Category: Human Rights

On December 9, 2024, human rights defender Edris Menbari was sentenced to two years in prison by the Sanandaj Revolutionary Court in Iran. Menbari, who was a board member of the Nozhin Socio-Cultural Association, a group advocating for the socio-cultural rights of the Kurdish community, was convicted on charges of “forming groups and association with […]

The United States calls on the Government of Azerbaijan to free immediately Rufat Safarov, Sevinj Vagifgizi, Azer Gasimli, Farid Mehralizada, Bakhtiyar Hajiyev, Gubad Ibadoghlu, recently detained associates of independent outlet Meydan TV, and many others arrested for their work on human rights.  The United States is deeply concerned not only by these detentions, but by the increasing crackdown on civil society and media […]

The United States has strongly condemned the detention of several Azerbaijani human rights advocates, urging the Azerbaijani government to immediately release these individuals and others who have been arrested for their work defending civil liberties and promoting accountability in the country. Among those detained are Rufat Safarov, Sevinj Vagifgizi, Azer Gasimli, Farid Mehralizada, Bakhtiyar Hajiyev, […]

Afghan women artists are playing a vital role in the women’s movement resisting Taliban abuses, and their contributions—and art—should be recognized, Human Rights Watch said today in a new web feature. The feature, published at the end of the annual 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence, is titled “A human being is more delicate than […]

The plight of Oqba, an Egyptian university student, highlights the growing concern over the human rights situation in Egypt, particularly the treatment of individuals targeted due to their family connections or political beliefs. Oqba, the brother of Amr, a legal researcher and human rights activist, has been unlawfully detained since May 2019. Despite being held […]

On December 5, 2024, Atefeh Rangriz, a prominent Iranian human rights defender, was sentenced to an additional two years in prison for the charge of “spreading disinformation.” This new sentence was handed down by Branch 102 of the Damghan Criminal Court II, further compounding her already lengthy sentence for various charges related to her activism. […]

Samat Matsakov, a prominent human rights defender and lawyer in Kyrgyzstan, was arrested on November 29, 2024, after law enforcement raided his home in Bishkek. Matsakov, who has been an outspoken critic of human rights violations in the country, particularly cases of alleged torture by state security forces, is facing serious criminal charges, including large-scale […]

“Syria is now at a crossroads with great opportunities for us, but also with grave risks. And we need really to look at both,” said Geir Pedersen, UN Special Envoy for Syria. “We know that, of course, HTS is now the dominant group in control of Damascus, but it’s important also to remember that they […]

December 10, 2024 The Department of State is establishing two new visa restriction policies to promote accountability for wrongful, abusive, and unjust detention practices around the world, a critical step to address the growing trend of foreign governments unjustly detaining individuals worldwide.   With these policies, the State Department can impose visa restrictions on individuals who […]

For those forced to flee the country’s 13-year war, “they are considering how safe Syria is to return to, and how far their rights will be respected before they can make an informed, voluntary decision to return home; they must be given the space to do so without any pressure”, said Shabia Mantoo, a spokesperson from the […]