Human Rights | WPN World People News

United Nations member states and UN agencies attending the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul on May 23-24, 2016, should press the Turkish authorities to reopen Turkey’s border to Syrian asylum seekers, Human Rights Watch said today. Partners should make clear that any border guards who shoot at or beat asylum seekers should be held accountable.

Thousands of United States service members who lost their military careers after reporting a sexual assault live with stigmatizing discharge papers that prevent them from getting jobs and benefits, Human Rights Watch said in a report released on May 19. The report is the result of a 28-month investigation by Human Rights Watch, with the support of Protect Our Defenders, a human rights organization that supports and advocates for survivors of military sexual assault. Under pressure from the public and Congress, the US military has in recent years implemented some protection for service members who report sexual assault, but nothing has been done to redress the wrongs done to those who were unfairly discharged.

The Organization of American States should press President Nicolás Maduro to revoke an emergency decree that would limit the ability of the opposition-led National Assembly and Venezuelan nongovernmental organizations to challenge abuses of power by the government, Human Rights Watch said on May 19. By declaring a “state of exception,” on May 13, 2016, President Maduro has granted himself the power to restrict rights guaranteed in the Venezuelan Constitution. The 60-day emergency decree also allows the president to block the National Assembly from using its constitutional powers to sanction government officials, and authorizes the Foreign Ministry to suspend international funding to nongovernmental organizations.

Thai authorities should promptly and impartially investigate the alleged torture of a suspect in the deadly bomb attack in Bangkok’s commercial district in August 2015, Human Rights Watch said on 19 May. Adem Karadag (also known as Bilal Mohammed) is one of two ethnic Uighur Muslims from China’s Xinjiang province accused of involvement in a bombing at Erawan Shrine in Bangkok on August 17, 2015 that killed 20 people and wounded at least 120 others.

Russia’s Investigative Committee has interrogated a human rights activist for allegedly failing to comply with the “foreign agents” law, Human Rights Watch said on 18 May. If an investigation is opened against the activist, Valentina Cherevatenko, it would be the first criminal case opened under the 2012 law. The authorities should immediately stop harassing Cherevatenko for her work.

The extremist armed group Islamic State, also known as ISIS, has unlawfully executed at least 49 people in its Libyan stronghold of Sirte since February 2015, Human Rights Watch said in a report released on 18 May. Those killed, by means such as decapitating and shooting, include captive fighters, political opponents, and people ISIS accused of “spying,” “sorcery,” and “insulting God.”

Vietnam’s government should immediately stop all harassment, intimidation, and persecution of environmental activists, said Human Rights Watch on 18 May. The government should respect their right to peaceful protest and release anyone still wrongfully held.

Hong Kong officials should challenge the chairman of China’s top legislative body to make concrete commitments to respect Hong Kong’s autonomy on human rights and democratic rule, Human Rights Watch said on 17 May. Zhang Dejiang, who chairs the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, will meet with Hong Kong Chief Executive C.Y. Leung and other senior officials during his visit to Hong Kong from May 17-19, 2016.

The United States and Russia should act on their recent commitment to investigate attacks with significant civilian casualties in Syria. In particular, they should open investigations in the May 5, 2016 airstrike on a camp for displaced people and killings of civilians by armed groups as they took a majority-Alawite village on May 12.

Jordan should facilitate travel for Palestinians seeking to travel from Gaza to third countries, Human Rights Watch said in a letter released to Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour on May 16. A recent apparent tightening of criteria for transit has blocked access to professional and educational opportunities abroad, including for Gaza’s young people struggling with the effects of an Israeli-imposed closure.