funding from the European Commission Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department (ECHO) has been critical to WFP’s support for hundreds of thousands of people affected by...
Libya: Provide Medical Care, Safety for Civilians Fleeing Sirte
Libyan authorities should ensure the safety of and urgently provide medical care for more than 120 women and children being held in a Misrata prison after recently fleeing fighting in Sirte, Human Rights Watch said on December 24. The authorities...
Egypt: Mass Attack on Prisoners
Egyptian Interior Ministry security forces stormed into prison cells attacking and injuring hundreds of political prisoners at Borg al-Arab Prison in Alexandria during the week of November 13, 2016, Human Rights Watch said today. The attacks came...
BANGLADESH: Mahmudur Rahman should be allowed to travel for medical treatment
Bangladesh’s Supreme Court has so far refused to grant journalist Mahmudur Rahman, recently released from 1,322 days in arbitrary detention, the right to travel abroad for urgent surgery, despite the serious risk of irreversible neurological damage he...
South Sudan: Arms Embargo, Sanctions Fail At UN Security Council
The United Nations Security Council’s failure to approve a December 23, 2016, resolution that would have imposed an arms embargo on South Sudan and placed a travel ban and asset freeze on three senior South Sudanese leaders was deeply disappointing,...
Bangladesh: Gender Recognition Process Spurs Abuse
Bangladesh’s steps in recent years to recognize hijras as a third legal gender are leading to further abuses due to widespread prejudice and lack of clear rights-based procedures, Human Rights Watch said in a report released on Dec 23. In recent years...
