(New York) - A Moroccan appeals court has confirmed the conviction of 35 defendants, including six political figures, in the so-called "Belliraj" terrorism case, apparently without addressing the procedural irregularities that denied the defendants their right to a fair hearing in the lower court, Human Rights Watch said today.
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(New York) - President Bashar al-Asad has not delivered on his promises to increase public freedoms and improve his government's human rights record during a decade in power, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today on the eve of the anniversary of his accession to power.
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(New York) - Prosecutors should immediately drop charges against Shaikh Mikhlif bin Dahham al-Shammari, a human rights activist, and release him, Human Rights Watch said today.
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(Washington, DC) - The plan to release a group of Cuban political prisoners is a positive step, but the Cuban government should release all political prisoners, Human Rights Watch said today. Cuba should also dismantle its authoritarian laws and practices, which continue to deprive Cubans of their most basic rights, Human Rights Watch said.
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Americas,
Cuba,
Prison and Jail Conditions,
Prisons,
Castro,
CCDHRN,
dissidents,
Guillermo Farinas,
political prisoneers,
Press Release,
Free Expression,
Human Rights Defenders
(Beirut) - The Lebanese government should immediately drop criminal charges against three men for posting comments critical of President Michel Suleiman on Facebook, Human Rights Watch said today.
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(Washington, D.C.) - Tunisia should stop insisting that former political prisoners sign-in regularly with the police, an onerous obligation that has no clear basis in Tunisian law, Human Rights Watch said today. Some prisoners are made to sign-in daily at specific times and often made to wait, making it difficult to resume their daily lives and find work.
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(New York) - A Kuwaiti judge ordered the release on bail on June 28, 2010, of the journalist and blogger Mohammad al-Jasim, Human Rights Watch said today. Al-Jasim, a well known government critic, faces criminal charges under Kuwait's state security law based on his blog postings and books critical of Kuwait's government, including members of the ruling family.
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(New York) - The Iranian judiciary should immediately halt plans to execute Zainab Jalalian and other Kurdish dissidents, Human Rights Watch said today. Jalalian is one of 17 such dissidents currently on death row in Iranian prisons.
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(New York) - Insecurity and political repression are increasing in advance of Rwanda's August 2010 presidential elections, Human Rights Watch warned today. In the last two days, an independent journalist has been killed, the leader of an opposition party has been detained by the police, and other opposition party members have been arrested.
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(Washington, DC) – The Supreme Court ruling on June 21, 2010, that organizations can be prosecuted under the material support for terrorism law for providing assistance to terrorist groups is a blow to humanitarian and human rights groups around the world, Human Rights Watch said today.
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(New York) - The Angolan government should drop politically motivated criminal charges against three prominent rights advocates who go on trial on June 23, 2010, in Cabinda, Angola's oil-rich province, Human Rights Watch said today.
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(New York) - Syrian authorities should immediately drop any new charges against the political activist Ali al-`Abdallah for his peaceful political expression and immediately release him, Human Rights Watch said today.
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(Geneva) – Kuwait should accept recommendations on protecting the rights of migrant domestic workers and stateless persons made today by United Nations member countries, Human Rights Watch said. The UN Human Rights Council examined Kuwait’s human rights record as part of the council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of each nation.
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Women & Girls,
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Migrants, Forced Labor,
2010,
Kuwait,
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Middle East/N. Africa,
Free Expression
(New York) – The Egyptian government’s announced modifications of the emergency law in place for almost three decades do not make renewal of the state of emergency any more acceptable, Human Rights Watch said today.
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(New York) – The Egyptian government’s renewal of the emergency law today for two more years breaches again its 2005 promise to end the state of emergency and repeal the law, Human Rights Watch said.
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(Johannesburg) - Zimbabwe's power-sharing government has not carried out critical media reforms as promised under the country's September 2008 Global Political Agreement, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today.read...
(New York, April 10, 2010) – Kuwait’s State Security forces should stop arresting and deporting expatriate supporters of Egyptian opposition candidate Dr. Mohammad al-Baradei, Human Rights Watch said today. Kuwait should immediately release all remaining Egyptian detainees and allow those deported to return to their homes in Kuwait.
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(New York) - Syrian authorities should conduct an independent investigation into the shootings by security forces on March 21, 2010, that left at least one person dead and others wounded at a Kurdish New Year celebration in Northern Syria, Human Rights Watch said today.
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(New York) - Iran's state-owned media, judiciary, and security forces have opened a coordinated attack on human rights groups in recent weeks under the guise of defending the nation against "cyber warfare," Human Rights Watch said today.
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(Nairobi) - The Ethiopian government is waging a coordinated and sustained attack on political opponents, journalists, and rights activists ahead of the May 2010 elections, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today.read...
(New York) - Saudi Arabia's domestic intelligence service should immediately release Munir Jassas, an advocate for Shia rights, who has been detained without charge for over five months, Human Rights Watch said today.
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(Johannesburg) - Political repression and other rights violations ahead of the April general elections in Sudan threaten prospects for a free, fair, and credible vote, Human Rights Watch said today.
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Sudan,
Darfur,
International Justice,
War Crimes/Crimes Against Humanity,
International Criminal Court,
peace and justice,
Africa,
Media,
press freedom,
Press Release,
Free Expression
(New York) – Catherine Ashton, the EU foreign relations chief, should raise human rights concerns with Syrian officials during her visit next week and seek specific commitments to improve their record, Human Rights Watch said today.
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(New York) - The Iranian Judiciary should immediately release six women arrested in January and early February 2010, apparently in connection with their peaceful activities on behalf of the Mourning Mothers, Human Rights Watch said today.
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(New York) - Libyan authorities should immediately release Jamal al-Haji, who was arrested after he submitted a complaint to the government about human rights violations, Human Rights Watch said today.
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(Washington, DC) - Political parties and candidates in Iraq's parliamentary elections on March 7, 2010, should promise to uphold human rights, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today.
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(New York) - The Egyptian authorities should drop all charges against Ahmad Mostafa, a 20-year-old engineering student charged with writing about corruption in the military academy on his blog, Human Rights Watch said today. Security officials are prosecuting Mostafa before a military court in a trial that began March 1, 2010.
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(Washington, DC) - Morocco should immediately release an elderly retired major-colonel serving a 12-year prison term on dubious charges of divulging a "national defense secret," Human Rights Watch said today in a letter to King Mohammed VI.
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(New York) - The Iranian government should immediately stop harassing and arbitrarily detaining members of the Baha'i community, Human Rights Watch said today.
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