Farewell Bob Bernstein: Daily Brief
Plus: Both Hamas and Palestinian authorities crush dissent; South Sudan calls for an end to sanctions; Germany should urge Uzbekistan to build human rights principles; deadly prison attacks in Brazil; women in Kyrgyzstan suffer kidnappings and don’t be fooled by Azerbaijan’s Europa Championship publicity stunt.
Human Rights Watch mourns the death of Robert L. Bernstein, the publishing leader and rights advocate who organized the people and groups that ultimately became Human Rights Watch. Bernstein served as the first chair of the board of Human Rights Watch until 1990, and then was elected Founding Chair Emeritus. He died on May 27, 2019, aged 96. Bernstein showed by example that bulldog tenacity pays off in human rights work, that it is okay to show emotion about human rights abuse, and that there is room in the workplace for friendship and humor.
Palestine authorities and Hamas may be on opposing sides, but they both continue to crush dissent, and refuse to investigate allegations of torture.
South Sudan leaders are urging the UN security council to end sanctions against the country, even as continuing violence displaces thousands, and an arms embargo which was part of the sanctions, has evidently been flouted.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier is visiting Uzbekistan. During this trip, he says he recognizes the reforms taking place, but he should stress the need to operationalize human rights practices by; allowing local and international nongovernmental organizations to register and function, journalists to report freely, religious believers to engage in their peaceful religious practice, judges to make independent decisions in court, and former political prisoners access to justice and redress for past abuses.
Earlier this week, inmates in four states in Brazil killed 55 other inmates during prison riots. This is not the first such grisly riot in Brazilian prisons. Authorities have responded by deploying special forces to quell the violence, but nothing is being down to ensure such attacks do not happen again.
A year after the killing of university student Burulai Turdaaly kyzy, 20, by a man who was forcing her into marriage, laws have been passed to end this practice. However, poor enforcement of these laws means that women and girls still suffer forced marriages.
And finally, Azerbaijan expects to whitewash its image as a notorious human rights violator using the Europa Champions Final football game today. Fans and supporters should see through this stunt and call out the government’s ongoing repression against journalists and protestors.