Saudi Arabia: Sustained Assault on Free Expression
Saudi courts are sentencing prominent reform advocates, activists, and writers to lengthy jail terms – and even death – on vague charges related to the peaceful exercise of free expression.
Uganda: Intimidation of Media, Civic Groups
Ugandan government and ruling party officials are intimidating and threatening journalists and activists in an effort to limit criticism of the government, Human Rights Watch said in a report released on January 10, 2016. Uganda will hold presidential...
U.S. EPA Proposal Would Weaken Civil Rights Protections
Environmental and community groups from five states that sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in July over the agency’s failure to take action on civil rights complaints are calling for the agency to significantly strengthen a rule it...
Yemen: Arbitrarily Held by the Houthis
Houthi authorities in Yemen have arbitrarily detained and forcibly disappeared dozens of people in the capital, Sanaa. The Houthi authorities should safeguard the rights of everyone in detention, immediately release all those held arbitrarily, and...
Yemen: Arbitrarily Held by the Houthis
Houthi authorities in Yemen have arbitrarily detained and forcibly disappeared dozens of people in the capital, Sanaa. The Houthi authorities should safeguard the rights of everyone in detention, immediately release all those held arbitrarily, and...
Armenia: Opposition Activist Jailed
Armenian authorities should release a political activist who was arrested during a public gathering on January 1, 2016, and placed in pretrial detention, pending an impartial investigation into the charges against him, Human Rights Watch said on...
Arrest of Respected Politician Escalating Crisis in Ethiopia
Over the past eight weeks, Ethiopia’s largest region, Oromia, has been hit by a wave of mass protests over the expansion of the municipal boundary of the capital, Addis Ababa. The generally peaceful protests were sparked by fears the expansion will...
Yemen: Coalition Drops Cluster Bombs in Capital
Saudi Arabia-led coalition forces airdropped cluster bombs on residential neighborhoods in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, early on January 6, 2016. It is not yet clear whether the attacks caused civilian casualties, but the inherently indiscriminate nature...
Thailand: New Whitewash of 2010 Political Violence
Relatives of the 2010 violence victims stage a protest against the dismissal of malfeasance...
China: Free 38 Detained Lawyers, Activists
The Chinese authorities should release the 38 lawyers and activists associated with the Beijing Fengrui Law Firm who have been arbitrarily detained since July 2015, Human Rights Watch said on January 6, 2016. Many are held under the criminal procedure...
