"Jaw-Dropping" Abuse at US Border: Daily Brief
US records show abuse by border officers; deadly sectarian violence in Bangladesh; at risk Afghans struggle for asylum; release of political prisoners in Myanmar falls short; health workers in Kenya lack protection during pandemic; increasing calls for release of human rights lawyer in Burundi; German parties forming a government should address unjust gender recognition laws.
A new Human Rights Watch report on abuse of asylum seekers at the US border details internal reports made by asylum officers about the conduct of personnel in the Department of Homeland Security. The reports include allegations of physical, sexual, and verbal abuse, due process violations, harsh detention conditions, denial of medical care, and discriminatory treatment at or near the border.
The Bangladesh authorities should exercise caution and restraint in containing the recent wave of violence against the Hindu minority. An angry mob had attacked a Hindu temple in Comilla on October 15 after a photo showing the Quran placed on the knee of a Hindu deity went viral on social media. Since the first attacks, mobs have torched dozens of Hindu homes and vandalized temples and statues throughout the country.
Since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, many Afghans at grave risk depend on governments to respect the right to seek asylum. Human Rights Watch published a new policy briefing paper showing how the United Nations and governments should assist Afghan refugees and asylum seekers, including those in countries neighboring Afghanistan, transit countries, and countries of resettlement.
On October 18, the Myanmar's State Administrative Council junta announced it was pardoning 1,316 people and dropping charges against 4,320 who “participated in protests.” However, these releases are limited in scope and do not reflect a broader change in the military’s respect for human rights. Concerned governments should increase pressure on the junta to release all political prisoners, end abuses against protesters and others, and commit to promptly restore democratic rule.
The Kenyan government’s haphazard, uncoordinated response to Covid-19 has affected the welfare of thousands of health workers, and hindered Kenya’s ability to provide timely and quality health care during the pandemic. The government failed to provide health workers with adequate protective equipment, testing, or other safety measures to ensure that they could safely and effectively respond to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Burundi should release lawyer Tony Germain Nkina who was arrested, convicted and sentenced to five years in prison – likely because of his former affiliation with the Association for the Protection of Human Rights and Detained Persons (APRODH), a leading human rights group in Burundi until 2015. His sentencing runs counter to Burundi's obligations and commitments also in the frame of improved relations with the EU.
Finally, Germany’s political parties negotiating coalition agreements to create a new government should make a commitment to change the law on legal gender recognition, so that it is based on self-determination, not so-called expert reports. They should address the current onerous procedure for transgender people to modify their registered name and gender.