• US: White House is 'puzzling' on racial profiling
    Commentary
    May 1, 2012
    The Obama administration has displayed a lack of interest in changing Justice Department rules on religious profiling or in supporting legislation like the End Racial Profiling Act, which would impede the government’s ability to monitor Muslim communities without cause.
  • US: Transfer CIA Drone Strikes to Military
    Press release
    Apr 20, 2012
    Remarks by a US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) official suggesting the agency is not legally bound by the laws of war underscore the urgent need for the Obama administration to transfer command of all aerial drone strikes to the armed forces.
  • How to Help Yemen Come Unstuck
    Commentary
    Apr 20, 2012

    Last week's shutdown of Sanaa's airport by security forces seeking to reverse President Abed Rabbo Mansour al-Hadi's dismissal of top brass loyal to the ancien regime exemplified exactly where Yemen is stuck.

  • No real justice in Guantanamo
    Commentary
    Apr 19, 2012
  • Letter to Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta: Repatriate or Resettle Detainees Cleared for Transfer and Implement PRBs
    Letter
    Apr 9, 2012
    Human Rights Watch wrote to Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta urging the administration to redouble its efforts to facilitate the repatriation and or appropriate resettlement of those detainees already cleared for transfer and to implement as soon as possible the Periodic Review Board (PRB) process to facilitate identification of additional detainees for repatriation or resettlement.
  • Majid Shoukat Khan
    Fact Sheet
    Mar 23, 2012
    Majid Shoukat Khan is a Pakistani citizen who lived in the United States for several years.While visiting Pakistan again in March 2003, Khan was arrested by Pakistani agents along with his brother Mohammed and other family members. Khan faced a potential life sentence but on February 29, 2012, pleaded guilty as part of a pre-trial agreement. In exchange for the promise of a reduced sentence, he agreed to cooperate with the prosecution, presumably by providing evidence against other Guantanamo detainees.
  • Syria: Armed Opposition Groups Committing Abuses
    Press release
    Mar 20, 2012

    Armed opposition elements have carried out serious human rights abuses, Human Rights Watch said today in a public letter to the Syrian National Council (SNC) and other leading Syrian opposition groups. Abuses include kidnapping, detention, and torture of security force members, government supporters, and people identified as members of pro-government militias, called shabeeha. Human Rights Watch has also received reports of executions by armed opposition groups of security force members and civilians.

  • US: Investigate New York Police Surveillance of Muslims
    Press release
    Mar 20, 2012
    The US Justice Department should immediately investigate the New York City police for alleged religion-based discrimination in their surveillance of Muslim communities, and make its findings public.
  • Letter to US Attorney General Eric Holder: Investigate NYPD's Religious Profiling of Muslims
    Letter
    Mar 20, 2012
    Human Rights Watch wrote to Attorney General Eric Holder urging the Department of Justice to open an investigation into the New York City Police Department's surveillance and profiling of Muslims based solely on religion and ethnic origin.
  • Open Letter to the Leaders of the Syrian Opposition
    Letter
    Mar 20, 2012

    We are writing to express our concern about increasing evidence, as described below, of kidnappings, the use of torture, and executions by armed Syrian opposition members and strongly urge you to work to ensure that all opposition members refrain from engaging in these unlawful practices.