In recent weeks, US officials have suggested that the Department of Defense may be seeking to resume US military training for members of Kopassus, and particularly in the area of counter-terrorism.  This raises a number of serious questions about the US's commitment to withholding military assistance to foreign military forces that have committed serious violations of human rights. These questions stem from unique aspects of the Kopassus counter-terrorism component known as Unit 81, the entity whose members the Department of Defense presumably seeks to train.

Newly issued laws in preparation for 2010 elections in Burma are designed to exclude the main opposition party and ensure a victory for the ruling military.

The Sri Lankan government should end its harassment of journalists and activists and take steps against those making threats.

The Afghan government should urgently act to repeal a law that provides an amnesty to perpetrators of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

More than one hundred leading China scholars, writers, and human rights advocates from around the world are today releasing a letter to China's National People's Congress that calls for the immediate and unconditional release of imprisoned dissident Liu Xiaobo.

We, the undersigned scholars, writers, lawyers, and human rights advocates, write to ask you to intervene to protect literary critic and former professor Liu Xiaobo who was sentenced to 11 years in prison on December 25, 2009 for "incitement to subvert state power and overthrow the socialist system" (Article 105 of the Criminal Law of the People¹s Republic of China).

My 8-year-old son was understandably confused earlier this month. He was sitting in my lap as I read news that the United Nations agency responsible for protecting children’s rights was being criticised for supporting Cambodian detention centres where children are subject to arbitrary detention, torture, violent beatings and other sadistic punishments. “UNICEF is torturing kids, Dad?” he asked.

Philippine authorities should act swiftly to protect eyewitnesses to the November 2009 massacre of at least 57 people in Maguindanao province on Mindanao, and to protect their families as well.