Human Rights | WPN World People News

Police arrested and severely beat the de facto leader of ongoing social protests in Morocco’s Rif region, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International said on Jun 22, based on an account the protest leader gave his lawyer. Authorities are investigating Nasser Zefzafi, the protest leader, on grave charges, including one that carries the death penalty and some that appear political in nature.

Newly appointed Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman should use his authority to end longstanding abuses against Saudi dissidents and rights activists and to make a public commitment for rights reforms, Human Rights Watch said on Jun 22. The succession move follows a royal decree issued on June 17, 2017, that removed the country’s notorious prosecution service from the Interior Ministry and turned it into an independent agency.

A young boy stands next to a fence surrounding the football pitch at Al-Shuhadaa Stadium in the city of Iskandariya, Babil Governorate, Iraq.

Students across the Philippines experience bullying and discrimination in school because of their sexual orientation and gender identity, Human Rights Watch said in a report released on Jun 21. While Philippine law provides protections against discrimination and exclusion in schools, lawmakers and school administrators need to take steps to ensure they are fully implemented.

Staff from the Humanitarian Support Center for Women (CHAME, in Portuguese) listen to a woman in Boa Vista, Roraima, on February 17, 2017. CHAME provides legal, psychological, and social support to survivors of domestic violence.

Mexican authorities should ensure a prompt, thorough, and credible investigation into evidence that advanced spyware sold to the government targeted human rights defenders, journalists, and anti-corruption activists, Human Rights Watch said on Jun 20. The government should hold accountable anyone found responsible for using the spyware against activists and journalists.

New York State has taken an important step toward ending child marriage, as Governor Andrew Cuomo on June 20, 2017 signed legislation to dramatically reduce the circumstances under which children can marry, Human Rights Watch said on Jun 20, 2017. Between 2001 to 2010, 3,850 children under 18 married in New York State.

An aerial view of the town of Kananga in DRC’s Kasaï-Central province outside which the remains of the two experts were found.

The EU is particularly vulnerable to human trafficking as it is an attractive destination for victims from a wide range of countries. While fighting human trafficking remains the Member States’ responsibility, the EU is also committed to eradicating it and supports the Member States in this regard.

The Chinese term shehui zhili is normally translated into English as "social governance." The term highlights the government’s role in providing services and welfare to citizens as well as controlling them, and its cooperation with other stakeholders in society such as nongovernmental organizations and social organizations.