Category: Human Rights

(New York) – Indian security forces used tear gas and batons to suppress largely peaceful student and youth protests in New Delhi on July 20, 2026, Human Rights Watch said today. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration should promptly and impartially investigate unnecessary and excessive use of force, allow peaceful protests, and stop suspending mobile internet services, […]

(Beirut) – The United Arab Emirates’ cycling team Emirates-XRG risks “sportswashing” the country’s egregious human rights record, Human Rights Watch said today. The team’s principal sponsors are state-owned companies, and the team has stated openly that its aim is “representing an entire nation, the UAE.” UAE Team Emirates is currently leading in the Tour de France, which […]

(Manila) – Prosecutors in the Philippines should dismiss criminal libel complaints, including those filed by a mining company, against four rights advocates in Nueva Vizcaya province, Human Rights Watch said today. In July 2026, the North Luzon Mineral Resources Corporation filed a criminal complaint for cyber-libel against two lawyers representing local communities. The complaint accused […]

Mr. Ortega said on Sunday that the country would no longer hold elections, which were scheduled for next year. In his statement, the High Commissioner did not directly address the threat of cancelling the national poll, but broadly deplored Mr. Ortega’s restrictions on political freedoms. The co-president’s announcement builds on a series of troubling developments in […]

(Tokyo) – The Japanese Diet on July 17, 2026, adopted a flag desecration law that criminalizes damaging Japan’s national flag, a violation of the right to freedom of expression, Human Rights Watch said today. Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, its coalition partner Japan Innovation Party, and three opposition parties supported the bill during a session […]

The migrants, many of whom were refugees, spent 25 days stranded on a boat from The Gambia headed for Spain’s Canary Islands, highlighting the dangerous nature of this sea route. Between 14 and 18 July, UNHCR, national authorities and humanitarian partners were present at three disembarkations which brought 387 people safely ashore. Rescue efforts culminated […]

Congress is currently considering two bills on Sudan: the Preventing External Aggression and Conflict Escalation (PEACE) in Sudan Act of 2026 in the Senate and US Engagement in Sudanese Peace Act in the House of Representatives. These bills contain several positive initiatives but should go further on accountability.  Human Rights Watch has documented widespread abuses […]

Ordinary people were subjected to torture and arbitrary detention in a partnered operation between the United States and Ecuador. Two fishing boats were attacked by armed drones of unknown origin off the Ecuadorian coast and a third has gone missing with most of its crew.  One incident clearly implicates the US-Ecuador security partnership; the others […]

July 24 marks one year since Alisher Sakhatov and Abdulla Orusov disappeared in Türkiye. Their families are still searching for answers about their whereabouts and fate. Sakhatov and Orusov are Turkmen activists and bloggers who spoke openly about developments in Turkmenistan, including corruption, abuses by Turkmen security services, restrictions on freedom of movement, and the […]

  (New York) – The United Nations General Assembly amended a longstanding rule on June 30, 2026, to ease the world body’s deepening liquidity crisis, but severe funding problems remain, Human Rights Watch said.  A new Human Rights Watch questions-and-answers document describes the effects of the UN’s liquidity crisis on its global human rights activities , and makes recommendations […]