Category: Human Rights

Dire conditions in Gaza marked by continuing violence, rodent infestations and the spread of infectious disease, are being made worse by blockages preventing essential medical supplies from entering the enclave. ‘I feel like I’m in prison’  Umm Ahmad lives with her family in a camp in western Gaza City, where she arrived after a journey […]

(Nairobi) – The 2016 conviction in Senegal of former Chadian dictator Hissène Habré was a pivotal moment in the pursuit of justice for atrocity crimes, Human Rights Watch and the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) said today. The verdict, which followed a 25-year legal campaign by Habré’s victims, was the first time the domestic courts […]

On May 26, Russia’s State Duma is scheduled to review a draft law that targets exiled critics for allegedly acting “against Russia’s interests overseas.” The draft law, prepared by a special parliamentary commission, “On Investigation of Foreign Interference in Russia’s Internal Affairs,” stipulates that Russian exiles convicted of offences typically the result of politically motivated […]

It was the day Russian forces launched their full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Inna lost the life she had spent decades building – her career as a consultant rheumatologist, her home and her sense of safety.  Three years on, as the war continues in Ukraine, and bombs still go off in Kharkiv, she is practising medicine […]

(Istanbul, May 22, 2026) – A court decision ordering the removal of the party chair and leadership of Türkiye’s main opposition party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP), is the latest deeply damaging blow to the rule of law, democracy and human rights in Türkiye, Human Rights Watch said today. On May 21, 2026, the 36th Ankara regional […]

The European Commission is allocating an extra €15 million* in humanitarian assistance to support the response to the Ebola outbreak affecting the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. The funding aims at supporting emergency operations in the affected areas as well as preparedness and prevention efforts. Safeguarding public health remains the Commission’s absolute priority as diseases […]

By 10 votes to four, the UN World Court ruled “the right to strike of workers and their organizations is protected” under the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87). The Court, however, stressed that its opinion did not define the exact scope of the right to strike. […]

Against the backdrop of Mental Health Awareness Month and the advancement of Congress’ budget reconciliation bill, hundreds of immigrants, community members, and allies gathered in the nation’s capital on May 20 for a peaceful march from Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) headquarters to the Capitol. The demonstration was held to protest the budget reconciliation bill’s […]

(Kinshasa) – The Human Rights Watch executive director, Philippe Bolopion, urged senior Congolese officials to respect freedom of expression, end arbitrary arrests and detentions, and ensure accountability for abuses during his visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo from May 17 to 21, 2026, Human Rights Watch said today. The visit took place against a backdrop of […]

There is growing recognition that current economic metrics fail to capture much of what really matters. Gross domestic product (GDP), which measures total economic activity and is a cornerstone of economic decision-making, is blind to issues such as whether children have quality public schools, people have access to health care, or government institutions are accountable […]