Residents Banned from Returning Home in Libya: Daily Brief

Libyan militia and local authorities have been barring residents from the northern town of Tawergha from returning home after seven years of forced displacement. Since February 1, two men have died following strokes, in the deteriorating conditions for families stranded in makeshift desert camps. The International Criminal Court should investigate those implicated in possible crimes against humanity against the Tawergha community. Die Welt journalist Deniz Yucel is set to be released from jail in Turkey after a year in detention accused of spreading propaganda. An Istanbul court accepted charges brought by prosecutors, who are apparently seeking up to 18 years in prison for Yücel. On Thursday, the US Congress failed to reach a deal on immigration. This leaves thousands of 'Dreamers' in the US at continued risk of deportation. Instead of offering protection, yesterday's votes ensure the Trump administration's abusive immigration system will go on. In Iraq, there is mounting evidence that security forces and area residents in Mosul are preventing international aid organizations from providing basic humanitarian assistance to families suspected to have ties with ISIS. If the Iraqi government wants to prevent future sectarian strife, it is precisely this critical group that it must refranchise. A Kazakh businessman arrested in November 2017 as a suspect in a money-laundering investigation alleges he was beaten and ill-treated in detention. Norwegian Helsinki Committee and Human Rights Watch have called on the government to provide immediate medical assistance to Iskander Erimbetov and to ensure that their investigation into the allegations is swift, impartial, and thorough. The #MeToo movement has reached Hollywood, the press, restauranteurs, the White House, and even the gambling industry. But can it bring change for sexual assault victims in immigration detention? The war in Afghanistan left more than 10,000 civilian casualties in 2017, according to an annual report by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan and the UN Human Rights Office. The use of improvised explosive devices and complex attacks caused the majority of fatalities, which altogether represent the highest figures in this war so far. The Rome Statute, the ground-breaking treaty that established the International Criminal Court, turns 20 later this year. The anniversary is an opportunity to renew the commitment to the court, in a time when the need to demand justice and respect for the rule of law is greater than ever. Dewa Mavhinga, HRW Southern Africa Director, remembers Morgan Richard Tsvangirai, Zimbabwe's former prime minister and leader of the opposition, who passed away this week.