Human Rights

Justice and accountability ‘critical components’ for lasting peace in Libya – ICC Prosecutor

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Fatou Bensouda, Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), speaks to journalists after briefing the...

Egypt: Scores of Protesters Jailed Unjustly

Egyptian courts have sentenced more than 150 people to prison terms since the beginning of May 2016 for participating in peaceful protests or spreading false information. On May 24, an appeals court replaced the prison sentences for 47 who had started...

Iraq: Response to Protests Killed Four

Iraqi security forces fired bullets and teargas canisters at peaceful protesters in Baghdad’s Green Zone on May 20, 2016, killing four people and wounding more than 100. Iraqi authorities should investigate the use of lethal force against the...

Citing obstruction, UN torture prevention panel suspends Ukraine visit

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Chair of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture Malcolm Evans.

Indonesia: Child Tobacco Workers Suffer as Firms Profit

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A young girl ties tobacco leaves onto sticks to prepare them for curing in East Lombok, West...

Afghanistan: End ‘Moral Crimes’ Charges, ‘Virginity’ Tests

Afghanistan’s government should urgently act to end wrongful imprisonment and humiliating, scientifically invalid “virginity exams” of women and girls, Human Rights Watch said on 25 May. Despite a pledge from President Ashraf Ghani in a February 2016...

India: Stop Treating Critics As Criminals

The Indian authorities routinely use vaguely worded, overly broad laws as political tools to silence and harass critics, Human Rights Watch said in a new report released on 24 May. The government should repeal or amend laws that are used to...

Vietnam: Drop Charges Against Boat Returnees

Vietnamese authorities should immediately drop all charges related to unlawful departure against “boat people” returned from Australia, Human Rights Watch said on 24 May. Australia should immediately insist the cases be dropped, since Vietnam had...

Azerbaijan: Bank Chief Should Raise Rights Issues

The president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Sir Suma Chakrabarti, should raise human rights concerns when he visits Azerbaijan on May 24 and 25, 2016, Human Rights Watch said on 24 May. The Azerbaijani government’s crackdown...

China: Repression Expands Under ‘Stability Maintenance’ in Tibetan Areas

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479 cases of Tibetan detainees, by activity.