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Current Events Focus on Human Rights Peru's Questioned Elections (Sept 26) Indonesia: Transition and Regional Conflict (Sept 25) China, Trade and Human Rights (Sept 19) Violence in East Timor (Septe 8) China: Human Rights Deteriorate (Sept 5) Chechnya: Renewed Catastrophe (Sept 6) Colombia - Continuing Crisis (August 28) India: Human Rights Abuses Fuel Conflict (August 22) Sierra Leone: Violations of the Peace Accord (August 16) The Pinochet Prosecution (August 8) Malaysia: Post-Election Repression (August 8) More... |
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Latest Reports from Human Rights Watch |
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Turkey: Journalist Acquitted (New York, September 29, 2000) An Istanbul court today acquitted journalist Nadire Mater and her publisher Semih Sokmen of charges of "insulting the military." The prosecutor had asked for a twelve-year prison sentence for Mater and Sokmen for their work on Mehmet's Book, which tells the stories of veterans of the war in Turkey's southeast. The prosecutor has one week in which to appeal the verdict. Meanwhile the book itself remains banned. Congo: UN Rights Commissioner Visits (New York, September 29, 2000) Human Rights Watch today welcomed the visit of Mary Robinson, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (D.R.C). Mary Robinson arrives in Kinshasha on Sunday, October 1, and travels to rebel-held Goma in Eastern Congo on Tuesday, October 3. Conviction of Iranian Lawyers Condemned (September 28, 2000, New York) Human Rights Watch today condemned the conviction by a court in Tehran of two Iranian human rights lawyers on charges of defamation and disseminating false information. Mohsen Rahami and Shirin Ebadi were both given suspended prison sentences of fifteen months and banned from practicing law for five years by Court Branch 16. Council of Europe Should Maintain Pressure on Chechnya (New York, September 27, 2000) A Human Rights Watch representative is speaking to members of the Council of Europe this week to urge a continued strong stand by the organization on human rights abuses and war crimes in Chechnya. Turkey: Journalist on Trial (New York, September 27, 2000) On Friday, September 29, a Human Rights Watch representative will attend the final hearing of a Turkish journalist accused of "insulting the military." Journalist Nadire Mater and her publisher, Semih Sökmen, are being tried at Beyoglu Criminal Court No. 2 for insulting the military under Article 159 of the Turkish Criminal Code. Peru: Montesinos Asylum Claim "a Farce" (New York, September 26, 2000) — Human Rights Watch today wrote to Panamanian President Mireya Moscoso, urging her to deny political asylum to Vladimiro Montesinos, the former Peruvian spy chief. Tanzania: Violence against Women Refugees (New York, September 26, 2000) — Burundian refugee women confront daily violence in Tanzanian refugee camps, Human Rights Watch charges in a new report released today. Indonesia: Aceh Situation Worsening, Human Rights Groups Warn (New York, September 25, 2000) — Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch today warned that the Indonesian government's failure to address a rapidly deteriorating security situation in Aceh is leading to a huge increase in human rights violations. Lebanon: Internet, Gay Rights Targeted (New York, September 23, 2000) Two international human rights organizations today condemned the government's move to prosecute two Lebanese citizens in a military court for "tarnishing the reputation" of the vice police (police des moeurs), an arm of the Internal Security Forces. Burma's Political Crackdown: Action Urged (New York, September 22, 2000) — Human Rights Watch today called for immediate international pressure on Burma to lift new government restrictions on the opposition party National League for Democracy (NLD). NGOs Urge Implementation of Wolfensohn Commitment to Human Rights (Prague, September 22, 2000) — Human Rights Watch and the International Federation of Human Rights today welcomed World Bank President James Wolfensohn´s commitment to begin making explicit reference to human rights in Bank documents. Mr. Wolfensohn made the commitment in a meeting with non-governmental organizations in Prague this morning. Iranian Verdict in Espionage Case ‘Disappointing' (New York, September 22, 2000) — Human Rights Watch today expressed its disappointment over the decision of an Iranian appeals court to uphold prison terms for ten Jews and two Muslims from Shiraz initially accused of espionage for Israel. Indonesia: Attacks on Academics in Aceh (New York, September 21, 2000) — The Indonesian government should investigate the assassination of Prof. Safwan Idris, a prominent academic in the Aceh region of Indonesia, Human Rights Watch said today. Group Criticizes Iraq, Security Council on Sanctions (New York, September 21, 2000) -- Human Rights Watch today strongly criticized the government of Iraq for refusing to cooperate with United Nations efforts to assess the country's humanitarian situation. In a letter sent yesterday to the government, Human Rights Watch called on President Saddam Hussein to reconsider its stance of non-cooperation. Thousands of Thai Women Trafficked to Japan (New York, September 21, 2000) Thousands of Thai women are "trafficked" every year into Japan, where many of them endure slavery-like conditions in the Japanese sex industry, Human Rights Watch said in a new report released today. Indonesia: Postpone Donor Meeting (New York, September 20, 2000) Human Rights Watch today urged Indonesia's donors to delay an annual donor conference until the Indonesian government takes effective action against militia violence in West Timor. The Consultative Group on Indonesia (CGI), convened by the World Bank, is planning to meet in Tokyo in late October to determine aid commitments for the coming year. Congo: Government, Rebels Suppress Free Expression (New York, September 20, 2000) Human Rights Watch today called on the government of President Kabila to immediately release five jailed journalists, and to reverse a ban on ten private and church-owned radio and television stations. The ban was issued by ministerial decree on September 14. Human Rights Watch also urged the Rwandan-backed rebel faction Congolese Rally for Democracy (RCD), to release a detained free-lance photographer, and to reopen a radio station owned and operated by civil society organizations. U.S.: China Trade Bill a "Disappointment" (Washington, September 19, 2000) Human Rights Watch today expressed disappointment over the U.S. Senate's vote to grant permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) to China without any human rights conditions attached. Peru: Call for Fujimori Exit (New York, September 18, 2000) President Alberto Fujimori (who Saturday called for new elections in Peru and announced that he would not present himself as a candidate) should stand down immediately in favor of a caretaker president who can enjoy the confidence of all political sectors, Human Rights Watch said today. The Peruvian president's decision was announced shortly after it was revealed that intelligence chief Vladimiro Montesinos had bribed an opposition congressman. Serbia: Elections Not Free and Fair (New York, September 15, 2000)—The September 24 elections in Yugoslavia and Serbia will not be free, and probably will not be fair, Human Rights Watch said today. In a 10-page press backgrounder, Human Rights Watch detailed the Yugoslav government's campaign of intimidation and violence against the opposition, and the fraudulent techniques it has used to steal past elections. U.N. Must Condemn Russia for Chechnya Abuses (New York, September 14, 2000) A special United Nations meeting convened to discuss Chechnya should strongly condemn Russia's failure to investigate human rights abuse there, Human Rights Watch said today. Refugee Women in Guinea Raped (New York, September 13, 2000) Human Rights Watch today strongly condemned the Guinean government for inciting armed attacks against Sierra Leonean and Liberian refugees. An inflammatory public statement by the President of Guinea on Saturday, September 9, provoked widespread attacks by Guinean police, soldiers, and civilian militias. Urgent Need for Independent Timor Investigation (New York, September 8, 2000) Human Rights Watch today backed the call from the Indonesian Human Rights Commission for an independent investigation, with U.N. participation, into the killings of aid workers in West Timor on September 6. Sudan Blasted on Women's Ban (Washington, September 8, 2000) Human Rights Watch today condemned the ban imposed on September 3, 2000, by the Governor of the State of Khartoum and former minister of social planning, Mr. Mazjoub al-Khalifa, that prevents women from working in public places where they come into direct contact with men. Sudan's President Omar el-Bashir is in New York for the U.N. Millennium Summit this week. Global Progress on Banning Landmines (Washington, September 7, 2000) More than 22 million antipersonnel mines have been destroyed from the arsenals of at least fifty nations, and the number of new landmine victims is dropping sharply in heavily mined countries like Cambodia, Afghanistan, Bosnia-Hercegovina and Mozambique, the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) said in a report released today simultaneously in about 20 countries. Georgia Lets Attacks on Religious Believers Go Unpunished (New York, September 6, 2000) Georgian authorities must stop the cycle of impunity for violence against religious minorities, Human Rights Watch said today. In a letter sent to Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze, the organization condemned the government for its failure over the past several months to bring to justice the perpetrators of an escalating series of violent attacks against adherents to nontraditional religious faiths. Indonesia Must Act on West Timor Killings (New York, September 6, 2000) Human Rights Watch said that the deaths today of at least three U.N. refugee aid workers in West Timor were directly attributable to the Indonesian government's failure to control the militias. New York-Based Aceh Activist Murdered in Indonesia (September 6, 2000, New York) Human Rights Watch called on Indonesian authorities to find and punish the murderers of Jafar Siddiq Hamzah. Jafar, a leading human rights activist from Aceh, Indonesia, and a permanent resident of New York, disappeared in the North Sumatran city of Medan on August 5. His body was found with four other as yet unidentified victims some 83 km west of Medan on Sunday and was positively identified by the family on Wednesday. UN Summit: Clinton Must Not Drop the Ball on Chechnya (New York, September 6, 2000) President Clinton must continue to press Russian President Vladimir V. Putin to hold accountable perpetrators of gross abuses in Chechnya, Human Rights Watch said today. The U.S. president is slated to have a bilateral meeting with President Putin as part of the U.N. Millennium Summit this week. Turkey's E.U. Candidacy (New York, September 6, 2000) A new Human Rights Watch report released today outlines the most critical reforms needed in Turkey, and urges that they be included in the plan for Turkey's accession to the E.U. Senegal President Urged to Back Rights Prosecution (New York, September 5, 2000) As Senegal's President Abdoulaye Wade visits New York today, Human Rights Watch urges him to seek the re-instatement of torture charges against the exiled Chadian dictator Hissene Habré. The case against Habré, labeled the "African Pinochet," is seen as a human rights landmark. China's President Jiang Told to Release Prisoners (Washington, September 5, 2000) In a thirty-five page report released today, Human Rights Watch called on China's President Jiang Zemin to release more than thirty people imprisoned for their role in the China Democracy Party and all others who have been detained in China for peaceful political activities. East Timor: Serious Obstacles to Justice Remain (New York, September 2, 2000) Human Rights Watch today welcomed the naming of nineteen suspects by Indonesian prosecutors investigating the terror and destruction in East Timor last year. HRW Appeal to EU to Suspend Aid to Colombia We are writing to urge the European Union to take immediate steps to suspend European aid to the so-called Plan Colombia. Congo: Jailed Activists Disappear (New York, September 1, 2000) Human Rights Watch today called on authorities of the Rassemblement Congolais pour la Démocratie-Goma (RCD-Goma) and their Rwandan allies to reveal the whereabouts of four Congolese who disappeared after their arrest in Bukavu on August 29. The four were transferred from Bukavu to Goma, another town under RCD control and have not been seen since. Australia Undermining Global Human Rights (August 31, 2000) Human Rights Watch today condemned the Australian government's decision to restrict cooperation with U.N. bodies critical of Australian human rights practices. "Deck is Stacked" Against U.S. Workers (New York, August 31, 2000)-- Workers' basic rights are routinely violated in the United States because U.S. labor law is so feebly enforced and so filled with loopholes, Human Rights Watch said in a new report released today. Burma: Asean Should Help End Standoff (New York, August 30, 2000) In letters to Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) foreign ministers yesterday, Human Rights Watch called on ASEAN governments to use their influence to persuade Burma's State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) to end the current standoff with Aung San Suu Kyi. More... |
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