• Turkey: End Overly Broad Website Blocking
    Dec 21, 2012
    The Turkish government should promptly stop unlawfully blocking websites. On December 18, 2012, the European Court of Human Rights ruled, in the case of Ahmet Yıldırım v. Turkey, that blocking Google Sites in Turkey violated the right to freedom of expression. A Turkish court had ordered the complete blocking of Google Sites because of one person’s post. But the European Court found that Turkey’s legal framework was inadequate and did not prevent abuses and arbitrary application of blocking measures.
  • EU: Enact Controls on Digital Weapons Trade
    Dec 11, 2012

    The European Union should enact new controls on internet surveillance technologies that have enabled human rights violations. The European Parliament adopted a new digital freedom strategy in EU foreign policy in the plenary on December 11.

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  • Turkey: End Overly Broad Website Blocking
    Dec 21, 2012
    The Turkish government should promptly stop unlawfully blocking websites. On December 18, 2012, the European Court of Human Rights ruled, in the case of Ahmet Yıldırım v. Turkey, that blocking Google Sites in Turkey violated the right to freedom of expression. A Turkish court had ordered the complete blocking of Google Sites because of one person’s post. But the European Court found that Turkey’s legal framework was inadequate and did not prevent abuses and arbitrary application of blocking measures.
  • Joint Letter and Submission to President Kim Re. World Bank Safeguards Review
    Dec 20, 2012

    Given the fundamental importance of safeguards in helping countries develop in a sustainable manner, we believe that the Safeguards review provides a critical opportunity to strengthen the Bank’s development model. The Bank should strive to be a standard-setter among development institutions, and this review provides an opportunity to lead a race to the top in establishing strong and effective safeguards.

  • EU: Enact Controls on Digital Weapons Trade
    Dec 11, 2012

    The European Union should enact new controls on internet surveillance technologies that have enabled human rights violations. The European Parliament adopted a new digital freedom strategy in EU foreign policy in the plenary on December 11.

  • Statement for the Opening of the Euronext Stock Exchange, International Human Rights Day
    Dec 10, 2012
    Human Rights Watch welcomes the opportunity to open the Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris markets of NYSE Euronext on December 10th, International Human Rights Day.
  • Joint Comment on the Reporting Requirements on Responsible Investment in Burma
    Oct 3, 2012
    The undersigned United States and international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) are pleased to submit a public comment regarding the “Reporting Requirements on Responsible Investment in Burma.” Many of our organizations have expressed concerns about the scope and timing of the US government decision to permit new investment in Burma and argued for stronger requirements to be imposed on American companies in view of serious, ongoing human rights and corruption concerns. We nevertheless support the reporting requirements as a valuable–if incomplete and imperfect–means to help advance human rights and political reform, consistent with the US government’s longstanding foreign policy priorities in Burma.
  • Public Comment on the US Reporting Requirements for Investment in Burma
    Oct 3, 2012

    Human Rights Watch welcomes the opportunity to comment on the “Reporting Requirements on Responsible Investment in Burma.” This submission supplements a joint comment by United States and international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and a coalition comment by the International Corporate Accountability Roundtable (ICAR), which Human Rights Watch also endorses.

  • Letter to EBRD President Re. Country Assessment and Operational Priorities for Egypt
    Sep 18, 2012

    The Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, and Human Rights Watch urges the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to ensure that the EBRD’s upcoming process of creating a country assessment and operational priorities for Egypt will provide a full and accurate assessment of the Egyptian government’s commitment to and application of the principles articulated in Article 1 of the EBRD's founding agreement. We strongly recommend that you articulate concrete reform steps in this country assessment, underlining the steps the Egyptian government needs to take to work toward the Article 1 principles, and make clear the EBRD’s level of engagement will depend on the level of progress in these areas.

  • Letter to World Bank Vice President for Africa On Rwanda
    Sep 5, 2012

    I am writing to urge the World Bank to review its programing in Rwanda in light of detailed evidence of human rights abuses by the Rwandan government and the Rwandan military’s support for armed groups in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) responsible for serious human rights violations.

  • Equatorial Guinea: UNESCO’s Shameful Award
    Jul 15, 2012
    UNESCO’s decision to issue a controversial prize sponsored by President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea is disappointing and irresponsible, seven civil society groups said. A ceremony to award the prize is scheduled for July 17, 2012, in Paris. Obiang, in power for 33 years, leads a government known for corruption and repression.
  • "Development" With Blinders at the World Bank
    Jul 12, 2012
    The World Bank's board of executive directors today agreed to fund transmission lines from southern Ethiopia to Kenya. The controversial Gibe III hydroelectric dam, which is expected to more than double Ethiopia's power generation when it comes into operation in 2014, is going to be a significant power source for the World Bank's project.
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