A few months ago I got a call from a researcher at a journalism rights group who wanted to know my views on the dangers journalists face working in Brazil. From my standpoint, it was a pretty simple answer. I told the researcher that, in my opinion, the journalists in most danger in Brazil all [...]
Lawyer Says Shattos Did Not Kill Their Child
A lawyer for the parents of Max Shatto, the Russian adoptee whose death last month in the U.S. state of Texas provoked outrage in Moscow, says his clients did not kill their child. Speaking to the local “Odessa American” newspaper, attorney Michael J. Brown said, “There’s no evidence whatsoever that I can see that would [...]
Equatorial Guinea: Visiting Leaders Should Press for Rights
(Washington, DC) – Latin American and African officials participating in a cross-regional meeting in Equatorial Guinea should press their host, President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasago, to undertake serious human rights and democratic reforms ahead of planned parliamentary elections in May, 2013. President Dilma Rousseff of Brazil, among other officials, is anticipated to attend the Africa-South [...]
Mali: Prosecute Soldiers for Abuses
(Nairobi) – The Malian government should urgently investigate and prosecute soldiers responsible for torture, summary executions, and enforced disappearances of suspected Islamist rebels and alleged collaborators since the fighting in northern Mali resumed in January 2013, Human Rights Watch said today. Mali’s international partners should bolster accountability efforts and civilian protection in the north to [...]
Zambia: Safety Gaps Threaten Copper Miners | Human Rights Watch
(Johannesburg) – Workers in the copper mining sector in Zambia remain vulnerable to abuse. New Human Rights Watch research found that the government of President Michael Sata, who promised to prioritize labor rights when he took office in September 2011, has made some improvements in supporting the oversight of the mines, but there remains inadequate [...]
Ban ‘Killer Robots’ Before It’s Too Late
(Washington, DC) – Governments should pre-emptively ban fully autonomous weapons because of the danger they pose to civilians in armed conflict, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. These future weapons, sometimes called “killer robots,” would be able to choose and fire on targets without human intervention. The 50-page report, “Losing Humanity: [...]
Ghana: People With Mental Disabilities Face Serious Abuse
People with mental disabilities suffer severe abuses in psychiatric institutions and spiritual healing centers in Ghana, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. The Ghanaian government has done little to combat such abuse or to ensure that these people can live in the community, as is their right under international law. The 84-page [...]
Methamphetamine ‘Growing Concern’ for West Africa
ABIDJAN — A new report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNDOC) warns that the production of methamphetamine is a “growing concern” for West Africa. The report, which addresses many forms of transnational crime in the region, also suggests that recent gains in the fight against cocaine trafficking may have been overstated. [...]
Disability Rights
Ghana: People With Mental Disabilities Face Serious Abuse People with mental disabilities suffer severe abuses in psychiatric institutions and spiritual healing centers in Ghana, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. The Ghanaian government has done little to combat such abuse or to ensure that these people can live in the community, as [...]
Uzbekistan: Forced Labor Widespread in Cotton Harvest | Human Rights Watch
(Berlin) – Uzbek authorities have increased the use of forced labor by adults and older children in the cotton sector during the past year, Human Rights Watch said today. The move was apparently made to shift the burden away from younger children in response to public scrutiny and international pressure. For the 2012 harvest, the [...]
Nigeria: Funds Released for Lead Cleanup | Human Rights Watch
Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan’s decision to immediately release funds to clean up lead-contaminated villages in Nigeria will save untold lives, Human Rights Watch said today. Releasing the funds clears the way for at least 1,500 children in urgent need of life-saving medical treatment in northern Nigeria to receive care. Jonathan had promised in May 2012 [...]
DR Congo: War Crimes by M23, Congolese Army | Human Rights Watch
(Goma) – M23 rebels and Congolese army soldiers raped scores of women and committed other war crimes during the rebels’ occupation of Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo in late 2012. Ongoing talks among parties to the conflict, countries in the region, and the United Nations should ensure that any agreements include holding those [...]