Author: Human Rights Watch

(Istanbul, June 25, 2026) – The arrest of at least 209 people in the Turkish capital, Ankara, ahead of the July 7-8, 2026 NATO summit there highlights Türkiye’s ruthless intolerance of freedom of speech and assembly, Human Rights Watch said today. In raids overnight between June 22 and 23, the police arrested people including political activists, […]

(Washington) – Trump administration policies threaten the exercise of human rights that are essential to democracy, Human Rights Watch said today as the country prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary of its Declaration of Independence. Human Rights Watch released a web feature that illustrates the breadth of new threats in 2026 alone.  “Respect for human rights […]

52 people died in US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody during the first 500 days of President Trump’s second term, reflecting a soaring mortality rate.  ICE so severely limits the information it provides to Congress, families, and the public that oversight is nearly impossible. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Congress should act immediately […]

For years, efforts to protect the rights of people with albinism in Malawi have rightly focused on ending horrific attacks, killings, abductions, and grave tampering. These efforts remain essential as attacks continue. But safety alone is not enough. On June 19, the government announced a new National Action Plan on Persons with Albinism (2026–2030), marking […]

(Nairobi) – Regional authorities in Ethiopia’s Tigray region should withdraw a proclamation that purports to grant them sweeping powers to compel military service and punish dissent, Human Rights Watch said today.  Tigray’s main political party, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), issued the proclamation in early June 2026 after driving out regional leaders appointed by the federal […]

(Beirut) – Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are exposing migrant workers to yet another deadly summer without adequate occupational health and safety protections as temperatures soar to dangerous levels, Human Rights Watch said today.  Migrant workers, particularly outdoor workers, are left to fend for themselves as they balance the pressures of extreme heat and physically […]

(Amman) – Jordanian authorities executed six men by hanging on June 21, 2026, its first mass execution since 2017, Human Rights Watch said today. All six cases, two involving terrorism-related charges and three involving drug trafficking, included acts of violence in which members of the police or security forces were killed. All six men were […]

(Washington, DC) – The United States Congress’ failure to extend public subsidies for private health insurance has caused millions to lose healthcare coverage, increasing financial hardship and deepening inequality, Human Rights Watch and Oxfam America said today. Six months after the subsidies expired on January 1, 2026, early data indicate that millions of households lost health insurance […]

The United Nations Security Council on June 20 warned of the “imminent risk of mass atrocities” in El Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan region in western Sudan, which for months now has been the epicenter of fierce fighting between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). The conflict, which broke out […]