Human Rights Watch Daily Brief, 8 June 2016

Immigrants in the United States who are stuck in deportation proceedings are facing a serious crisis in due process. The US immigration system does not provide a "public defender" to those unable to afford an attorney, and without legal representation, it is nearly impossible for someone to receive a fair trial, increasing the risk of deportation and being separated from their families. The 27th edition of the New York Human Rights Watch Film Festival will take place from June 10-19, with 18 provocative feature films in the line up. Among them is Hooligan Sparrow, which documents Chinese activist Ye Haiyan (aka “Hooligan Sparrow”) as she protests against a school headmaster’s sexual abuse of young girls, leading both the director and Sparrow to become targets of government intimidation. Over 750 children were killed during fighting in Yemen in 2015, with many more injured. With 60 percent of casualties attributed to the Saudi-led coalition, the United Nations Secretary General's decision to remove the coalition from his "list of shame" this week is perplexing. Instead of allowing Saudi Arabia bully its way off the list, the UN should expect nothing less than a total commitment to protecting children from harm in Yemen. South Sudanese citizens have endured brutal conflict since December 2013, but accountability has remained elusive. The country's new government, led by the men responsible for the violence, now seeks to bury justice once and for all. They should not be allowed to, and justice should be carried out to prevent further violence. From earlier today: Hundreds of Serbian children with disabilities face "neglect and isolation" in institutions, Human Rights Watch said in a new report today. Children with disabilities are still routinely placed in institutions - often straight from birth - and more state support is needed to allow children to live at home.