Development Blogs.com


Egypt: Investigate Beating of ‘Facebook’ Activist via Human Rights Watch News Releases May 10th, 2008 at 06:00

Authorities Use Intimidation, Violence to Suppress Online Advocacy Egyptian authorities should immediately investigate and prosecute those security officials responsible for beating Ahmed Maher Ibrahim, Human Rights Watch said today. Maher, a 27-year-old civil engineer, used the social-networking site Facebook to support calls for a general strike on May 4, 2008, President Hosni Mubarak’s 80th birthday....

Burma: China Should Push to Get Aid in via Human Rights Watch News Releases May 10th, 2008 at 06:00

India, ASEAN Also Need to Push Generals to Accept International Help China, India, Thailand and other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) should work to convince Burma’s government to lift restrictions on international assistance so aid can reach survivors of Cyclone Nargis, Human Rights Watch said today....

UK: Missed Chance to Charge Sri Lankan Rights Abuser via Human Rights Watch News Releases May 9th, 2008 at 06:00

Karuna Case Could Have Been Landmark for International Justice The British government’s failure to file criminal charges against a former Tamil Tiger leader for grave human rights abuses in Sri Lanka is a tragic missed opportunity to bring a notorious rights abuser to justice, Human Rights Watch said today....

Saudi Arabia: Medical Workers Stranded Without Pay via Human Rights Watch News Releases May 9th, 2008 at 06:00

Labor Court Fails 55 South Asian Professionals, Prevents Them From Leaving Saudi Arabia’s Labor Court should act immediately to address workers’ complaints against the Nukhba House of Medical Services company, including unpaid wages and restrictions on returning home, Human Rights Watch said today....

Germany: Press for Human Rights Reform in Russia via Human Rights Watch News Releases May 8th, 2008 at 06:00

Germany’s Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier should press Russia to immediately end impunity for human rights violations in Chechnya and cease harassment of and restrictions on civil society in Russia, Human Rights Watch said today. Steinmeier will travel to Russia on May 12 to meet with government and nongovernmental organization representatives....

Burma: Postpone Referendum to Save Lives via Human Rights Watch News Releases May 8th, 2008 at 06:00

Let International Aid in for Cyclone Survivors The Burmese government should postpone the constitutional referendum scheduled for May 10, 2008 and focus on relieving the horrendous human suffering from Cyclone Nargis, Human Rights Watch said today. Human Rights Watch urged the Burmese government to stop blocking aid efforts and lift restrictions on international aid agencies so they can respond immediately to help survivors....

Morocco: Investigate Migrant Deaths at Sea via Human Rights Watch News Releases May 9th, 2008 at 06:00

Navy Sailors Accused of Deliberately Sinking Boat The Moroccan government should immediately investigate allegations that its naval forces sank a boat in the Mediterranean in which at least 28 migrants drowned, Human Rights Watch said today....

Vietnam: Religious Freedom Denied via Human Rights Watch News Releases May 8th, 2008 at 06:00

Buddhists Remain Behind Bars While Vietnam Hosts UN Buddhist Celebration As Vietnam prepares to host the United Nations Day of Visak next week, one of the most sacred days for Buddhists, the government should cease the persecution, harassment and imprisonment of Buddhists and other independent religious groups, Human Rights Watch said today. More than 400 people remain behind bars in Vietnam for their peaceful religious or political activities....

Jordan: Prison Burning Deaths Need Independent Investigation via Human Rights Watch News Releases May 8th, 2008 at 06:00

Police Investigation Ignores Evidence, Intimidates Witnesses King Abdullah should order an independent investigation into the events surrounding the deaths on April 14 of three prisoners at al-Muwaqqar prison east of Amman, Human Rights Watch said today. Despite ample evidence of misconduct, and potentially criminal acts by prison officials, police authorities told Human Rights Watch that their investigation into the incident will vindicate the prison officials, setting out that they acted correctly....

Morocco: Sham Inquiry Highlights Impunity for Police Abuse via Human Rights Watch News Releases May 8th, 2008 at 06:00

Prosecutor Prematurely Closes Investigation Without Hearing All Testimony Citing “lack of evidence,” Moroccan authorities closed an investigation into police abuse allegations made by two human rights defenders whose testimony the prosecutor refused to solicit, Human Rights Watch said today....

Zimbabwe: Lawyer’s Arrest Raises Fear of Broader Crackdown via Human Rights Watch News Releases May 7th, 2008 at 06:00

The Zimbabwe government’s politically motivated arrest of prominent human rights lawyer Harrison Nkomo raises fears of a broader crackdown on government critics, Human Rights Watch said today....

UN: Reject Sri Lanka’s Bid for Human Rights Council via Human Rights Watch News Releases May 6th, 2008 at 06:00

Don’t Reward Failed Promises to Improve Rights Sri Lanka’s worsening human rights record and failed promises for improvement undermine its claim for a place on the UN Human Rights Council, a coalition of more than 20 national and international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) said in a letter released today....

US: ‘Drug War’ Unjust to African Americans via Human Rights Watch News Releases May 5th, 2008 at 06:00

Two National Reports Detail Racial Disparity in Arrests and Imprisonment Ostensibly color-blind, the US “war on drugs” disproportionately targets urban minority neighborhoods, Human Rights Watch and The Sentencing Project said in two reports released today. Although whites commit more drug offenses, African Americans are arrested and imprisoned on drug charges at much higher rates, the reports find....

US: ‘Drug War’ Unjust to African Americans via Human Rights Watch News Releases May 5th, 2008 at 06:00

Two National Reports Detail Racial Disparity in Arrests and Imprisonment In a 67-page report, “Targeting Blacks: Drug Law Enforcement and Race in the United States,” Human Rights Watch documents with detailed new statistics persistent racial disparities among drug offenders sent to prison in 34 states. All of these states send black drug offenders to prison at much higher rates than whites. Although whites commit more drug offenses, African Americans are arrested and imprisoned on drug charges at much higher rates, the report finds....

Kosovo/Albania: Investigate Postwar Abductions, Transfers to Albania via Human Rights Watch News Releases May 5th, 2008 at 06:00

Official Dismissals Premature Additional information has emerged that bolsters allegations of abductions and cross-border transfers from Kosovo to Albania after the 1998-1999 Kosovo war, Human Rights Watch said today. The Kosovar and Albanian governments should open independent and transparent investigations to help resolve the fate of approximately 400 Serbs who went missing after the war....

Zimbabwe: Runoff Vote Not Credible Amid Violence and Torture via Human Rights Watch News Releases May 2nd, 2008 at 06:00

Presidential runoff elections in Zimbabwe cannot be credible unless conditions are met for free and fair elections, Human Rights Watch said today....

Israel: Independent Probe Needed in Gaza Killings via Human Rights Watch News Releases May 2nd, 2008 at 06:00

Military-Only Investigations Into Civilian Deaths Inadequate The Israeli government should go beyond a military “field investigation” and conduct an impartial and thorough probe into the tank shelling that killed a Reuters cameraman and three other civilians in Gaza on April 16, Human Rights Watch said today....

UN: Tackle Wrongdoing by Peacekeepers via Human Rights Watch News Releases May 2nd, 2008 at 06:00

Investigation Division Ignores Gold Smuggling and Arms Trading in Congo United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon should urgently address the failings of the investigating arm of the United Nations and ensure that UN peacekeepers responsible for abuses are held to account, Human Rights Watch said today....

Burma: Referendum Is a Sham via Human Rights Watch News Releases May 1st, 2008 at 06:00

Governments Should not Endorse Vote on New Constitution Burma’s May 10 referendum on a new constitution is a sham process aimed at entrenching the military, Human Rights Watch said in a new report released today....

Japan: Press China’s President to Protect Human Rights via Human Rights Watch News Releases April 30th, 2008 at 06:00

Prime Minister Fukuda Should Highlight Rights Issues in Bilateral Relations Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda should make human rights issues a priority in his historic meeting with Chinese President Hu Jintao in Japan next week, Human Rights Watch said in a letter today....

Nepal: Cancel Deadly Force Orders for Mt. Everest Torch Protests via Human Rights Watch News Releases April 30th, 2008 at 06:00

Nepal’s government should rescind orders authorizing security forces to use lethal force to suppress protests associated with the Olympic torch’s relay up Mount Everest, Human Rights Watch said in a letter to Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala today. The torch is scheduled to be carried to the Mount Everest summit on the Chinese side of the border in early May....

Burundi: Government Should Act to End Police Abuses via Human Rights Watch News Releases April 30th, 2008 at 06:00

Climate of Impunity Contributes to Illegal Detention, Beatings and Torture The Burundian government should take immediate steps to end the climate of impunity that facilitates illegal detention, mistreatment and torture of individuals by the police, Human Rights Watch said in a new report released today....

Lebanon: Protect Domestic Workers From Abuse, Exploitation via Human Rights Watch News Releases April 30th, 2008 at 06:00

Labor Day Campaign Challenges Employers to ‘Put Yourself in Her Shoes’ Lebanese employers, placement agencies, and the Lebanese authorities should improve the treatment of domestic workers by ensuring fair contracts, timely payment of wages, and a weekly day’s leave, Human Rights Watch said today, on the eve of Labor Day. Human Rights Watch is launching a campaign to highlight the often invisible abuses that many women who are domestic workers suffer in Lebanon....

China: Tibetan Protesters Denied Fair Trial via Human Rights Watch News Releases April 30th, 2008 at 06:00

Sentenced in Secret After Party Urges ‘Quick Hearings’ The trials of 30 Tibetans accused of participating in violent protests on March 14 in Lhasa were not open and public, as claimed by the Chinese government, and did not meet minimum international standards of due process, Human Rights Watch said today....

India: Fair Trial Doubtful for Honored Rights Advocate via Human Rights Watch News Releases April 29th, 2008 at 06:00

Chhattisgarh Government Should Not Use Naxalite Issue to Silence Critics Criminal charges against award-winning human rights defender Dr. Binayak Sen raise serous concerns that he will not get a fair trial in Raipur district court in Chhattisgarh state when hearings begin on April 30, Human Rights Watch said today....

EU: Tie Serbia’s Membership to Mladic’s Arrest via Human Rights Watch News Releases April 29th, 2008 at 06:00

EU Members Should Not Backtrack on Their Commitment to Justice The European Union’s (EU) signing of the Stabilization Association Agreement (SAA) with Serbia today despite Belgrade’s failure to arrest accused war criminal Ratko Mladic is a setback to those seeking justice for genocide in Srebrenica, Human Rights Watch said today. EU member states should refuse to allow Serbia to take additional steps toward EU membership without full cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), including the surrender of Mladic....

DR Congo: Suspected War Criminal Wanted via Human Rights Watch News Releases April 29th, 2008 at 06:00

International Court Unseals Arrest Warrant Against Bosco Ntaganda Congolese officials and UN peacekeepers should take swift action to enforce the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrant against a rebel leader accused of forcibly conscripting child soldiers and of other abuses, Human Rights Watch said today....

China: Restrictions on Lawyers Fuel Unrest via Human Rights Watch News Releases April 28th, 2008 at 06:00

Legal Profession Becomes ‘More Dangerous Day by Day’ Chinese lawyers who take cases seen by the government as politically sensitive or potentially embarrassing face severe abuses ranging from harassment to disbarment and physical assaults, Human Rights Watch said in a new report released today....

UN: Tell US to End Illegal Detention Practices in Iraq via Human Rights Watch News Releases April 28th, 2008 at 06:00

US-Led Force Holds Thousands Without Due Process The United Nations Security Council should address serious concerns about the detention practices of the US-led Multi-National Force-Iraq (MNF) in its debate on Iraq, Human Rights Watch said in a letter to council members. The United States invokes Security Council resolutions to justify holding thousands of Iraqis for indefinite periods, without judicial review, and under military processes that do not meet international standards....

Zimbabwe: Surge in State-Sponsored Violence via Human Rights Watch News Releases April 25th, 2008 at 06:00

Security Forces Raid Opposition Headquarters President Robert Mugabe’s ZANU-PF party and state security forces have sharply intensified a campaign of organized terror and torture against opposition activists and ordinary Zimbabweans, Human Rights Watch said today. Armed riot police raided the Harare headquarters of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) on April 25, 2008 and arbitrarily arrested scores of people, including women and children seeking refuge there....