Human Rights Watch Daily Brief, 27 June 2014

New analysis of photographs and satellite imagery strongly indicates that the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) conducted mass executions in the Iraqi city of Tikrit after seizing control of the city. It suggests that ISIS killed between 160 and 190 men in at least two locations between June 11 and 14. The number of victims may be much higher, but the difficulty of locating bodies and accessing the area has prevented a full investigation.  Iraq seems on the edge of an all-out sectarian war, and fighting has caused hundreds of thousands to flee their homes.

The United States has deported more than 72,000 parents who had children born in the United States. This practice destroys US families and harms communities. 

The prominent Libyan human rights activist Salwa Bugaighis was shot dead at her house in Benghazi by hooded men wearing military uniforms, shortly after she had returned from voting. Bugaighis was one of the few people who continued to challenge Islamist militias despite the danger. She had also stood up to Muammar Gaddafi’s tyranny.

Research suggests that Saudi Arabia may be infecting and monitoring mobiles phones with surveillance malware, which appears to target people in Qatif, eastern Saudi Arabia. Qatif has been a site of ongoing protests of various government policies since 2011. Want to wrap up the work-week with a laugh? The popular US satirical news program, The Daily Show with John Stewart, last night highlighted Human Rights Watch's word on the plight of children hired to work in US tobacco fields.