Myanmar: UN rights office warns of growing crisis in Rakhine state

Fierce battles have intensified between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army, an ethnic armed group, displacing tens of thousands of people in Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships in recent days. An estimated 45,000 Rohingya have reportedly fled to an area on the Naf River near the border with Bangladesh, seeking protection. Over one million Rohingya […]

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Thailand: Investigate Detained Youth Activist’s Death

(Bangkok) – Thai authorities should impartially and transparently investigate the death of a detained anti-monarchy activist, Netiporn “Bung” Sanesangkhom, in Bangkok, Human Rights Watch said today. Prime Minister Srettha Tavisin promised an inquiry into her death in Bangkok, which has raised concerns about possible negligence by prison officials in referring her for life-saving medical treatment. […]

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Libya: Arbitrarily Detained Political Analyst Dies

(Beirut) – A Libyan political analyst who had been arbitrarily detained in eastern Libya for nearly seven months died under dubious circumstances on April 19, 2024, Human Rights Watch said today. Libya authorities should immediately and impartially investigate the death of the political analyst, Siraj Dughman, in the Benghazi General Directorate for Internal Security. On […]

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EU Adopts Groundbreaking Business Value Chain Law

(Brussels) – The new EU directive adopted on May 24, 2024, requiring large companies to ensure human rights respect in their value chains signals a new era for corporate accountability, Human Rights Watch said today. Human Rights Watch issued a question-and-answer document about the provisions, strengths, and weaknesses of the new law. The document describes […]

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Office of the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism Hosts Symposium on Effective Action to Confront Online Antisemitism

On May 23, U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt hosted a Symposium to Combat Online Antisemitism. The Symposium convened technology executives, NGOs, and government representatives to foster collaborative thinking about effective action against surging online antisemitism. The forum was an enriching and productive exchange of ideas across the three sectors. […]

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US Supreme Court Allows Racial Discrimination in Electoral Maps

On May 23, 2024, the US Supreme Court issued a 6-3 decision that allows racial discrimination in the drawing of voting maps, dismissing the voices of Black voters challenging racial gerrymandering and undermining efforts to build a multiracial democracy in the United States. The ruling is inconsistent with international human rights treaties binding on the United States […]

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8th Brussels Conference on ‘Supporting the future of Syria and the region’ will take place on 27 May

The 8th edition of the Ministerial Brussels Conference on ‘Supporting the future of Syria and the region’ will take place on Monday 27 May, in Brussels. The Ministerial meeting will see the participation of representatives from the EU Member States, Syria’s neighbouring States, and third countries, as well as representatives from the United Nations, international organisations, and Syrian […]

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UN establishes International Day of reflection for Srebrenica genocide

Adopting a resolution with the same title, the Assembly also asked the Secretary-General to establish an outreach programme on the Srebrenica genocide in preparation for the 30th anniversary next year. It further condemned any denial of the Srebrenica genocide as a historical event and called on Member States to preserve the established facts, including through […]

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Accountability Needed for Pylos Shipwreck

Nine Egyptians who survived a devastating shipwreck off the coat of Pylos, Greece, were acquitted Tuesday of people smuggling and unlawful entry, almost a year after they were hastily arrested.   The Greek criminal court also dismissed the charges of causing the shipwreck, which killed hundreds of people, and of forming a criminal organization, saying it […]

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