Human Rights Watch Daily Brief, 25 July

In Tunisia, Mohamed Brahmi, a prominent opposition politician was gunned down in the streets. Brahmi was an outspoken critic of the government. In Egypt, police and military police have arrested scores of Syrians in Cairo, including many registered asylum seekers and others with valid visas or residence permits. They've apparently not been charged with any offense, but many are now threatened with deportation back to war-torn Syria.
In China, Bo Xilai was indicted on criminal charges of bribery, corruption and abuse of power. What can be said about the criminal justice system in the People's Republic of China 64 years after its establishment? HRW launched a series on the subject today. You'd think the World Bank would pay close attention to whether any of the governments it works with, spending billions of dollars on "development", are violating human rights with this money. It doesn't. President Obama met with Vietnam's President Sang for the first official meeting since 2008. Given Vietnam's increased jailing of dissidents, bloggers, and religious leaders John Sifton, Asia advocacy director, asks why. And South Asia has a new superhero: Burka Avenger. A mild-mannered school teacher with secret martial arts skills who fights to keep her girls' school open against those who would deny children education.