Category: Human Rights

(New York) – Indian authorities are revoking visa privileges to overseas critics of Indian origin who have spoken out against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government’s policies, Human Rights Watch said today. Prime Minister Narendra Modi often attends mass gatherings of diaspora party supporters in the United States, Europe, Australia, and elsewhere to celebrate […]

This year, at the United Nations’ top human rights body in Geneva, there are signs of a potential giant leap forward, with growing hopes for new legal recognition of every child’s right to free education, from pre-primary through secondary education. On March 20, the Dominican Republic, along with other states including Luxembourg, Sierra Leone,  Colombia, […]

“They held him there to send a message to the rest of us: be careful, or else.” A human rights activist from the Central African Republic said this to Human Rights Watch after Crépin Mboli Goumba, a prominent political opponent, was arrested and sent to a police unit notorious for torture, executions, and shooting suspects […]

Digital technologies are a vital resource for Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) and civic actors around the world.  However, these technologies can also be misused to target HRDs for repression and to undermine civic space. To address this, the United States is releasing new guidance that sets out best practices and actions online platforms can take to implement more […]

From 1819 to 1969, the United States federal government funded and operated 408 known “Indian boarding schools” with the express intent to “Kill the Indian in him, and save the man.” The government systematically and forcibly removed Indigenous children from their families and communities, violating their human rights. Now, Native advocates, survivors, and members of […]

High Representative Josep Borrell and Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič, have issued the following statement: “Five months into the Gaza crisis, the results of the updated Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) assessment released today indicate the unfolding of the worst possible forecast for Gaza. Gaza is already facing famine, with 100% of people […]

Addressing the Human Rights Council in Geneva, the International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran – a group of Council-appointed independent experts – said that Ms. Amini’s death in September 2022 was “unlawful and caused by physical violence” for which the State is responsible. Chairperson Sara Hossain told the forum’s 47 Member States that after Ms. Amini’s death, young […]

SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Thank you, everyone.  Thank you, and good morning again.  Thank you. So I again want to thank President Yoon and Foreign Minister Cho for bringing us together to discuss what is one of the most transformational forces that’s shaping our future, our world, our democracies – and that is artificial intelligence. I think […]

(Beirut) – Jordan should ensure accountability for airstrikes in southeast Syria that killed 10 people on January 18 and compensate the victims and their families, Human Rights Watch said today. The strikes, which killed women and children, appear to amount to extrajudicial executions. The airstrikes were part of an intensified campaign by the Jordanian Armed […]

Earlier this month, in the landmark trial of Guinea’s former president and 10 others, including former ministers, who are accused of responsibility for a massacre and rapes in a stadium, the prosecution team requested the reclassification of charges to crimes against humanity. The trial is currently suspended until March 18, 2024, to allow for the defense’s […]