Human Rights Watch | Defending Human Rights Worldwide | Human Rights Watch

Donate now

Help us continue to fight human rights abuses. Please give now to support our work

Donate Now

National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla members line up in their camp on the banks of the San Juan River, Chocó state, Colombia, on November 21, 2017.

July 15, 2020

Colombia: Armed Groups’ Brutal Covid-19 Measures

Armed groups in Colombia have committed killings and other abuses against civilians in an effort to enforce their own measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19, Human Rights Watch said today.

Africa

July 15, 2020
News Release
Burundi: Make Rights a Priority
Asia

July 14, 2020
News Release
Cambodia: Micro-Loan Borrowers Face Covid-19 Crisis
United States

July 14, 2020
Dispatches
Tulsa Searches for Mass Graves from 1921 Race Massacre

Dreisen Heath

Advocacy Officer (Acting), US Program

@dreisenheath
@dreisenheath

Latest News

July 15, 2020 Commentary

Stuck at Venezuela’s Border with Covid-19 All Around

Published In Caracas Chronicles
July 15, 2020 Commentary

The UK Is Greenlighting Arms Sales to Saudi Arabia Again. That’s a Travesty.

Published In
July 15, 2020 Dispatches

US Structural Racism Shapes Access to Water During Covid-19
July 15, 2020 News Release

Russia: Rights Defender Faces Criminal Charges
July 15, 2020 Dispatches

Philippines Uses ‘Drug War’ Tactics to Fight Covid-19
July 14, 2020 Commentary

Trump Wants to Gut Asylum Claims. LGBTQ+ People Will Die.

Published In The Advocate
July 14, 2020 News Release

Maldives: Free Speech, Assembly Under Threat
July 14, 2020 News Release

Ukraine: Independent Journalist Threatened
July 13, 2020 Dispatches

United States Should Ban Use of Glyphosate on Food Crops
July 13, 2020 Dispatches

US Should Urgently Increase Access to Cooling
July 13, 2020 Commentary

Remember Liu Xiaobo by Supporting Rights Activists in China

Published In The Diplomat
July 13, 2020 News Release

Lebanon: New Coalition to Defend Free Speech
July 13, 2020 Dispatches

Covid-19 Reveals Global Need to Improve Education Systems

Donate now to support human rights around the world

Make a One-time Gift

Videos

Reports

July 15, 2020 Report

Colombia: Armed Groups’ Brutal Covid-19 Measures

Killings, Threats, and Social Control
July 13, 2020 Report

Panama: New Trans Discrimination Cases Under Covid-19 Measures

Government Needs to Clarify Gender-Based Quarantine System
July 10, 2020 News Release

Cameroon: Civilians Forced to Do Guard Duty

Investigate 42nd Battalion Abuses in Mozogo
July 8, 2020 Report

“It Wasn’t Really Safety, It Was Shame”

Young People, Sexual Health Education, and HPV in Alabama

Africa

July 15, 2020
Letter
Letter to President Ndayishimiye: Protecting Human Rights in Burundi

July 15, 2020 Letter

Letter to the AU Peace and Security Council Regarding the Session on South Sudan

July 15, 2020 News Release

Burundi: Make Rights a Priority
Americas

July 15, 2020
Commentary
Stuck at Venezuela’s Border with Covid-19 All Around

Tamara Taraciuk Broner

Acting Deputy Director, Americas Division

@TamaraTaraciuk
@TamaraTaraciuk

Kathleen Page

Published in: Caracas Chronicles

July 14, 2020 Commentary

Trump Wants to Gut Asylum Claims. LGBTQ+ People Will Die.

Published In The Advocate

July 8, 2020 Commentary

How the EU Can Help Brazil Save Its Rainforest

Published In Valor Econômico
Asia

July 15, 2020
Dispatches
Philippines Uses ‘Drug War’ Tactics to Fight Covid-19

Phil Robertson

Deputy Director, Asia Division

Reaproy
Reaproy

July 14, 2020 News Release

Maldives: Free Speech, Assembly Under Threat

July 14, 2020 News Release

Cambodia: Micro-Loan Borrowers Face Covid-19 Crisis
Europe/Central Asia

July 15, 2020
News Release
Russia: Rights Defender Faces Criminal Charges

July 14, 2020 News Release

Ukraine: Independent Journalist Threatened

July 10, 2020 Dispatches

UK’s Africa Policy Should be Guided by Rights
Middle East/North Africa

July 13, 2020
News Release
Lebanon: New Coalition to Defend Free Speech

July 13, 2020 Letter

Letter Re: Arrests and Convictions Under Oman’s 2018 Penal Code

July 10, 2020 News Release

Iran: Death Penalty for Protest-Related Charges
United States

July 15, 2020
Dispatches
US Structural Racism Shapes Access to Water During Covid-19

Amanda Klasing

Acting Co-Director, Women's Rights Division

amklasing
amklasing

July 15, 2020 Letter

Comment on proposed changes to procedures for asylum and withholding of removal; credible fear and reasonable fear

July 14, 2020 Dispatches

Tulsa Searches for Mass Graves from 1921 Race Massacre

Arms

June 16, 2020
Dispatches
Italy Should Stop Arms Transfer to Egypt

Claudio Francavilla

EU Advocacy Officer

@ClaFrancavilla
@ClaFrancavilla

June 10, 2020 Dispatches

France Should Halt Arms Exports to Saudi Arabia, Egypt

June 9, 2020 Dispatches

Children Vote to Stop Killer Robots
Business

July 9, 2020
Dispatches
US Consumer Protection Agency Scraps ‘Payday Loan’ Rules

Komala Ramachandra

Senior Researcher, Business and Human Rights

Komala_chandra
Komala_chandra

July 6, 2020 Dispatches

Report Exposes Impact of Privatizing US Criminal System

July 6, 2020 Commentary

Japan’s Kirin Should Stop Supporting Myanmar Military

Published In Asia Times
Children's Rights

July 13, 2020
Dispatches
Covid-19 Reveals Global Need to Improve Education Systems

Elin Martínez

Senior Researcher, Children's Rights Division

Martinez_Elin
Martinez_Elin

July 9, 2020 Dispatches

Music Shouldn’t Stop at Hong Kong’s School Gates

July 8, 2020 News Release

US: Alabama Missing Ways to Improve Young People’s Health
Crisis and Conflict

June 29, 2020
Commentary
The US Commits the Same Abuses it Condemns Abroad

Belkis Wille

Senior Researcher, Crisis and Conflict Division

belkiswille
belkiswille

Ida Sawyer

Acting Crisis and Conflict Director

ida_sawyer
ida_sawyer

Published in: Al Jazeera

July 15, 2020 Commentary

The UK Is Greenlighting Arms Sales to Saudi Arabia Again. That’s a Travesty.

Published In

June 29, 2020 News Release

Canada: Bring Home ISIS Suspects and Relatives from Syria
Disability Rights

July 12, 2020
Dispatches
How My Disability Prepared Me for Covid-19

Elsie Tellier

Intern, Disability Rights Division

July 9, 2020 Dispatches

US Nursing Home Residents Should Know Their Rights

June 15, 2020 News Release

US: Ensure Oversight, Not Immunity, for Nursing Homes
Environment

July 13, 2020
Dispatches
United States Should Ban Use of Glyphosate on Food Crops

Cara Schulte

Associate, Environment and Human Rights

@CE_Schulte
@CE_Schulte

July 13, 2020 Dispatches

US Should Urgently Increase Access to Cooling

July 8, 2020 Commentary

How the EU Can Help Brazil Save Its Rainforest

Published In Valor Econômico
Free Speech

July 15, 2020
News Release
Russia: Rights Defender Faces Criminal Charges

July 14, 2020 News Release

Maldives: Free Speech, Assembly Under Threat

July 14, 2020 News Release

Ukraine: Independent Journalist Threatened
Health

July 15, 2020
Dispatches
US Structural Racism Shapes Access to Water During Covid-19

Amanda Klasing

Acting Co-Director, Women's Rights Division

amklasing
amklasing

July 14, 2020 News Release

Maldives: Free Speech, Assembly Under Threat

July 8, 2020 News Release

US: Alabama Missing Ways to Improve Young People’s Health
International Justice

July 6, 2020
Commentary
Donald Trump’s Attack on the ICC Shows His Contempt for the Global Rule of Law

Elizabeth Evenson

Associate Director, International Justice Program

liz_evenson
liz_evenson

Published in: Euronews

July 15, 2020 Letter

Letter to the AU Peace and Security Council Regarding the Session on South Sudan

June 29, 2020 Dispatches

Working Toward a Stronger International Criminal Court
LGBT Rights

July 15, 2020
Letter
Comment on proposed changes to procedures for asylum and withholding of removal; credible fear and reasonable fear

July 14, 2020 Commentary

Trump Wants to Gut Asylum Claims. LGBTQ+ People Will Die.

Published In The Advocate

July 13, 2020 Letter

Letter Re: Arrests and Convictions Under Oman’s 2018 Penal Code
Migrants

Asia

July 14, 2020
News Release
Maldives: Free Speech, Assembly Under Threat

June 9, 2020 Commentary

Russia's latest app will track migrant workers — but who's next?

Published In openDemocracy

June 5, 2020 Commentary

RAMCO Strike a Key Moment for Labor Rights in Lebanon

Published In Executive Magazine
Refugee Rights

July 15, 2020
Letter
Comment on proposed changes to procedures for asylum and withholding of removal; credible fear and reasonable fear

July 14, 2020 Commentary

Trump Wants to Gut Asylum Claims. LGBTQ+ People Will Die.

Published In The Advocate

July 9, 2020 News Release

Bangladesh: Move Rohingya from Dangerous Silt Island
Terrorism / Counterterrorism

July 1, 2020
Commentary
Sahel: Atrocities by the security forces are fueling recruitment by armed Islamists

Corinne Dufka

Director, West Africa

@CorinneDufka
@CorinneDufka

Published in: Le Monde

June 29, 2020 News Release

Canada: Bring Home ISIS Suspects and Relatives from Syria

June 16, 2020 Commentary

Canada Must Work to Bring Citizens Trapped in Syria Home – Even ISIS Suspects

Published In The Ottawa Citizen
Torture

July 15, 2020
Letter
Comment on proposed changes to procedures for asylum and withholding of removal; credible fear and reasonable fear

July 10, 2020 Commentary

Bahrain’s Torture-Tainted Courts

Published In The New Arab

June 24, 2020 News Release

Egypt: Rights Defender’s Relatives Arrested
United Nations

July 1, 2020
Dispatches
When Will Sports Stop Policing Femininity?

Kyle Knight

Senior Researcher, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Rights Program

knightktm
knightktm

July 13, 2020 Letter

Protecting Human Rights in the Covid-19 Pandemic

June 30, 2020 Dispatches

Philippines in Hot Seat at UN Rights Council
Women's Rights

July 15, 2020
Letter
Comment on proposed changes to procedures for asylum and withholding of removal; credible fear and reasonable fear

July 8, 2020 Commentary

COVID-19 Doesn’t Excuse Lombok’s Discriminatory Dress Code

Published In Coconuts

July 8, 2020 Commentary

Pregnancy Risks Rise with Extreme Heat, But Public Health Info is Lacking

Published In Chicago Tribune