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Bahrain: End Threats to Rights Activists
November 11, 2008 - 10:00pmInterior Minister Warned of Criminal Punishment for ‘Foreign’ Contacts Bahrain’s government should withdraw a threat by the interior minister to prosecute human rights activists for having met with foreign government officials while abroad, Human Rights Watch said today.
Categories: Human Rights Reports
Award to Saudi Human Rights Lawyer
November 11, 2008 - 10:00pm(New York, November 11, 2008) – Human Rights Watch today honored Abd al-Rahman al-Lahim, a Saudi human rights lawyer, with the 2008 Human Rights Defenders Award in London. Al-Lahim is prevented from traveling abroad by the Saudi authorities (http://hrw.org/english/docs/2008/08/28/saudia19710.htm), and was unable to receive the award in person. He prepared a speech representing his personal views that was read to assembled guests on his behalf (http://hrw.org/english/docs/2008/11/11/saudia20182.htm).
Categories: Human Rights Reports
Egypt: End ‘Shoot to Stop’ Practice at Sinai Border Crossings
November 10, 2008 - 10:00pmIsrael and Egypt Should Halt Forced Returns to Abuse (Cairo, November 12, 2008) – Since June 2007, Egyptian border guards have killed at least 32 African migrants trying to cross into Israel, and Israel has forcibly returned at least 139 border crossers to Egypt, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. Egypt has detained those returned, not revealed their whereabouts, and reportedly deported some to their home countries where they face a substantial risk of persecution.
Categories: Human Rights Reports
UN: World Leaders Should Press Saudis on Intolerance
November 9, 2008 - 10:00pmKing Abdullah to Speak at Saudi-Sponsored UN Interfaith Meeting World leaders should press King Abdullah to end systematic religious discrimination in Saudi Arabia, Human Rights Watch said today. The leaders will gather on November 12 at the United Nations for an interfaith meeting spearheaded by Saudi Arabia to foster the culture of peace.
Categories: Human Rights Reports
Tunisia: Longtime Political Prisoners Freed
November 5, 2008 - 10:00pmEnd Harassment of Ex-Prisoners and Declare Amnesty President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali of Tunisia freed several prominent political prisoners on November 5, 2008, and Human Rights Watch urged authorities to release all persons held for nonviolent political activities and to end the harassment of former political prisoners.
Categories: Human Rights Reports
Lebanon: Act Now on Steps to Prevent Torture
November 4, 2008 - 10:00pmCountry’s Report on Torture Is Seven Years Overdue Lebanon should take concrete and public measures to stop the use of torture in detention facilities and submit a long-overdue report on the subject to the United Nations, a group of eight Lebanese and international human rights organizations said today.
Categories: Human Rights Reports
Iran Hangs Seventh Juvenile Offender This Year
November 2, 2008 - 10:00pmIran hanged a juvenile offender on October 30, 2008, the seventh this year, only two days after Iranian authorities “categorically denied” that it still executes juveniles, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran and Human Rights Watch said today. Both organizations appealed to Iranian authorities to end such executions immediately.
Categories: Human Rights Reports
Syria: Harsh Sentences for Democratic Opposition
October 29, 2008 - 10:00pmDamascus Declaration Trial a Transparent Bid to Silence Critics Syria’s sentencing of a dozen leading democracy advocates to more than two years in prison is the latest evidence of Syria’s repression of opposition groups, Human Rights Watch said today. The democracy activists, including doctors, lawyers, writers, and an artist, were sentenced on October 29, 2008 to 30 months in prison on politically motivated charges.
Categories: Human Rights Reports
US: Iraq Security Deal Should Shield Detainees
October 28, 2008 - 10:00pmTo Avoid Torture Risk, Include Provision to Challenge Transfer The United States should not transfer detainees in US military custody to Iraqi custody under a US-Iraqi security agreement if they face the risk of torture, Human Rights Watch said today.
Categories: Human Rights Reports
Iran: Attacks Escalate Against Women’s Rights Activists
October 27, 2008 - 10:00pmThe Iranian government is escalating its attacks against women activists, subjecting them to arbitrary detention, travel bans, and harassment, Human Rights Watch said today.
Categories: Human Rights Reports
UK: Terror Suspect Should Not Be Deported to Jordan
October 26, 2008 - 10:00pmRisk of Torture Too Serious to Permit Abu Qatada’s Return The British government should drop its efforts to deport a Jordanian terrorism suspect who risks torture and an unfair trial if returned to Jordan, Human Rights Watch said today. The Jordanian government’s promises of humane treatment and a fair trial on return cannot be trusted, Human Rights Watch said.
Categories: Human Rights Reports
Yemen: Hundreds Unlawfully Arrested in Rebel Conflict
October 23, 2008 - 10:00pmInvestigate Arbitrary Detentions and ‘Disappearances’ Yemeni security forces have systematically and unlawfully detained several hundred people, including journalists, in the context of the four-year civil war with rebel forces in northern Yemen, Human Rights Watch said in a new report released today. Human Rights Watch urged Yemen’s President Ali Abdullah Saleh to establish an independent commission to investigate arbitrary arrests and “disappearances” and to punish those responsible.
Categories: Human Rights Reports
United Kingdom: Stop Deportations to Risk of Torture
October 21, 2008 - 10:00pmPromises From Algeria and Jordan Unreliable in Preventing Abuse The British government should immediately halt plans to deport foreign terrorism suspects to countries that offer unreliable promises not to torture them, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today.
Categories: Human Rights Reports
EU: Stand Firm Against Diplomatic Assurances
October 21, 2008 - 10:00pmUK Promotion of Assurances Undermines EU Torture Guidelines The European Union should resist British government efforts to gain acceptance for the use of diplomatic assurances against torture in national security deportations and extraditions, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today.
Categories: Human Rights Reports
United Kingdom: Stop Deportations to Risk of Torture
October 20, 2008 - 10:00pmPromises From Algeria and Jordan Unreliable in Preventing Abuse The British government should immediately halt plans to deport foreign terrorism suspects to countries that offer unreliable promises not to torture them, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today.
Categories: Other News
EU: Stand Firm Against Diplomatic Assurances
October 20, 2008 - 10:00pmUK Promotion of Assurances Undermines EU Torture Guidelines The European Union should resist British government efforts to gain acceptance for the use of diplomatic assurances against torture in national security deportations and extraditions, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today.
Categories: Other News
Iran: Move To End Juvenile Executions
October 16, 2008 - 10:00pmLegislature Should Follow With Legal Ban A recent judicial ban on juvenile executions in Iran should save more than 130 juvenile offenders currently on death row from execution, Human Rights Watch said today.
Categories: Human Rights Reports
Spain: Give Migrant Children Legal Aid
October 16, 2008 - 10:00pmHalt Repatriations and Provide Lawyers and Other Safeguards Spain’s accelerating effort to send back unaccompanied children who enter the country illegally might subject them to danger, ill-treatment and detention, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. The government needs to halt repatriations until it has a process to ensure their well-being, and, as an immediate step, give them the same right to an independent lawyer that adult migrants have under Spanish law.
Categories: Human Rights Reports
UN Urged to Ban Executions of Juvenile Offenders
October 13, 2008 - 10:00pmGroups from 82 Countries Seek Urgent Reforms As UN member states begin three days of debate on the rights of the child, more than 300 nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) from 82 countries called on the UN General Assembly to take urgent action to end executions for crimes committed by children, Human Rights Watch said today.
Categories: Human Rights Reports
Libya Frees Political Prisoner
October 9, 2008 - 10:00pmIdris Boufayed Is Promised Travel for Medical Treatment Libya freed Dr. Idris Boufayed from detention on October 8, almost 20 months after security agents arrested him for planning a peaceful demonstration, Human Rights Watch said today. Boufayed, who suffers from advanced lung cancer, was released from detention in a hospital and promised that he would be allowed to travel abroad for medical care.
Categories: Human Rights Reports
