Human Rights | WPN World People News

The Bangladeshi authorities should investigate attacks on secular writers, gay rights activists, and religious minorities, and identify and prosecute the perpetrators, but should immediately stop arbitrarily arresting people without proper evidence of a crime, Human Rights Watch said on June 17, following the arrest of several thousand people in recent days.

The Chinese authorities should immediately drop politically motivated cases and release Xia Lin, Zhou Shifeng, and other detained human rights lawyers, Human Rights Watch said on 16 June.

All but the smallest EU firms importing tin, tungsten, tantalum, gold and their ores will have to do "due diligence" checks on their suppliers, to stop this trade being used to help fund conflicts and human rights abuses, says a political understanding reached by MEPs, ministers and the EU Commission on Wednesday. Due diligence will also be mandatory for smelters and refiners. The EU Commission will press big manufacturers to disclose details of products that might contain conflict minerals.

Bahraini authorities said on June 14, 2016, that they intend to dissolve Al Wifaq, the country’s main opposition group. On June 13, Bahrain authorities detained Nabeel Rajab, a prominent human rights activist on charges that relate solely to his peaceful criticism of the authorities.

The recent release of documents related to the US Central Intelligence Agency’s detention and interrogation program provide excruciating new details about CIA torture, Human Rights Watch said. On June 16, 2016, Human Rights Watch sent a letter to President Barack Obama urging him to provide greater accountability for CIA abuses before the end of his term in office.

UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Michel Forst.

Yazidi refugees, including several children, go about their lives in Nawrouz refugee camp, approximately 40 kilometres from the Syrian border with Iraq.

Ethiopian security forces have killed more than 400 protesters and others, and arrested tens of thousands more during widespread protests in the Oromia region since November 2015. The Ethiopian government should urgently support a credible, independent investigation into the killings, arbitrary arrests, and other abuses.

Pakistan’s government should urgently investigate and prosecute those responsible for the recent jump in reported “honor” killings in the country, Human Rights Watch said on 14 June. The government needs to send a message of zero tolerance.

Child labour on family farms should be addressed in an appropriate and context-sensitive way that respects local values and family circumstances.