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Libya Frees Political Prisoner Idris Boufayed Is Promised Travel for Medical Treatment Libya freed Dr. Idris Boufayed from detention on October 8, almost 20 months after security agents arrested him for planning a peaceful demonstration, Human Rights Watch said today. Boufayed, who suffers from advanced lung cancer, was released from detention in a hospital and promised that he would be allowed to travel abroad for medical care. October 10, 2008 Press Release Printer friendly version Jordan: Torture in Prisons Routine and Widespread Reforms Fail to Tackle Abuse, Impunity Persists Jordan should end routine and widespread torture in its prisons, Human Rights Watch said in a new report released today. Human Rights Watch called on the government to overhaul mechanisms for investigating, disciplining and prosecuting abusers, and in particular to transfer prosecutor’s investigations into prison abuse from police to civilian prosecutors. October 8, 2008 Press Release Also available in 
Printer friendly version Torture and Impunity in Jordan’s Prisons Reforms Fail to Tackle Widespread Abuse
HRW Index No.: 1-56432-382-X October 8, 2008 Report Also available in
Download PDF, 368 KB, 95 pgs Purchase online Read Press Release Letter to the Lebanese Government from Rights Groups Inquiring about Lebanese Prison Conditions We are a group of Lebanese and international organizations working on human rights issues in Lebanon. We welcome your decision on August 6, 2008 to ask the General Inspectorate to investigate allegations of abuses occurring inside Lebanese prisons following the serious allegations of corruption, and of ill-treatment of prisoners aired on al-Fasad, a program on New TV. October 7, 2008 Letter Also available in
United States: Bush Signs Law on Child Soldiers Measure to Prosecute Recruiters Abroad Puts Commanders on Notice Under a new law signed today by US President George W. Bush, leaders of military forces and armed groups who have recruited child soldiers may be arrested and prosecuted in the United States, Human Rights Watch said today. The law could apply to leaders of dozens of forces that have recruited and used child soldiers in over 20 armed conflicts. October 3, 2008 Press Release Printer friendly version Saudi Arabia: Free Political Prisoners Many Criminals Granted Amnesty, but Activists Remain in Prison The Saudi government should free unlawfully detained political activists, including Professor Matrook al-Faleh, one of Saudi Arabia’s leading advocates of reform, Human Rights Watch said today. Although Saudi prison officials said that they had amnestied 1,000 convicted criminals during Ramadan in September, dozens of political activists remain behind bars or are subject to arbitrary travel bans. October 3, 2008 Press Release Also available in
Printer friendly version Separating Image from Substance in Saudi Arabia Published in Middle East Report Saudi Arabia, its image in need of polishing in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks, has opened itself up to foreign scrutiny of its notoriously poor human rights record. Members of Congress now make regularly scheduled stops in the kingdom; in February 2008, the Saudis even welcomed the two-week fact-finding mission of the UN special rapporteur on violence against women. The scrutiny tends to be tightly managed: A visit to the government’s Human Rights Commission or the National Society for Human Rights, an NGO, is de rigueur. September 23, 2008 Commentary Printer friendly version Saudi Arabia: Shia Minority Treated as Second-Class Citizens Wahhabi Authorities Discriminate Against Ismaili Citizens The Saudi government should end its systematic discrimination against its Ismaili religious minority, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. Human Rights Watch called upon the government to set up a national institution empowered to recommend remedies for discriminatory policies and responding to individual claims. September 22, 2008 Press Release Also available in
Printer friendly version Discrimination against Muslims in Saudi Arabia By Christoph Wilcke, Senior Researcher, Middle East and North Africa division Published in Guardian online Though tentative steps towards tolerance have been made, the plight of Saudi Ismailis shows how far the country has to go September 22, 2008 Commentary Printer friendly version The Ismailis of Najran Second-class Saudi Citizens
HRW Index No.: 1-56432-376-5 September 22, 2008 Report Also available in
Download PDF, 955 KB, 89 pgs Purchase online Read Press Release From Exile to Peril at Home Returned Refugees and Iraq’s Displacement Crisis In the last months of 2007, tens of thousands of Iraqi refugees left Syria to return to their country. Whether they returned in Iraqi government-sponsored bus convoys or on individual journeys, some in Baghdad and Washington touted their move as a sign of success in bringing order to Baghdad and a vote of confidence by the returnees in Iraq’s safety and stability. Elsewhere, governments like Jordan and Sweden that had provided sanctuary to Iraqi refugees may have seen in the returns a signal that the time had come to begin compelling Iraqis to return, rather than providing them with asylum and assistance. September 22, 2008 Special Focus Printer friendly version Iran: Rights Crisis Escalates Faces and Cases from Ahmadinejad’s Crackdown This paper documents the dire situation for human rights defenders and key dimensions of the human rights crisis in Iran today. Released ahead of Ahmadinejad’s arrival at the opening ceremonies of the UN General Assembly, the paper highlights Iran’s status as the world leader in juvenile executions. Iran is known to have executed six juvenile offenders so far in 2008, and more than 130 other juvenile offenders have been sentenced to death and are awaiting execution. September 18, 2008 Background Briefing UN: Hold Ahmadinejad Accountable for Iran Rights Crisis Executions Increase Almost 300 Percent, Persecution of Rights Defenders Intensifies Under the administration of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, basic human rights protection in Iran has deteriorated to new lows, Human Rights Watch and the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran said in a briefing paper released today. September 18, 2008 Press Release Also available in
Printer friendly version Syria: Joint letter calling for release of human rights and political activists The Euro¬Mediterranean Human Rights Network, the Observatory for the Protection of the Human Rights Defenders (a joint program between the International Federation for Human Rights and the World Organisation against Torture), Human Rights Watch and Human Rights First express their deep concern about the arbitrary detention and unfair trial in Syria of 12 members of the National Council of the Damascus Declaration for Democratic National Change. The undersigned organizations urge the Syrian authorities to halt the trial and release immediately and unconditionally these 12 human rights and political activists. September 17, 2008 Letter Also available in
Printer friendly version Saudi Arabia: Lift Travel Ban on Saudi Rights Lawyer Human Rights Watch Gives Award to Abd al-Rahman al-Lahim The Saudi government should immediately lift a travel ban on Saudi human rights lawyer Abd al-Rahman al-Lahim, a winner of the 2008 Human Rights Defender award, Human Rights Watch said today. Human Rights Watch also announced four other winners of the 2008 award, courageous individuals working for justice and human rights from Uzbekistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, and Democratic Republic of Congo. September 15, 2008 Press Release Also available in
Printer friendly version Five Activists Win Human Rights Watch Awards Honored for Courage in Exposing Abuse and Seeking Justice Five brave and selfless advocates of human rights from Burma, Congo, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka and Uzbekistan have been awarded the prestigious 2008 Human Rights Defender Awards, Human Rights Watch said today. All five have been persecuted and threatened for their work. One winner, Saudi lawyer Abd al-Rahman al-Lahim, is, which Human Rights Watch urges the Saudi government lift so that he may receive his award in person in London. September 15, 2008 Press Release Also available in
Printer friendly version The Last Holdouts Ending the Juvenile Death Penalty in Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Pakistan, and Yemen
HRW Index No.: 1-56432-375-7 September 10, 2008 Report Also available in
Download PDF, 175 KB, 23 pgs Purchase online Read Press Release UN: Five Countries Responsible for All Executions of Juvenile Offenders Since 2005 Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Pakistan, and Yemen Executed 32 for Crimes Committed as Children Ending executions for crimes committed by children in just five countries would result in universal implementation of the prohibition on the juvenile death penalty, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. Governments should use next week’s United Nations General Assembly session opening to commit to urgently needed reforms to protect the rights of children in conflict with the law. September 8, 2008 Press Release Also available in
Printer friendly version US: Rice Should Press Algeria on Fate of Returned Guantanamo Detainees US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice should press the Algerian government on the well-being and status of Guantanamo detainees returned to Algeria when she travels to Algiers on September 6. Four Guantanamo detainees from Algeria have been returned in the last two months, and Rice is expected to discuss future Guantanamo returns during her visit. September 5, 2008 Press Release Also available in
Printer friendly version Tunisia: Rice Should Press for Rights Improvements End Harassment, Detentions of Rights Defenders US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice should urge the Tunisian government to end its harassment and imprisonment of human rights activists when she visits the country on Saturday, September 6, Human Rights Watch said today. She is scheduled to meet with President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, who has held office since 1987. September 5, 2008 Press Release Also available in
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