Iraq: Chilling Accounts of Torture, Deaths

Iraq: Chilling Accounts of Torture, Deaths

Two former detainees and the father of a man who died in detention have provided details of ill-treatment, torture, and death in facilities run by the Iraqi Interior Ministry in the Mosul area, Human Rights Watch said today.

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Stop Trump from Locking up Families

After ripping 2,000 children from the arms of their parents, the Trump administration is now locking up huge numbers of families together. Halting the separation of families is not enough. This cruelty must stop. Click here to find out how you can help #EndFamilyDetention.

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Last week, a Saudi-led coalition airstrike in Yemen hit a bus full of children. At least 21 boys were killed when coalition forces struck the vehicle in Houthi-held northern Yemen. Another 35 were wounded. One distressing video shows a very young boy being treated at a hospital. His face is bloodied, his clothes torn, his face a picture of blank bewilderment. He is still wearing a tiny blue backpack. This incident shows all too clearly the cost of Yemen’s war on civilians. But the attack also shows the callous indifference of the Western powers enthusiastically arming the Saudi-led coalition. How have the US and the UK, who have sold billions in arms to Saudi Arabia since the war began in March 2015, reacted to this incident? Have they suspended their arms sales to the coalition? They have not. Egyptian authorities have failed to investigate or prosecute a single member of the security forces five years after their systematic and widespread killing of largely peaceful protesters in Rab’a Square in Cairo. Security forces killed at least 817 protesters within a few hours on August 14, 2013, as they violently dispersed the sit-in at Rab’a al-Adawiya, the main gathering of protesters demanding the reinstatement of President Mohamed Morsy, whom the army overthrew and arrested on July 3, 2013. Meanwhile, hundreds of protesters have been convicted under unfair charges in mass trials stemming from the protests. Since protests broke out in #Nicaragua on April 18, at least 317 people have been killed and over 2,000 have been injured, in most cases by police officers and pro-government armed gangs. Tens of thousands of students took to the streets in Bangladesh calling for better road safety after a speeding bus killed two university students late last month. Students demanded safer roads, but also accountable governance and the rule of law: the protests’ slogan is “we want justice.” They filled the streets of Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka, bringing the city of 18 million people to a standstill. But the Bangladesh government responded to the peaceful protests with force, using tear gas and rubber bullets. Students, parents, teachers, or just appalled citizens have been sending to Human Rights Watch pictures and videos of men identifying themselves as ruling Awami League supporters beating up the student protestors, even including schoolchildren in uniform. Instead of prosecuting the attackers, the Bangladesh government has been monitoring social media accounts to shut down criticism. At least 20 people have been arrested, including the renowned photographer and activist, Shahidul Alam, for speaking out against the violent crackdown. This needs to end. The #Bangladesh authorities should release #ShahidulAlam and others, address violence by everyone, including its supporters, and instead uphold the right of everyone, even children, to peacefully protest. (📷: © 2018 Turjoy Chowdhury/NurPhoto via Getty Images) One year after Heather Heyer was killed and 19 were injured in #Charlottesville, white nationalists will descend on the nation’s capital across the street from the White House where racist rhetoric has served abusive policies. We must continue to stand strong #AgainstHate. The Week in Numbers: At least 317 people have been killed in Nicaragua since protests broke out in April. 626K people live in the world's largest refugee camp in Bangladesh. 4 opposition members & activists fleeing a post-election crackdown in Zimbabwe were denied asylum, returned by Zambia. 28 countries have changed their abortion laws since 2000. At least 90% of the Yezidi population in Iraq's Sinjar has been displaced.
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No Gag Rule

The US Department of Health and Human Services has proposed a rule to stop doctors from giving women information about reproductive health care options. The "gag" rule could affect family planning services for more than 4 million women. 

Help us tell Secretary Azar to #StopTheGag!

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