45 New Reasons the EU Is Dead Wrong in the Med: Daily Brief

Largest refugee shipwreck off Libyan coast this year; Greece throws thousands of refugees on to the streets; protests continue in Belarus, some broken up by security forces; crackdown in Thailand; Myanmar should release free-speech advocate; Kenya denying people their right to education; China is desperate to strangle democracy in Hong Kong; Japanese foreign minister's tour of four rights-abusing nations; world asks Saudi Arabia #WhereIsLoujain?; and states joining rights groups in concern for Uzbek journalist.
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45 people have lost their lives at sea in the worst incident off the coast of Libya this year. The EU's deadly policy needs a dramatic U-turn.

Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the Greek government announced that it was throwing more than 11,000 refugees out on the street, including families with children, pregnant women, and women who are alone in Greece, as well as people with disabilities and older people.

Protests continue across Belarus. Yesterday, security forces dispersed a crowd of protesters who came to support the striking workers at the Minsk Tractor factory, and the "March of Sorrow" protest was dispersed by police in Minsk. EU leaders met yesterday and expressed solidarity with the protesters.

Thai authorities keep promising to listen to dissenting voices... and keep arresting them.

Myanmar free-speech activist and poet Maung Saungkha is due to appear in court on August 21 on deeply flawed charges.

The Indian Supreme Court’s conviction of a prominent lawyer for criminal contempt of court can have a chilling effect on legitimate criticism, including of the country’s judiciary.

Kenya is denying education to pregnant teens and young mothers.

How desperate is China to stop Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement? Very.

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi is about to visit Papua New Guinea, Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar. We he mention the serious human rights concerns in any of them?

The Saudi authorities need to tell us: Where is Loujain? 

In a positive development, governments are joining human rights groups in their concern for independent Uzbek journalist Bobomurod Abdullaev, who is currently being held in Kyrgyzstan and under threat of being sent to Uzbekistan, where he would be tortured again.

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