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Human Rights Watch Daily Brief, 27 May 2015

Indonesia, Germany, Rohingya boat people, Hamas, Gambia, UK, South Sudan, Saudi Arabia, #FreeRaifBadawi

It appears to be business as usual this week for Indonesian government officials who are intent on maintaining the decades-long restrictions on foreign media access to Indonesia’s far eastern provinces of Papua and West Papua.
Relatives of the victims of a US drone strike in Yemen are suing Germany for allowing the US to coordinate the strike from a base in Germany. Germany has a responsibility to prevent illegal attacks originating from bases on its soil, and should do so in the future.
From earlier today: Survivors of dangerous boat voyages from Burma and Bangladesh have told Human Rights Watch of the "horrific treatment" they received at the hands of unscrupulous people smugglers and traffickers. Rohingya and other survivors told Human Rights Watch how they endured months at sea, packed below decks in cramped conditions with limited food and water and terrible sanitation. Some victims were also apparently forced onto boats against their will.
Hamas forces in Gaza committed serious human rights abuses including abductions, torture and extra-judicial executions of Palestinian civilians during last summer's conflict between Israel and militants in Gaza, according to a new report from Amnesty International.
Gambian authorities have held incommunicado dozens of friends and relatives of people accused of involvement in a coup attempt in January 2015 including women, the elderly, and a child - many of whom are in poor health.
The UK government appears to be back-pedaling on its stated commitment to scrap the Human Rights Act. Rights groups have voiced concerns that the move would weaken domestic human rights protections as well as undermine the UK’s standing on human rights internationally.
As fighting and abuses continue in South Sudan, there are fresh fears that a man-made humanitarian catastrophe is looming.

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