Category: Human Rights

A Kazakh court convicted today 19 Kazakhstan citizens for participating in a peaceful protest against human rights abuses in Xinjiang, China. During the protest, which took place in November 2025, activists from the Nagyz Atajurt Volunteers Group condemned Chinese government abuses, some of which amount to crimes against humanity. They called for the release of a […]

A United Nations report has found that members of a UN-authorized force operating in Haiti, the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission, were responsible for four cases of sexual violence in the country, including the rape of a 12 -year-old girl and two 16-year-olds. While Kenyan Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi claims the allegations were investigated internally and […]

(Nairobi) – South Sudan’s military and opposition forces are blocking humanitarian access and unjustifiably ordering civilians to evacuate populated areas, Human Rights Watch said today. Since late 2025, the military has issued multiple evacuation orders, at least three of them sweeping in nature and the opposition forces at least three, forcing hundreds of thousands of civilians […]

(Beirut) – A 32-year-old man who was forcibly disappeared in Bahrain on March 19, 2026, died in custody more than a week later and his body bore signs of torture, Human Rights Watch and the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD) said today.  After Sayed Mohamed Almosawi’s family lost contact with him for over […]

Koo Sze-yiu was a fixture of Hong Kong’s protest scene. Standing out with his close-cropped hair and long gray beard, the gruffy activist and other leaders of the League of Social Democrats nevertheless fit right in marching next to lawyers and tens of thousands, sometimes millions, of ordinary Hong Kongers demanding democracy. Protesting in Hong […]

(Berlin) – The Russian Supreme Court on April 9, 2026, designated “International Public Movement Memorial” as an “extremist” organization in a dramatic escalation of the Kremlin’s efforts to suppress human rights work, Human Rights Watch said today. The sweeping “extremist” designation entails a ban on engaging in any of Memorial organizations’ activities under the threat of […]

(New York) – World Cup city host committees and FIFA have fallen short on the steps needed to protect players and fans, Human Rights Watch said today, with the tournament two months away. All but one of the host city committees have either failed to present action plans required by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association […]

The event blended reflection, celebration and urgency, highlighting both the progress made in advancing women’s rights and the growing challenges many women and girls face worldwide. The gathering in the General Assembly Hall brought together diplomats, advocates and activists, with speakers reminding the audience that progress on women’s rights has never come automatically – it […]

Taking place from 9 to 19 March, the Commission’s 70th session (CSW70) focuses on the priority theme ‘ensuring and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls,’ including by promoting inclusive legal systems, eliminating discriminatory laws and addressing structural barriers that prevent women from claiming their rights. A question of power Speaking at the […]

“There is a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of these crimes,” Ms. Singhateh said. “We are also witnessing stronger international cooperation, more victim-centred approaches and deeper involvement from the private sector. However, despite these achievements, the scale and severity of abuses against children remain alarming and worrying.” Far too many children around the world are […]