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

Uzbek authorities should ensure that an appeal hearing that began today for a human rights advocate is fair and independent, Human Rights Watch said. The activist, Farkhad Mukhtarov, was convicted of criminal charges in a trial that appeared to have been politically motivated, and he was denied the right to defend himself fully.

The French Immigration Minister’s proposals to address the needs of unaccompanied migrant children held at transit zones, especially airports, falls short of bringing France into compliance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Morocco must reverse its expulsion of Sahrawi rights activist Aminatou Haidar and allow her to enter her country of nationality, Human Rights Watch said today. Spain must intercede with Morocco to ensure her return.

The “Stupak amendment” to the House health care reform bill, which would effectively eliminate abortion access for millions of women, threatens women’s human rights, Human Rights Watch said in a letter to US senators today. The restrictive provision was included in the final health care reform bill that passed the House earlier this month, and similar language is likely to be considered in the Senate.

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

The Kyrgyz authorities should immediately release the human rights activists Bakhrom Hamroev and Izzatilla Rakhmatillaev and allow them to continue their fact-finding work without further interference.

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.