(New York) - The suicide car bombing that destroyed the Baghdad bureau of Al Arabiya News Channel and killed at least six people on July 26, 2010, was an assault on the fundamental principles of freedom of expression and respect for life, 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) - 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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(New York) - Kuwait should stop prosecuting Mohammad al-Jasim, a journalist and blogger, for criticizing public officials, Human Rights Watch said today. Kuwait's prosecution office should also lift its ban on media coverage of his case.
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(New York) - The Moroccan authorities should stop the apparently politically motivated harassment of two outspoken journalists, Ali Amar and Zineb El Rhazoui, Human Rights Watch said today.
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(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) - President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was in New York this week to attend a UN non-proliferation conference, prompting a fresh round of worrying speculation over the possibility of a nuclear-armed Iran.
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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) - 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...
(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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In
Sudan,
Darfur,
International Justice,
War Crimes/Crimes Against Humanity,
International Criminal Court,
peace and justice,
Africa,
Media,
Free Expression,
Press Release,
press freedom
(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) - Philippine authorities should act swiftly to protect eyewitnesses to the November 2009 massacre of at least 57 people in Maguindanao province on Mindanao, and to protect their families as well, 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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(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) - The Chávez administration should not abuse its authority to compel broadcast of presidential speeches that promote the government's political agenda, Human Rights Watch said today.
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(Dubai) - Governments in the Middle East were responsible for serious human rights violations over the past year, including harassment and attacks against human rights defenders and organizations that document abuse, Human Rights Watch said today.
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In
United Arab Emirates,
Bahrain,
Immigration and the Treatment of Non-Citizens,
LGBT Rights,
labor,
torture,
Counterterrorism,
Detention without Trial,
Iran,
Criminal Justice,
Free Expression,
Press Release,
Iraq,
press freedom,
Middle East/N. Africa
(Washington, DC) - Governments responsible for serious human rights violations have over the past year intensified attacks against human rights defenders and organizations that document abuse, Human Rights Watch said today in issuing its World Report 2010.
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In
Trade,
United States,
Terrorism,
Health,
Business,
refugees,
international humanitarian law,
sexual violence,
Children's Rights,
Europe/Central Asia,
Guantanamo,
Guantanamo - Military Commissions,
Women's Rights,
Police Brutality,
Diplomatic Assurances,
Extractive Industries,
CIA Activities,
Drug Policy and Human Rights,
Prisons,
Women’s Status in the Family and Legal Status,
Women and Security,
Americas,
Prison and Jail Conditions,
Asia,
ESC Rights,
International Justice,
War Crimes/Crimes Against Humanity,
International Criminal Court,
labor,
Freedom of Association,
torture,
Counterterrorism,
Detention without Trial,
Africa,
Media,
Human Rights Defenders,
Criminal Justice,
Racism and Discrimination,
Free Expression,
Press Release,
press freedom,
Middle East/N. Africa
(New York) - Tunisian authorities should quash the convictions on the journalists Taoufik Ben Brik and Zouhair Makhlouf after unfair trials and immediately set them free, Human Rights Watch said today. The government should also investigate an attack on another journalist, Slim Boukhdir, and halt the harassment of journalists, Human Rights Watch said.
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(Washington, DC) - The Ecuadorian National Assembly should amend proposed legislation to regulate communications, Human Rights Watch said today. The current draft includes provisions that could restrict free expression instead of safeguarding it, Human Right Watch said.
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(Washington, DC) - The proposal by Porfirio Lobo, winner of Honduras' disputed presidential election on November 29, 2009, for an "amnesty for all" of those involved in the June coup d'état violates the country's international obligations and undermines the rule of law, Human Rights Watch said today.
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(New York) - Foreign ministers gathering for the annual Ministerial Council of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Athens on December 1 and 2 should use the meeting to urge Kazakhstan to address pressing human rights concerns before it takes over the chairmanship of the organization in January, Human Rights Watch said today.
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(Washington, DC) - Raúl Castro's government has locked up scores of people for exercising their fundamental freedoms and allowed scores more political prisoners arrested during Fidel Castro's rule to languish in detention, Human Rights Watch says in a report released today.
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(Washington, DC) – Cuban authorities should cease all attacks on human rights defenders, journalists, bloggers and civic activists, Human Rights Watch said today. The international community should condemn attacks on those who peacefully exercise their basic rights to freedom of expression, opinion, and assembly in the strongest terms.
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(Washington, DC) - The restoration of constitutional order in Honduras should be accompanied by the immediate repeal of repressive decrees issued by the de facto government, and a full investigation of abuses committed in the aftermath of the coup, Human Rights Watch said today.
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(New York) - The Libyan government should investigate allegations of sexual harassment in a state-run residence for women who had been orphaned instead of charging the journalist who reported the story with criminal defamation, Human Rights Watch said today.
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(San'a) - The swift action today by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia to overturn a sentence of 60 lashes against a Saudi television producer sent an important message to the country's courts, Human Rights Watch said today.
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(New York) - Human Rights Watch announced today that 37 writers from 19 countries have received the prestigious Hellman/Hammett award in recognition of their commitment to free expression and their courage in the face of political persecution.
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In
Global,
freedom of expression,
Vietnam,
China and Tibet,
writers,
detention,
journalists,
censorship,
arrests,
free press,
Hammett,
Hellman,
Asia,
Media,
Iran,
Human Rights Defenders,
Free Expression,
Press Release,
press freedom,
Middle East/N. Africa