Human Rights Watch Daily Brief, 9 May 2016
Crackdown before elections in DR Congo; journalists convicted for doing job in Turkey; Kenya wants to stop hosting refugees; prison revolt & good news from Syria; retaliation against US military rape victims; death sentences for reporters in Egypt; PR fail North Korea; Pakistan's fear of farmers.
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Canada has been accepting Syrian refugees since December, and private Canadian citizens have resettled 10,000-26,000 refugees on their own.
For the past six months, thousands of protesters in Ethiopia's largest region have taken to the streets to demonstrate against alleged abuses by the government. The unprecedented protests have been met with a harsh response from security forces, resulting in hundreds killed and tens of thousands arrested, exposing the Ethiopian government's intolerance of opposition.
An estimated one million children work in artisanal and small-scale mines in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. This week, a forum is being held to discuss whether the sourcing of minerals meets international guidelines designed to ensure companies don't contribute to human rights abuses, like child labor.
The United States is investigating the 2012 death of an unarmed child on the US-Mexico border. The child was standing on the Mexican side of the border and was allegedly shot by a US Border Patrol Agent 10 times in the back. Historically, the Border Patrol Agency has not held its agents accountable for border violence. This case presents a rare opportunity for a family to get justice.
Burma is proceeding with a farcical trial of a 24-year-old poet. Maung Saungkha was arrested and charged with a crime after posting what was intended to be a humorous poem on Facebook. Though Burma's government is finalizing amnesty for the country's remaining political prisoners, this case highlights the need to also abolish the repressive laws that still exist in its books.
Papua New Guinea's (PNG) extremely high rate of family violence should be addressed, according to a peer review at the United Nations. A recent law in PNG to address the situation was a good step, but many roadblocks are still in the way of women and girls receiving the kind of assistance they need. The government should take steps to remove these hurdles.
From earlier today: The authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo have arrested at least 27 associates of Moise Katumbi, a presidential aspirant, and other opposition party members since late last month. Congo’s justice minister announced an investigation into Katumbi on May 4, the day he announced his candidacy.