Historic Step for Justice in Syria; Burma Atrocities: HRW Daily Brief

The good news is that Ethiopia’s government has announced the release of 9,800 people detained for their participation in anti-government protests. The bad news is that they represent fewer than half of the 24,000 people detained since a countrywide state of emergency began on October 9. President Kabila of the Democratic Republic of Congo was supposed to step down this week as his constitutional term in office came to an end. Instead, he postponed elections and shows no intent to leave office. Violent protests have taken place since, and dozens of people have been killed or arrested. The transition team for United States President-elect Donald Trump has asked the US State Department for information on “gender-related staffing, programming, and funding,” prompting fears of a "purge" of women's rights programs in the incoming administration. 2016 was a tumultuous year for human rights. From the devastating war in Syria to the global refugee crisis to worldwide crackdowns on free speech, there was much to document. These are the stories, tweets, and videos that resonated the most with our followers. From this morning: Historic news on Syria: perpetrators of war crimes and crimes against humanity now face the prospect of facing a judge, after almost 6 years of unchecked atrocities. The UN General Assembly has adopted a resolution establishing a mechanism to assist in the investigation of serious crimes committed in Syria since 2011. The military in Burma has conducted a campaign of arson, killings, and rape against ethnic Rohingya, according to new research by Human Rights Watch. “Refugee accounts paint a horrific picture of an army that is out of control and rampaging through Rohingya villages,” said Brad Adams, HRW's Asia director.