Category: Human Rights

The arrest of Burundi’s former prime minister, Alain Guillaume Bunyoni, should be followed by a full judicial investigation of abuses by the country’s security forces during his time in power, leading to the prosecution and fair trial of anyone responsible for serious crimes. Bunyoni rose through the ranks of the ruling National Council for the […]

by Nirvaly Mooloo, Intern, Africa Division Mozambique’s government has provided legal authority to an abusive militia to fight an Islamic State-linked armed group, locally known as Al-Shabab, in the north of the country. Opposition parties have called this local militia a “paramilitary force linked to the ruling party.” The Mozambican government first acknowledged it was […]

Last month, Hong Kong police arrested a 23-year-old Hong Kong woman who had been studying in Japan since 2019 upon her return to the city. Her “crime”? While in Japan she had posted messages online in support of Hong Kong pro-democracy protests, according to media reports. Her arrest for “inciting secession” reflects a dangerous trend […]

Six months after the warring parties to the armed conflict in northern Ethiopia signed a cessation of hostilities, European Union foreign ministers adopted formal conclusions that set out the EU’s future engagement with Ethiopia. The EU ministers noted the importance of accountability and transitional justice for sustainable peace and reconciliation. But they also set the […]

Since the military coup in February 2021, the humanitarian situation in Myanmar has deteriorated. The United Nations estimates that fighting has displaced 1.5 million people across the country. Many of them are also unable to relocate to safer locations due to insecurity. In Myanmar’s northeastern Kachin and northern Shan States, over 121,000 people remain displaced. While […]

Pope Francis’ visit to Hungary from April 28-30 is an opportunity to call out the Hungarian government’s discriminatory practices towards refugees and migrants. The Pope has been vocal on migrants’ rights throughout his leadership, repeatedly calling on states to welcome people seeking protection from war and persecution. During his last visit to Hungary in September […]

Peru’s military and police likely carried out extrajudicial or arbitrary killings and committed other egregious abuses against demonstrators and bystanders during protests in recent months. The government’s apparent efforts to minimize the abuses and apparent inaction in the face of strong evidence of abuses raises questions as to negligence and complicity. The government should invite […]

The company operating an Ethiopian gold mine and the refinery that sourced its gold took no action over concerns about pollution from the mine for years. The mine was reopened even though the government had ordered it closed following protests. Studies found that residents were being exposed to toxic metals. The government should halt mine […]

The Sindh Human Rights Commission has advised police to stop harassing and arresting transgender people, an important step toward changing discriminatory laws, policies, and public attitudes in Pakistan’s Sindh province. The commission, an independent statutory body, issued the guidance on April 3, relying on constitutional protections and international legal principles. It said that offenses based […]

(Bishkek, April 26, 2023) – Kyrgyzstan’s parliament should not dismiss the country’s human rights Ombudswoman, Atyr Abdrakhmatova, before she completes her five-year term and should refrain from interfering with her work, Human Rights Watch said today. On April 19, 2023, parliament voted not to accept her annual report on the human rights situation in Kyrgyzstan […]