Category: Human Rights

(Geneva) – Nepal’s recently elected Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) government, led by Prime Minister Balendra Shah, which came to power on a wave of popular demands for change, should use this opportunity to bring lasting protections for human rights and the rule of law, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and the International Commission of Jurists said […]

Since the start of 2026, according to the UN migration agency, IOM, more than 300,000 people have been forced from their homes, with repeated displacement making it harder for families to recover. “We and our humanitarian partners are prioritising helping people in the worst-impacted areas” said UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, at the regular Noon briefing.  The World […]

The European Parliament adopted on Tuesday a resolution calling on the European Commission to make consent the determining factor in rape legislation across the EU, with 447 members voting “for,” 160 “against,” and 43 abstaining. Stating that “affirmative, freely given and unambiguous indication of consent is valid and that silence, a lack of verbal or […]

(Bangkok) – On April 30, 2026, the Phnom Penh Court of Appeal upheld the politically motivated conviction of the Cambodian political opposition leader Kem Sokha, Human Rights Watch said today. The court extended Sokha’s de-facto house arrest and 27-year sentence that had been imposed in March 2023 and added an additional five-year ban on international […]

Nepali authorities have stopped processing applications for transgender people to change their legal gender on identity documents. The authorities’ actions are regressing on years of progress and undermining the fundamental right of recognition before the law. The Nepal government should immediately process pending applications and create a clear policy for legal gender recognition aligned with […]

A panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia rejected on April 24 the government’s denial of the right to seek asylum for asylum seekers who arrive at the southern border. The ruling stops summary deportations based on President Donald Trump’s Inauguration Day proclamation of an “invasion” at the US-Mexico […]

(New York) – Legislation advancing in Maryland and Alabama would expand voting rights for people with felony convictions, marking significant progress in the movement to expand voting rights for all, Human Rights Watch said today. Alabama recently enacted a law to make it easier for people to vote after they complete prison sentences. Maryland Governor Wes […]

(Vancouver) – The FIFA Council’s decision to approve amendments to its Governance Regulations provides a landmark opportunity to ensure gender equity and human rights in sport, the Sport & Rights Alliance (SRA) said today. These changes allow for the official recognition of the Afghanistan Women’s National Team in exile, ensuring that the players can once again […]

(Beirut) – The Israeli government has approved a $334 million plan to transfer thousands more Israeli civilians into the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, Human Rights Watch said today. The decision, adopted by the cabinet on April 17, 2026, is a clear statement of intent to commit war crimes. “Israel’s cabinet has put public money behind a war crime […]

(Beirut) – At least 65 Ethiopian migrants are at imminent risk of execution in Saudi Arabia for drug-related offenses, Human Rights Watch said today. Saudi authorities executed three others on April 21, 2026. “Saudi Arabia’s willingness to execute foreign migrants for nonviolent offences following trials that denied them basic due process reflects a profound disregard for their rights […]