Coronavirus a Global Emergency: Daily Brief
Coronavirus declared global health emergency; human rights challenges for the United Kingdom after Brexit; reporters sentenced to prison in Burundi; Italy should revoke anti-rescue decrees; authorities in Iraq violently remove protesters; Mexico's justice system proposals would violate fundamental rights; and detention and abuse of street children in Rwanda.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the new coronavirus a global emergency, as the outbreak continues to spread outside China.
As the United Kingdom leaves the European Union at the end of today, Human Rights Watch has urged the UK government to maintain a focus on human rights in its domestic and foreign policy agenda. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his team should also ensure that mechanisms to protect people’s rights are not downgraded.
It's another sad day for fundamental freedoms in Burundi, as a court has sentenced four reporters to two and a half years in prison after they were convicted on charges of trying to undermine state security. They are unjustly jailed and should immediately and unconditionally be released instead, say HRW and European Parliament.
Italy’s coalition government should revoke anti-asylum and anti-rescue measures held over from the previous government.
Authorities in Iraq have ramped up violent tactics to quash ongoing protests across Baghdad and southern parts of the country.
Proposed changes in Mexico’s justice system would be a major step backward for the rule of law and violate the country’s human rights obligations.
This week HRW published a new report on awful abuse of children in Rwanda.