Corrections

Corrections to our publications

Human Rights Watch strives to maintain the highest level of accuracy in our reporting. This includes a commitment to correcting errors or clarifying facts that appear in our publications in a timely fashion. Corrections appear both on this dedicated webpage and at the bottom of the publication that contained the error.

We cannot reply individually to all corrections requests, but all such requests that specify the exact nature of the alleged inaccuracy and the publication (title, page number / web address and date) in which it appeared will be reviewed. If you believe you have found an inaccuracy in our materials, please contact us.

Errors contained in social media posts under Human Rights Watch and staff accounts will also be corrected in a prompt and transparent manner.

 

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Human Rights Watch
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Recent Corrections

  • Codifying Repression

    The August 2012 report, Codifying Repression: An Assessment of Iran’s New Penal Code, incorrectly stated on page 31 of the printed English version and page 24 of the printed Persian version that “Article 220 of the new code provides that in cases where “crimes against God” are specified in the code, judges must issue sentences in accordance with Article 167 of the Iranian Constitution.” The correct sentence should read: Article 220 of the new code provides that in cases where “crimes against God” are not specified in the code, judges must issue sentences in accordance with Article 167 of the Iranian Constitution.

  • Syria: Evidence of Cluster Munitions Use by Syrian Forces

    The July 12, 2012 news release “Syria: Evidence of Cluster Munitions Use by Syrian Forces” incorrectly states that 250-kilogram class RBK-series cluster bombs and OFAB-series fragmentation bombs can only be delivered from jet aircraft. Rotary wing aircraft, such as Mi-24 and Mi-8 series helicopters, are also capable of carrying and releasing both types of bombs.

  • Hate on the Streets

    The July 2012 report, “Hate on the Streets: Xenophobic Violence in Greece” incorrectly stated on pages 10 and 43 of the printed English version and pages 10 and 46 of the printed Greek version that Nikitas Kanakis is the director of Doctors without Borders. He is actually the director of Doctors of the World.

  • Isolated in Yunnan

    On p. 57, Human Rights Watch erroneously calculated 2000 yuan to equal $315. The amount is equivalent to $320.
    In the appendix of the report, Human Rights Watch omitted the list of questions attached to the letters sent to People’s Republic of China officials prior to the release of the report. The appendix has been amended to include the full text of the letters.

  • Malaysia: Drop Charges Against Protest Participants

    The original version of the news release “Drop Charges Against Protest Participants” released on May 22, 2012, incorrectly provided the estimate of the number of persons arrested at the April 28, 2012 “Bersih 3.0” rally as “as many as 1,700.” The correct number is over 500. The 1,700 figure was an estimate of the number of persons arrested at the “Bersih 2.0” rally in July 2011

  • Unacknowledged Deaths

    On page 15 of the May 2012 report, “Unacknowledged Deaths: Civilian Casualties in NATO’s Air Campaign in Libya,” the caption incorrectly stated the date of the photo. The photo was taken on August 11, 2011. NATO air strikes hit the farm in Sorman and killed 13 people on June 20, 2011.

  • Russia: Harassment of Critics

    Human Rights Watch’s March 1, 2012 news release on the harassment of critics incorrectly stated that the head of the FSB for Komi Republic, Alexander Kalashnikov, issued a report in February 2012 in which he called the Komi regional branch of Memorial and the Komi branch of Golos “extremist” organizations. Mr. Kalashnikov made this statement during public remarks in January 2012. This error has been corrected. (March 1, 2012)

  • Libya: Ex-Premier Needs Lawyer, Medical Care

    The February 14, 2012, statement regarding the case of Mr. Abuzaid Dorda contained an error. During the interview, Mr. Dorda told researchers he was not arrested in his home but in another home. We do not have information about the owner or location of the other home.

  • Old Behind Bars

    The January 2012 report, "Old Behind Bars: The Aging Prison Population in the United States" incorrectly stated a statistic regarding the percentage of violent offenders who recidivate for violent crimes in New York after the age of 65. In fact, between 1995 and 2008, while there were 469 prisoners in New York who had been convicted of violent offenses and who were released from prison at 65 or older, only one of them was ever returned to prison because of another violent offense; seven returned because of non-violent offenses.

    We have inserted a short note in the methodology chapter of our report Old Behind Bars, clarifying that because of variations in data reported to the National Corrections Reporting Program each year, comparisons of prisoner age data from one year to the next should be interpreted with caution. Multi-year trends are far more reliable.

  • Libya: Ensure Gaddafi Son’s Access to Lawyer

    A December 21, 2011 news release on Saif al-Islam Gaddafi’s access to a lawyer incorrectly stated that article 94 of the Rome Statute provides for postponing the execution of an ICC request for surrender. An authoritative commentary on the court’s statute makes clear that article 94 relates to requests for cooperation other than surrender, while article 89(4) pertains to requests for surrender. (March 12, 2012)