The UK government should immediately order an independent judicial inquiry into the role and complicity of British security services in the torture of terrorism suspects in Pakistan.

The conviction of veteran human rights activist Huang Qi on state secrets charges on November 23, 2009, demonstrates the Chinese government’s intent to use the judicial apparatus to crush whistleblowers without regard to minimum standards of fairness.

Human Rights Watch writes to the Honorable Jose A.R. Melo to convey concern about the decision of the Commission of Elections (Comelec) to deny the petition of the Ang Ladlad LGBT Party for party-list accreditation to contest the May 2010 elections.

The Thai government should immediately end the detention of 158 Lao Hmong refugees held in poor and abusive conditions for three years.

We write to you about the ongoing and serious violations of human rights committed by Thai authorities against Lao Hmong refugees at Nong Khai immigration detention center.

We write to urge your new government to take a more active and leadership role on human rights issues concerning the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) than previous governments.

The new Japanese government should take a leadership role in helping to improve human rights conditions in North Korea.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and other foreign ministers attending the inauguration of President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan on November 19, 2009, should press for concrete action to sideline warlords, criminals and human rights abusers.