Author: Human Rights Watch

On September 30, Lithuania asked the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor to investigate serious crimes committed by the Belarusian authorities against its citizens. Following years of brutal crackdowns on civil society, journalists, and opposition politicians, Lithuania’s initiative should encourage stronger efforts to advance accountability and justice for all Belarusians. In 2020, mass peaceful protests erupted across […]

(Bangkok) – The Thai government should immediately reject Vietnam’s request to extradite an Indigenous Montagnard human rights activist and permit him to resettle abroad, Human Rights Watch said today. Y Quynh Bdap, 32, an activist from the Ede ethnic group of Vietnam’s Central Highlands, fled the country in 2018 after authorities placed him under intense […]

(New York) – With arrest warrants out for the ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the interim Bangladesh government should amend the International Crimes (Tribunal) Act to ensure a fair and impartial judicial process, Human Rights Watch said in a letter on October 21, 2024, to the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs. On October 17, the […]

(Beirut) – Oman has a new social protection law that paves the way for a universal social security system, Human Rights Watch said today. If effectively and fairly implemented, this law could realize socioeconomic rights of Omani nationals and residents, including migrant workers, who are facing events that substantially affect their income. The new system includes a […]

Girls in Africa face significant challenges ensuring that they enjoy the highest attainable standard of their sexual and reproductive health. They experience barriers to accessing relevant sexual health education as well as adequate maternal healthcare during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum. Following the conclusion of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the […]

The US state of Texas has filed a lawsuit against a Dallas-based doctor, accusing her of violating the state’s ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth. This case, among the first of its kind, underscores the severity of draconian restrictions on best practice medical care for transgender youth by state officials. Currently, 24 US states have imposed bans on medication […]

(Manila) – The Marcos administration should initiate sweeping reforms in Philippine law enforcement in response to recent congressional hearings on police corruption and abuse in the “war on drugs,” Human Rights Watch said today.  In recent weeks, witnesses testified before four committees in the House of Representatives about extrajudicial killings committed by the police during anti-drug raids since […]

(Bangkok) – The Thai government should conduct effective investigations into how a group of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar were found dead and injured on Thai soil on October 17, 2024, Human Rights Watch said today. The Thai authorities should urgently provide protection to survivors and prosecute those responsible for abuses. Monks outside a monastery in […]

As government officials gather in Washington DC next week for the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Annual Meetings, social security systems around the world are at risk. Faced with a looming debt crisis, governments, often encouraged by international financial institutions, are cutting social spending, leaving millions of people without their right to adequate […]

(New York) –The Chinese authorities should immediately release the Uyghur filmmaker and director Ikram Nurmehmet, who was sentenced to six and a half years in prison after being convicted on politically motivated charges, Human Rights Watch said today. Xinjiang’s Urumqi Intermediate People’s Court convicted Nurmehmet, 33, in January 2024 for “actively participating in terrorist activities” while […]