• Syria: Stop Shelling of Residential Areas
    Press release
    Feb 9, 2012
    Since February 3, 2012, the attacks on Homs have killed more than 300 people, according to Syrian monitoring groups, and wounded hundreds others, including women and children.
  • 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.
  • Syria: Stop Torture of Children
    Press release
    Feb 3, 2012
    Syrian army and security officers have detained and tortured children with impunity during the past year. Human Rights Watch has documented at least 12 cases of children detained under inhumane conditions and tortured, as well as children shot while in their homes or on the street. Human Rights Watch has also documented government use of schools as detention centers, military bases or barracks, and sniper posts, as well as the arrest of children from schools.
  • A Chance for South Africa to do the Right Thing for Syria
    Commentary
    Feb 2, 2012

    Will history repeat itself at the United Nations Security Council? The last time South Africa was called to vote on a resolution on Syria, on October 4 last year, it chose to abstain, along with India and Brazil.

  • Russia Repeats Western Mistakes in Arab Spring
    Press release
    Jan 23, 2012
    Russia is repeating the mistakes of Western governments during the Arab Spring by continuing to support a longstanding authoritarian ally whose people have clearly expressed the desire for democratic change, Human Rights Watch said in releasing its annual global survey at a Moscow news conference today.
  • Letter to the Arab League Secretary-General Regarding the Monitoring Mission in Syria
    Letter
    Jan 20, 2012
    Human Rights Watch has been monitoring the ongoing human rights violations in Syria since the beginning of antigovernment protests in mid-March. In an effort to assist your assessment of the mission, we are setting out our documentation of recent violations as well as our concerns regarding the work of the monitoring mission.
  • Arab League: Report Publicly on Syria Mission
    Press release
    Jan 20, 2012
    The Arab League should publicly release its Syria monitoring mission’s final report in full and urge the United Nations Security Council to impose targeted sanctions to halt the ongoing killings. They will meet to discuss Syria on January 22, 2012. Human Rights Watch has documented ongoing daily violations by security forces against protesters and steps by the Syrian government to interfere with the work of the mission, including the detention of a wounded protester on January 1, 2012.
  • Syria: Army Shoots Protesters Attempting to Reach Observers
    Press release
    Jan 11, 2012

    The Arab League should urgently condemn the Syrian security forces for shooting peaceful protesters who were attempting to reach its observers in the northern city of Jisr al-Shughur, Human Rights Watch said today. In light of these and other blatant violations of the agreement it brokered with the Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad, the Arab League should report publicly on its findings and assess whether its mission should continue. 

  • Syria: Comply With Agreement
    Press release
    Jan 6, 2012

    The Syrian government should comply with all the terms of its agreement with the Arab League, Human Rights Watch said today ahead of a January 8, 2012 meeting of the Arab League to discuss its monitoring mission in Syria.

  • Syria: Detainees Hidden From International Monitors
    Press release
    Dec 27, 2011

    Syrian authorities have transferred perhaps hundreds of detainees to off-limits military sites to hide them from Arab League monitors now in the country, Human Rights Watch said today. The Arab League should insist on full access to all Syrian sites used for detention, consistent with its agreement with the Syrian government.