• Updated Human Rights Watch Submission to the United Nations Committee against Torture on Greece
    Written statement
    Apr 25, 2012
    This memorandum, submitted to the United Nations Committee Against Torture (“the Committee”) ahead of its upcoming review of Greece, highlights areas of concern Human Rights Watch hopes will inform the Committee’s consideration of the Greek government’s (“the government”) compliance with the International Convention against Torture and Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment ("the Convention").
  • Human Rights Watch's Updated Submission to the Committee on the Rights of the Child on Greece
    Written statement
    Apr 25, 2012
    We write in advance of the Committee on the Rights of the Child (“the Committee”) upcoming periodic review of Greece, to highlight areas of concern we hope will inform your consideration of the Greek government’s (“the government”) compliance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child (“the Convention”).
  • Netherlands: Joint NGO Letter to Minister Leers
    Letter
    Apr 2, 2012
    We, the undersigned 5 human rights organizations, are writing to urge you not to return Abu Kurke Kebato, a 23-year-old Ethiopian, and his 21-year-old wife Seena Tafse Mohammed, also an Ethiopian national, to Italy. We understand that both were detained on March 29, 2012 pending deportation to Italy on April 5, 2012.
  • Bill to fight human smuggling only punishes victims
    Commentary
    Mar 30, 2012
    Parliament is currently debating legislation that would require one-year, mandatory detention for certain migrants arriving in Canada, including 16- and 17-year-old children. Ostensibly intended to prevent human smuggling, this bill in fact punishes victims of human smuggling, including those desperately fleeing persecution and violence.
  • A sick system abuses its refugees
    Commentary
    Mar 18, 2012

    South Africa's tourism website describes the country as the "land of good times and friendly people". Sadly, Araya Y, a pregnant Somali refugee living in Port Elizabeth, did not experience this side of the country. Instead, when she went to a government district hospital in July 2010 to give birth, she was abused by medical staff and denied care. 

  • Canada: Vote No on Migrant Detention Bill
    Press release
    Mar 16, 2012

    A bill that would require mandatory detention for some migrants would violate Canada’s binding international legal obligations.

  • Letter to Canadian MP's on C-31 Law
    Letter
    Mar 16, 2012
    Human Rights Watch is writing to raise concerns about certain provisions of proposed Bill C-31, Protecting Canada’s Immigration System Act, that we believe are harmful to refugees and asylum seekers and incompatible with international refugee and human rights law. Although the detention provisions of Bill C-31 are ostensibly proposed to deter human smugglers, Human Rights Watch believes that these provisions, in fact, target refugee claimants fleeing persecution, who will suffer their consequences.
  • Letter to Arab League on Syrian Refugees
    Letter
    Mar 15, 2012
    Human Rights Watch welcomes the Council of the League of Arab States’ February 12 call on Syria to end all forms of violence against Syrian civilians and to grant access to Arab and international relief organizations to bring humanitarian assistance to affected populations, and respectfully urges the ministers of the LAS Council to adopt a further resolution that calls upon all member states to provide at least temporary asylum to Syrian civilians fleeing conflict and persecution.
  • UK: Halt Deportations of Tamils to Sri Lanka
    Press release
    Feb 24, 2012

    The United Kingdom should suspend deportations of ethnic Tamil asylum seekers to Sri Lanka and immediately review its policies and information about the country’s rights situation used to assess their claims.

  • France: European Court of Human Rights Condemns Faulty Asylum Procedure
    Press release
    Feb 2, 2012
    France should learn the lessons of the European Court of Human Rights decision today concerning a serious deficiency in its asylum procedure.