Author: Human Rights Watch

Governments should act on recent political commitments to protect civilians from the bombing and shelling that devastates cities and towns around the world. Civilians make up the vast majority of casualties caused by the use of explosive weapons—such as aerial bombs, rockets, missiles, and artillery and mortar projectiles—in populated areas. Governments should maximize civilian protection […]

(Bangkok) – Foreign governments should reject the Myanmar junta’s plans to hold elections from late December 2025 through January 2026 because they will not be free, fair, or inclusive, Human Rights Watch said today. Since the February 2021 military coup, the junta has systematically dismantled the rule of law and the country’s nascent democratic systems, and […]

(Berlin, November 11, 2025) – Lawmakers in Kazakhstan should reject a draft law with amendments that would ban “propaganda of non-traditional sexual orientation,” seven international human rights groups said today. The groups are Access Now, Civil Rights Defenders; Eurasian Coalition on Health, Rights, Gender and Sexual Diversity; Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights; Human Rights Watch; International […]

(Nairobi) – The authorities in Cameroon responded to widespread opposition-led protests following the October 12, 2025 elections with lethal force and mass arrests of protesters and other citizens, Human Rights Watch said today. The Constitutional Council announced on October 27 that the incumbent President Paul Biya, 92, had won the election with 53.66 percent of […]

The US government suspended funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for the first time on November 1, amid what became the longest-ever US government shutdown. While Congress has voted to reopen the government and restore SNAP funding, those who rely on the program have faced fear and uncertainty. Continued failures by the US government […]

(Beirut) – A Tunisian Court on November 17, 2025, is scheduled to hear the appeal of 37 people unjustly sentenced to heavy prison terms in a politically motivated “Conspiracy Case” from April, Human Rights Watch said today. Four of those detained are on hunger strike, including one who, according to his lawyers, was subjected to physical […]

(Mexico City) – The care system bill submitted to lawmakers by the government of Mexico City fails to guarantee autonomy, equality, and protection from abuse for people with disabilities and older people, Human Rights Watch said today.  The Mexico City Congress has formed a committee of experts to organize a public consultation on proposals for […]

(New York) – Governments negotiating a new global treaty on gig work should strengthen the draft text to ensure fair wages and social security for these workers and protect them from exploitative management, Human Rights Watch said today, submitting a briefing with proposals for the treaty. The International Labour Organization (ILO) is currently developing the first […]

Increased cooperation between Thai and Vietnamese authorities is putting Vietnamese refugees and asylum seekers in Thailand at heightened risk of forcible return to Vietnam. Vietnam and Thailand are cooperating more closely and exchanging information about Vietnamese exiles, particularly since early 2024 when the two countries began negotiating an extradition treaty. Thai police should stop arresting […]

The Australian government’s proposed amendments to its sanctions regulations are an important step toward accountability for Taliban officials and others responsible for serious abuses in Afghanistan, Human Rights Watch said in a recent submission to the Australian government. The amended Autonomous Sanctions Regulations introduce new listing criteria that are specific to Afghanistan and will enable the […]