• Djibouti: Allow Peaceful Protests
    Press release
    Apr 4, 2011
    The government of Djibouti should immediately end its systematic crackdown on peaceful critics and the political opposition. Presidential elections are scheduled for April 8, 2011, but since February, the government has banned all demonstrations and arbitrarily arrested and prosecuted peaceful protesters and opposition leaders.
  • Djibouti: Call to Drop Charges and Release Jean-Paul Noël Abdi, President of the Djiboutian League of Human Rights
    Letter
    Feb 17, 2011
    Human Rights Watch writes to His Excellency Ismail Omar Guelleh, President of the Republic of Djibouti, to draw his attention to the very serious human rights concern relating to the February 9, 2011 arrest of Mr. Jean-Paul Noël Abdi, President of the Djiboutian League of Human Rights. Mr. Noël Abdi was arrested shortly after he investigated and reported on the arrests of students and members of opposition political parties following demonstrations on February 5 and 6.
  • From the Horn of Africa, a Ray of Hope
    Commentary
    Jul 21, 2010
    Ask people what they know about Somalia and most will probably start talking about pirates, terrorists and Black Hawk Down. Not many would think to mention democracy or free elections as well, but they should. Last month, Somaliland--an impoverished sliver of territory that has maintained de facto independence from Somalia since 1991--held elections that put the democratic pretenses of its neighbors in the Horn of Africa to shame.
  • Welcome to Yemen – Or Maybe Not
    Commentary
    Dec 20, 2009
    For the tens of thousands of African refugees fleeing to Yemen each year, the journey across the Gulf of Aden can be heartbreakingly difficult and dangerous - and then things often only get worse.
  • Yemen: Asylum Seekers Run Gauntlet of Abuses
    Press release
    Dec 20, 2009
    The Yemeni government should stop systematically arresting Ethiopian asylum seekers and forcibly returning them to Ethiopia. The United Nations refugee agency should do more to press the Yemeni government to meet its obligations toward all asylum seekers and refugees.
  • African Civil Society Urges African States Parties to the Rome Statute to Reaffirm Their Commitment to the ICC
    Written statement
    Jul 30, 2009
    Recognizing our obligation to help protect human rights and uphold the rule of law, we, the undersigned civil society organizations, appeal to African ICC States Parties to reaffirm their support for the ICC and their commitment to abide by their obligations under the Rome Statute, particularly in relation to the arrest and transfer of the President of Sudan to the ICC.
  • Organisation of the Islamic Conference: Improve and Strengthen the 1999 OIC Convention on Combating International Terrorism
    Letter
    Mar 11, 2008
    Human Rights Watch writes to urge Dr. Ihsanoglu to use his position as Secretary General of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference to support measures at the upcoming Summit of the Organisation of Islamic Conference in Dakar, Senegal on March 13-14 that would improve and strengthen the 1999 OIC Convention on Combating International Terrorism.
  • Letter to the President of Djibouti
    Letter
    Feb 21, 2005
    Human Rights Watch has received reliable reports that your government arbitrarily refused entry to four people seeking political asylum from Eritrea in late December in violation of Djibouti’s international treaty obligations.
  • Djibouti: Release Jailed Opposition Leader
    Press release
    Jul 29, 2003
    The Djibouti government should immediately release journalist and opposition leader Daher Ahmed Farah from prison, cancel the fine levied against him and allow him to resume publishing his newspaper, Human Rights Watch said today.
  • Djibouti: Letter to President Guelleh
    Letter
    Jul 29, 2003
    Human Rights Watch requests that you unconditionally release from detention journalist Daher Ahmed Farah, a political opposition leader who has been convicted of the crime of defamation for criticizing the army chief of staff in an article in his newspaper, Le Renouveau. We further request that the government lift its 3-month ban on publishing Le Renouveau and annul the enormous fine imposed on Farah.