• Russia: Government Shuts HIV-Prevention Group’s Website
    Press release
    Feb 8, 2012
    The Russian government’s anti-drugs agency has ordered the blocking of the website of a public health organization, the Andrey Rylkov Foundation, for discussing the addiction medicine methadone, human rights groups said today. The move is an assault on freedom of expression in the midst of pro-democracy protests, the groups said.
  • Russia: Stop Draconian Homophobic Bill
    Press release
    Feb 8, 2012
    The St. Petersburg legislative assembly should halt consideration of a discriminatory bill that would deny freedom of expression to the local lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community.
  • Hope for BC at BC?
    Commentary
    Feb 8, 2012

    When I went to college, I chose a highly regarded university with a strong tradition as a Jesuit institution. I was pleased with my undergraduate education at Boston College, but I still lament that my alma mater denies students access to contraceptive services through its health system.  

  • Bosnia: European Court Halts Syria Deportation
    Press release
    Feb 7, 2012
    The decision by the European Court of Human Rights on February 7, 2012, to block Bosnia’s deportation of a Syrian terrorism suspect highlights Bosnia’s problematic counterterrorism policy.
  • Kazakhstan/Germany: Make Rights Key to Good Relations
    Press release
    Feb 6, 2012
    German Chancellor Angela Merkel should raise urgent human rights concerns with the Kazakhstan government during talks with President Nursultan Nazarbaev on February 8, 2012.
  • UN: Russia, China Vetoes Betray Syrian People
    Press release
    Feb 4, 2012
    Vetoes by Russia and China of the UN Security Council resolution on Syria are a betrayal of the Syrian people, Human Rights Watch said today. A resolution urging the Syrian government to end all human rights violations and cooperate with the UN commission of inquiry and the Arab League observer mission was approved by 13 council members, including India, South Africa, and Pakistan, before being vetoed.
  • France: European Court of Human Rights Condemns Faulty Asylum Procedure
    Press release
    Feb 2, 2012
    France should learn the lessons of the European Court of Human Rights decision today concerning a serious deficiency in its asylum procedure.
  • Kazakhstan: Letter to the Prosecutor General regarding the December events in Zhanaozen and Shetpe
    Letter
    Feb 1, 2012
    I am writing to express Human Rights Watch’s profound concern about several issues related to the December 16 and 17 events in Zhanaozen and Shetpe. These include allegations about excessive use of lethal force by law enforcement, ill-treatment and torture of detainees taken into custody following the December 16 violence in Zhanaozen, allegations of theft and extortion by police officers, and arrests of oil workers and labor and political activists charged in connection with the violence.
  • Ukraine: Stop Harassing Somali Asylum Seekers
    Press release
    Feb 1, 2012
    The Ukrainian authorities should immediately stop police harassment and threats against Somali asylum seekers held at the Zhuravychi Migrant Accommodation Centre.
  • Ukraine: Open Letter regarding the Arbitrary Detention of Somali Asylum Seekers
    Letter
    Jan 31, 2012
    We are writing to raise our concern about the arbitrary detention of some or all of a group of 125 Somali nationals detained at the Zhuravychi Migrant Accommodation Centre (MAC). Some of them are registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) or the Ukrainian authorities as asylum seekers. Around 80 have told UNHCR they want to apply for asylum in Ukraine, but have not been allowed to do so.