Human Rights Watch

Archive Needed to Preserve Content Deemed Dangerous Social media platforms are taking down online content they consider terrorist, violently extremist, or hateful in a way that prevents its potential use to investigate serious crimes, including war crimes, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. While it is understandable… »

From Fighting Apartheid to Demanding Equality for Women and LGBT People On August 9, 1956, 20,000 women of all races marched through the streets of Pretoria, South Africa in defiance of apartheid. They stood outside the Union Buildings, the government seat, protesting apartheid, and sang, “You strike a woman, you… »

Over a Thousand Still Stranded in Hellish Conditions on Greek Islands In recent days, France has welcomed 49 children flown in from the nightmarish situation in the camps on Greece’s Aegean islands, where thousands of asylum seekers and migrants are stranded in horrendous conditions. On August 20, France relocated to its… »

Migrants Held for Months in Dangerous Conditions Amid Pandemic Since May, Venezuelan migrants detained in a detention facility administered by Aruba’s coast guard, the Guarda Nos Costa (GNC), have participated in four protests asking to be returned to Venezuela. To understand why anyone amid the Covid-19 pandemic would want to go back… »

Trending rights tweets this week: Thai police arrested a prominent student activist for involvement in a peaceful July protest, the largest since 2014; profound courage from pro-democracy demonstrators in Belarus who face grave risks; Monday’s arrest of 10 Hong Kong pro-democracy figures, including 71-year-old Jimmy Lai, is Beijing’s latest… »

Authorities Should Release Margot Szutowicz in Line with Calls by European Parliament and Council of Europe Warsaw police have arrested a nonbinary activist, Margot Szutowicz, who has been placed in pretrial detention, in the latest example of Polish authorities’ anti-LGBT actions. Forty-eight other people, from a crowd of LGBT rights… »

Ensure Access to Adequate, Quality Health Care, Provide Sufficient Resources Longstanding neglect by the government has left the Hungarian public healthcare system under-prepared to handle the Covid-19 pandemic, Human Rights Watch said today. Human Rights Watch found poor conditions in hospitals, including a lack of hand soap, sanitizer,… »

Arrests, Criminal Charges, Police Beatings Ahead of August 9 Presidential Vote Police in Belarus have arbitrarily arrested journalists, bloggers, and political activists ahead of the August 9, 2020 presidential election and pressed charges against two potential candidates, Human Rights Watch said today. The arrests raise concerns about interference with and violations… »

Authorities Should Urgently Protect Them, Give Them Shelter Since June 30, unaccompanied migrant children have been camping in central Paris, stuck in limbo while a judge decides on their fate. Aid organizations, including Médecins Sans Frontières and Utopia 56, set up a tent camp in a Paris park to shelter about… »

Pursuit of Justice for Serious Crimes Continues Amidst Challenges July 17 marks International Criminal Justice Day, commemorating the anniversary of the adoption of the Rome Statute, the founding treaty of the International Criminal Court (ICC). This is a moment to reflect on the importance of obtaining justice for victims of… »