Author: Human Rights Watch

Two dozen humanitarian workers face trial on the Greek island of Lesbos this week on baseless felony charges that carry 20 years in prison. Prosecutors have hounded the humanitarians for seven years for saving lives at sea, while the European Parliament has called this “the largest case of criminalization of solidarity in Europe.”  In 2015, up to […]

Since October 31, Trinh Ba Tu, a Vietnamese political prisoner, has been held alone in a dark cell, denied visitors and even any kind of light. Guards open the door briefly twice a day to deliver meals, the only human contact he is permitted. Why such severe punishment? A few days earlier, Trinh Ba Tu […]

Nongovernmental groups have sounded the alarm as the European Parliament’s new “Scrutiny Working Group” on funding for nongovernmental groups held its first meeting on November 26. The inquiry is painted as an effort to boost transparency of the use of EU grants by civil society. But its superfluous mandate, narrow focus on nonprofit organizations, and biased composition […]

(Washington, DC) – The Trump administration’s immigration enforcement tactics undercutting protection for undocumented crime survivors weakens law enforcement’s ability to investigate and prosecute crimes, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today.   The 50-page report, “‘We Need U’: How the U Visa Builds Trust, Counters Fear, and Promotes Community Safety,” finds that the […]

(Bangkok) – The Hong Kong government should ensure a transparent investigation and accountability for wrongful acts linked to the residential fire that killed at least 151 people and injured 79, Human Rights Watch said today. On November 26, 2025, a fire broke out at Wang Fuk Court, a housing complex under maintenance. The government’s preliminary investigations found that […]

Argentina is experiencing increasing gender-based violence. But newly elected legislators taking office on December 10 have an opportunity to strengthen protections and violence prevention measures. According to the Office of Domestic Violence (OVD) of Argentina’s Supreme Court, reports of domestic violence have increased, with at least 39 percent of cases involving severe or repeated violence, frequent […]

When 29-year-old Norbert Amoya went to fetch water from a river in northern Zambia earlier this year, he found large numbers of dead fish and the water had a strange smell. The cause was a major mining disaster. On February 18, a dam at a Chinese copper mine had burst and released toxic waste into a […]

The International Criminal Court (ICC) is under assault by the United States and Russia, among others, which are determined to undermine its mandate as the court of last resort. ICC member countries need to stay firm in their defense of the court so that impartial justice remains a critical part of the rules-based international order. ICC member […]

By a Research Assistant, Middle East and North Africa Division On November 23, Yemen’s President Rashad al-Alimi stated in a cabinet meeting that “it is unacceptable for the Yemeni government to remain without a single ministerial portfolio led by a woman in a country where women make up more than half of the population.” Al-Alimi […]

Azerbaijani authorities are escalating their campaign against independent and critical voices abroad, issuing arrest warrants and summonses for exiled journalists, activists, and analysts on what appear to be politically motivated charges. The moves fit a long-running pattern of efforts  to crush dissent and restrict freedom of expression both inside Azerbaijan and beyond its borders.   […]