• Saudi Arabia: Free Detainee in ‘Eye-for-an-Eye’ Case
    Press release
    Apr 13, 2013
    Judicial authorities in Saudi Arabia should take urgent steps to end the indefinite detention of a man who can’t raise the money to compensate an attack victim. Ali al-Khawahar, 31, completed a six-year criminal sentence in 2010 as punishment for a January 14, 2004 incident in which he stabbed a childhood friend in the back near his spinal cord. The stabbing left the friend permanently paralyzed. In addition to the criminal sentence, he also faced a Qisas, or “equal retaliation” judgment, which under Saudi law stipules a direct “eye-for-an-eye” physical punishment or payment of compensation to the victim. The Justice Ministry stated on April 8, 2013, that the court would not apply a “paralysis” retribution punishment in this case, leaving payment of compensation as the only avenue for al-Khawahar to obtain his freedom.
  • Mali: Two Torture Victims Die in Detention
    Press release
    Apr 11, 2013
    Two ethnic Tuareg men who had been arrested on February 15, 2013, and tortured by Malian soldiers in the town of Léré, Timbuktu region, have died in detention at the Central Prison in Bamako.
  • Joint letter to CIA Director Brennan on Appointment of Director of Clandestine Service
    Letter
    Apr 10, 2013
    We are deeply concerned by reports in reputable news sources that you are considering appointing as the new Director of Clandestine Service of the Central Intelligence Agency an individual who reportedly was closely involved in setting up CIA secret detention facilities (known as “black sites”).
  • UAE: Don’t Deport Tamil Refugees to Sri Lanka
    Press release
    Apr 6, 2013
    United Arab Emirates (UAE) authorities should not deport 19 Tamil refugees to Sri Lanka because they would be at serious risk of torture and persecution upon return. The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) has recognized all 19 as refugees, but the UAE authorities have told the group they must leave the country by April 11, 2013.
  • Mali: Soldiers Torture Detainees in Léré
    Press release
    Mar 26, 2013
    The government of Mali should investigate allegations that Malian soldiers tortured seven suspected supporters of Islamist armed groups in Léré, near Timbuktu.
  • Involuntary Treatment: The Invisible Health Care Crisis
    Commentary
    Mar 5, 2013
    In his new report, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Juan Mendez, the UN’s leading expert on torture, has drawn attention to severe abuses, such as neglect, mental and physical abuse and sexual violence, against people with mental or intellectual disabilities in health-care settings.
  • UN Report Highlights Abuse as ‘Drug Treatment’
    Press release
    Mar 3, 2013
    A United Nations report about torture and other abuses in healthcare settings points to the need for donors to withdraw funds to compulsory drug detention centers, Human Rights Watch and Harm Reduction International said today.
  • Libya: Focus on Justice System in Paris Meeting
    Press release
    Feb 12, 2013
    The international ministerial meeting in Paris on security in Libya on February 12, 2013, should include building a strong justice system as an integral part of its discussions. The Paris meeting, hosted by the French foreign minister, Laurent Fabius, will bring together senior Libyan officials and foreign ministers from the US, UK, Italy, Denmark, Turkey, the UAE, and Qatar, as well as representatives of the UN and EU.
  • Senegal: Hissène Habré Court Opens
    Press release
    Feb 8, 2013
    The inauguration of a special court in Senegal marks a turning point in the long campaign to bring to justice the former dictator of Chad Hissène Habré.
  • Lebanon: Stagnation on Reforms in 2012
    Press release
    Feb 7, 2013
    Lebanon failed to enact needed reforms in 2012 to stem abuse during arrest and detention, promote women’s rights, and protect migrants and refugees, Human Rights Watch said today at a news conference for its World Report 2013.