Human Rights Watch Daily Brief, 16 February 2016
Life in the Taliban's Afghanistan; France extends state of emergency law; Indonesia's LGBT onslaught; Bulgaria's border protection; Australia's offshore migrant centers; scores die in Syria strikes; Bahrain arrests US reporters; unrest in Uganda; Iran women barred from volleyball; more...
Get the Daily Brief by email.
Things are getting worse in Afghanistan, and the Taliban are the main culprit. But this is hardly news for all those civilians who must endure suicide attacks, bombings, kidnappings, and other atrocities on a daily basis.
France extended its state of emergency law today. Since the government put the sweeping police powers into place following the Paris attacks, France has carried out abusive and discriminatory raids and house arrests against Muslims.
Indonesia continued its assault on the LGBT community by banning television and radio programming that portrays LGBT lives as "normal." As if the inherent intolerance of the censorship move isn't bad enough, the government claims its sledgehammer tactics aim to "protect" children.
The European Union sends Bulgaria a tough message about the country's bad track record on refugee rights, including the use of live ammunition and attack dogs. But will it be enough?
Processing child migrants in offshore centers may pass Australia's own legal muster - but not necessarily international law.
From earlier today: Air strikes in northern Syria which targeted schools and hospitals were likely war crimes, France and Turkey have said. Up to 50 people were killed in the attacks yesterday, and scores injured. Russia says it "categorically rejects" the accusations.
Four US journalists have been arrested in Bahrain and accused of illegally entering the country. One of the reporters has been identified as Anna Therese Day, and the other three are said to be members of her crew.