Search Results

Sort by
News

Russia: Domestic Violence Bill Falls Short

Lacks Specificity, Full Range of Protections Urgently Needed

(Moscow) – A draft law made public on November 29, 2019 fails to address serious gaps in Russia’s response to domestic violence , Human Rights Watch said today. In a December 6 letter to the Federation Council, the upper…
At a Moscow rally in support of domestic violence legislation, a woman holds a banner that reads "We demand a law against domestic violence. We are not killed yet, but we're close", Monday, Nov. 25, 2019.
News

Russia: Unaddressed Domestic Violence Puts Women at Risk

Legislative Changes, Stronger Police Action Needed

(Moscow) – Russian authorities often fail to protect women from domestic violence, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. Serious gaps in Russia’s laws, the lack of protection orders, and inadequate police and judicial responses leave…
In February 2017, parliament decriminalized first instances of battery among family members.
News

Syria/Jordan: Open Borders to Daraa Residents

Dire Conditions for Thousands Fleeing Fighting

(Beirut) – Jordanian and Israeli authorities should allow Syrians fleeing fighting in Daraa governorate to claim asylum and protect them, Human Rights Watch said today. On June 16, 2018, the Syrian-Russian military alliance opened an…
An Internally displaced girl from Daraa province carries a stuffed toy and holds the hand of child near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights in Quneitra, Syria June 29, 2018. © 2018 Reuters/Alaa Al-Faqir
News

Russia: Dark Year for Freedom

Repressive Laws, Charges Against Critics, Impunity for Abuse

(Moscow) – The Russian government escalated its crackdown on the political opposition and peaceful protesters during 2017, in advance of the 2018 elections, Human Rights Watch said today in its World Report 2018. The government also took…
Riot police detain a man during an anti-corruption protest on Tverskaya Street in central Moscow, Russia, June 12, 2017.
News

Russia: Journalist Faces Expulsion to Uzbekistan

Risk of Torture, Ill-Treatment

  UPDATE: On August 4, the European Court of Human Rights issued a preliminary injunction ordering Russia not to deport Khodoberdi Nurmatov to Uzbekistan, until the court can review his case.   (Moscow) – An Uzbek…
Ali Feruz at Basmanny district court in Moscow waiting for his hearing in the evening of August 1, 2017.
News

Syria: Questions and Answers on ‘Safe Zones’

Calls for Safe Zones Raise Concerns

(Beirut) – Human Rights Watch today released a question-and-answer document on “safe zones” and the armed conflict in Syria. A number of leaders and governments have suggested that creating safe zones in Syria near the Turkish or other borders could…
An internally displaced Syrian woman walks in the Bab Al-Salam refugee camp, near the Syrian-Turkish border, northern Aleppo province, Syria, December 26, 2016.
News

Russia: Bill to Decriminalize Domestic Violence

Parliament Should Reject Measure That Harms Families

Update: On February 7, 2017, President Putin signed the bill into law. On February 1, 2017, the upper chamber of the Russian parliament adopted the amendments. On January 27, the lower chamber of the Russian parliament adopted the…
Russian activist protesting decriminalization of domestic violence in front of Russia’s state parliament building.
News

Russia Needs to Pull its Weight in Solving Syria's Refugee Crisis

I started working to help refugees in 1975 after watching TV images of Vietnamese refugees hanging from the landing skids of helicopters that took off from the roof of the US Embassy in Saigon. As an American, I was acutely aware these refugees…
US Secretary of State Kerry, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov, and UN Envoy for Syria de Mistura address the media in Vienna.
News

Norway/Russia: Don’t Jeopardize Asylum Seekers

Fast-Track Returns Put Refugees at Risk

(Moscow) – Norway should stop using fast-track procedures to return asylum seekers to Russia based on the presumption that it is a safe country of asylum for them, Human Rights Watch said today. Russian and Norwegian authorities plan to meet on February 3…
Refugees and migrants gather near a checkpoint on the Russian-Norwegian border in Murmansk region, Russia on October 30, 2015.
News

France: Protect Critic of Kazakhstan Government

Don’t Extradite Refugee to Country Where he Risks Unfair Trial

January 9, 2014 Update On January 9, 2014, a court in Aix-en-Provence, France approved extradition requests filed by both Russia and Ukraine for the former BTA bank chairman and opposition figure Mukhtar Ablyazov. The court said Russia should take…
News

Russia, Others Should Treat Snowden’s Asylum Claim Fairly

Statement on Meeting in Moscow

(Moscow) – After meeting with Edward Snowden on July 12, 2013, Human Rights Watch reiterated its call for his asylum claims to receive fair treatment. Tanya Lokshina, Russia program director at Human Rights Watch, met with the former United States…
News

Ukraine: Investigate Disappearance of Asylum Seeker

Russian Opposition Activist Vanished in Kyiv, Turned Up in Russia

(Moscow) – Ukrainian authorities should initiate a prompt and impartial investigation into the disappearance from Ukraine on October 19, 2012, of a Russian asylum seeker, Human Rights Watch said today. Human Rights Watch expressed serious concern that…
News

Uzbekistan: Shanghai Group Should Condemn Massacre

Regional Group Should Defend Member State Kyrgyzstan From Uzbek Pressure

(New York) - A regional security group of Central Asian countries along with Russia and China, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization should condemn the Andijan massacre committed by government forces of its member state Uzbekistan, Human Rights Watch said…
News

'Diplomatic Assurances' Allowing Torture

Growing Trend Defies International Law

Governments in Europe and North America are increasingly sending suspects to abusive states on the basis of flimsy “diplomatic assurances” that expose the detainees to serious risk of torture and ill-treatment, Human Rights Watch said in a new report…
News

EU-Russia Summit: Put Rights Concerns Back on the Agenda

European Union leaders should use Friday’s summit with Russia to raise concerns about the country’s deteriorating human rights record and secure concrete commitments for improvements, Human Rights Watch said today. As the European Union prepares for its…
News

Peru Must Act to Improve Domestic Violence Law

(Washington, DC) - The Peruvian government should turn its domestic violence legislation into a real instrument for the protection of women, Human Rights Watch urged today in a sixteen-page memorandum to the Peruvian congress. The open memorandum was…

Refine Search

Filter by Country
Filter by Topic
Filter by Type
Filter by News Category