UN Extends Evidence-Gathering Mandate for Sri Lanka War Crimes

The United Nations Human Rights Council on October 6 extended a project to gather evidence of human rights violations and war crimes associated with Sri Lanka’s civil war for at least two more years. The resolution adopted by consensus offers a ray of hope to victims of abuses and their families that they may one […]

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Israel/Palestine: States Should Act to Halt Atrocities

(Jerusalem) – United States President Donald Trump’s “Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict,” announced on September 29, 2025, is no substitute for the urgent action governments need to take to protect civilians and support justice after two years of grave abuses in Israel and Palestine, Human Rights Watch said today.  The 20-part plan does not directly address […]

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US: Informed Health Choices Harder under Trump

(Washington, DC) – The United States Department of Health and Human Services under the Trump administration appears to be letting politicized and ideological priorities impact the availability of health-related information, Human Rights Watch said today. Respecting and fulfilling the right to health requires a credible, evidence-led process that enables people to make informed decisions about their […]

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Chad’s Weaponization of Citizenship | Human Rights Watch

On September 17, the Chadian authorities published a decree purporting to strip blogger Makaila Nguebla and journalist Charfadine Galmaye Saleh of their nationality. The move marks a chilling escalation in the repression of dissent. By wielding citizenship as a political weapon, the government not only violates international law but crosses a line that threatens the rights of […]

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Vendetta in Democratic Republic of Congo

A Congolese military court’s conviction and death sentence imposed on former President Joseph Kabila on September 30 highlights the fragile balance between accountability and political stability in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The trial, for charges ranging from treason to war crimes, had all the trappings of a political vendetta, posing a threat to both the rule […]

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UN: Support Protection, Justice for Rohingya

(New York) – United Nations member states meeting on September 30, 2025, on the plight of Rohingya Muslims should commit to urgent action to protect them from persecution and violence, Human Rights Watch said today. Rohingya in Myanmar, Bangladesh, and across Asia continue to face grave threats to their safety, freedom, and lives. The UN General Assembly is […]

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Taliban’s Internet Ban Further Silences Afghan Women, Girls

Last week, the Taliban ordered an internet ban across several of Afghanistan’s northern provinces. On September 30, they fully shut down the internet, both mobile and fibre optic, nationwide. The Taliban claim the ban is to “prevent immorality.” In Afghanistan, authorities have long used “morality” as a tool of oppression applied predominantly to women and girls, who […]

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Reproductive Rights, Abortion Access Under Threat in Argentina

Since taking office in December 2023, Argentina’s President Javier Milei and his government have dismantled key sexual and reproductive health protections. A report published this week by the Center for State and Society Studies (CEDES) shows that harmful rhetoric from Milei on abortion creates “a climate of risk and uncertainty,” causing misinformation and confusion for pregnant people […]

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US: Trump Targets Opponents in Sweeping Memorandum

(Washington, DC) – United States President Donald Trump’s September 25, 2025, memorandum directing law enforcement to investigate a sprawling, imaginary conspiracy to foment political violence in the United States is a serious threat to human rights and democratic institutions, Human Rights Watch said today. President Trump has ordered federal agencies to search actively for connections tying […]

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Protection of Athletes Advances in Japan

The Japan Association of Athletics Federations (JAAF) issued a Human Rights Policy and an Integrity Code of Conduct on August 26, 2025, ahead of the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, which opened on September 13. Abuse against men, women, and even children in Japanese sports has long been prevalent. The release of the policy […]

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