(2018-11-25). A Chance for Afghanistan's Donors to Do More Than Check Boxes. hrw.org 
This week, delegations from donor countries to Afghanistan will meet in Geneva to hear Afghan officials report on progress in critical areas of reform. These conferences usually amount to little more than opportunities for donors, fatigued from a 17-year commitment to war-torn Afghanistan, to simply check boxes. But as prospects for peace talks increase, a critical evaluation of the government's human rights report card is more important than ever. |
(2018-11-25). China Denounces UN Security Council's Promotion of the West's Political Agenda in Myanmar. globalresearch.ca Although China's statements at the UN Security Council are most often brief and general in content, the afternoon of October 24 China's Ambassador Ma spoke at length and brilliantly exposed the fraudulent use of "concern for human rights" to conceal …
(2018-11-25). Minnesotans to rally in support of migrant caravan. fightbacknews.org Minneapolis, MN – As national attention has focused on the caravan of Central American refugees winding its way through Mexico towards the U.S.-Mexico border, immigrants and their allies in Minnesota will rally in support of the caravan on Friday, November 30. | Organizers are planning for a robust turnout in solidarity with the caravan. The rally will start at 5: 15 p.m. in front of the Minneapolis Federal Building at 4th Street and 4th Avenue. Afterwards, organizers will lead a march towards Wells Fargo to highlight the complicity of the banking industry in supporting for-profit detention centers across the U.S.
(2018-11-25). Switzerland: Swiss people vote to defend human rights in referendum. amnesty.org Responding to the emphatic referendum defeat of the so-called 'initiative for self-determination', a proposal to put Swiss law above international law, Amnesty International's Secretary General Kumi Naidoo said: | "This weekend the Swiss people showed that they had not fallen for deceptive promises but instead used the ballot box to send out a clear signal that they want to live in a society where human rights apply to everyone. |
(2018-11-25). The Counterinsurgency Paradigm: How U.S. Politics Have Become Paramilitarized. theintercept.com Donald Trump ran a campaign promising to refill the notorious Guantanamo Bay prison, to "bring back a hell of a lot worse than waterboarding," to "take out" the families of suspected terrorists, to ban Muslims from entering this country, and to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Yet these policies didn't start with Trump: Torture, indefinite detention, extraordinary renditions, record numbers of deportations, anti-Muslim sentiment, mass foreign and domestic surveillance, and even the killing of innocent family members of suspected terrorists all have a recent historical precedent. | Trump's predecessor, B…
(2018-11-25). US Hegemony Is Over In Lebanon. iranian.com The policy of the US establishment towards Lebanon is evidently changing and unstable, with a President who lacks general knowledge about the Middle East and above all of Hezbollah's role in the region. It seems President Donald Trump is willing to reduce military support to the Lebanese Army and to impose further sanctions on Lebanon, […]
(2018-11-25). India Doubles, Yes, DOUBLES Iran Oil Imports: Are Trump's Sanctions Cratering? iranian.com India's imports of petroleum from Iran in October doubled in value terms to $1.42 billion in October, year over year. Likewise, during the first 8 months of 2018, the value of India's oil imports from Iran was double that of the same period in 2017. Even in volume terms, imports are up 38%. These statistics raise […]
(2018-11-25). Trump Putting Venezuela on 'State Sponsor of Terrorism' List? zcomm.org The Trump administration is actively exploring the option of placing Venezuela on the state sponsor of terrorism list, to further intensify sanctions that have already caused significant damage to Venezuela's economy…
(2018-11-25). Did you know this about rape? amnesty.org Sex without consent is rape. It's as simple as that.: | But myths and gender stereotypes related to rape and consent are widespread in our societies, including in court rooms. | In fact, in Europe alone, only 8 countries have laws that define rape as sex without consent. But courageous women across the region are fighting to change this. | Knowledge is power, also when it comes to fighting rape. So, here are five true statements about rape.
(2018-11-25). Let's talk about yes! amnesty.org …
(2018-11-25). Government Could Hold Migrant Families Indefinitely Under New Plan. truthout.org This story was originally published by Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting, a nonprofit news organization based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Learn more at revealnews.org and subscribe to the Reveal podcast, produced with PRX, at revealnews.org/podcast. | Migrant families could be held indefinitely in unlicensed detention centers under a new federal plan that also would end critical court protections for immigrant children, according to new court records. | Under the so-called Flores agreement, created in 19…
(2018-11-25). The CEO Of A Car Company Detained In Iran For Fraud. iranian.com The CEO of the Iranian car company Azimkhodro (Great Car) and another suspect are detained for failing to deliver 4,000 pre-sold automobiles, Tehran's Prosecutor-General has disclosed. He did not name the CEO but the website of the company names him as Reza Azimi. Complainants are claiming more than $16.5 million compensation, while the total assets […]
(2018-11-25). Israel Detained Over 900 Palestinian Children In 2018. imemc.org Israel has detained 908 Palestinian children since the beginning of 2018, according to Palestinian Prisoners' Society (PPS), who made the announcement on Tuesday. PPS said, in a statement, that of the 908 Palestinian children detained since January to the end of October, 270 are still held in various Israeli prisons. …
(2018-11-24). Amazon Workers Across Europe Walk Out on Black Friday. truthout.org Amazon workers across Europe staged a walkout on Black Friday—when retailers offer major deals to holiday season shoppers the day after Thanksgiving—to protest low wages as well as " inhuman conditions" at company warehouses. | Eduardo Hernandez, a 38-year-old employee at an Amazon logistics depot in Madrid, Spain—where about 90 percent of staff walked off the job— …
(2018-11-24). Taiwan: Referendum results rejecting marriage equality a "bitter blow" amnesty.org | Responding to the results of referendums in Taiwan in which same-sex marriage rights and LGBTI-inclusive education in schools were rejected by voters, Annie Huang, Amnesty International Taiwan's Acting Director, said: | "This result is a bitter blow and a step backwards for human rights in Taiwan. However, despite t…
(2018-11-24). A wave of women fighting rape across Europe. amnesty.org Right now, courageous women are sparking change all over Europe, fighting for their governments to introduce legislation that defines rape based on lack of consent, as opposed to force, and improve how justice systems treat rape survivors. | On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, it is timely to pay homage to the women who keep fighting for their unequivocal right to autonomy over their own bodies. | The numbers of women still experiencing rape in Europe are shocking. In the …
(2018-11-24). Women across Europe failed by outdated rape legislation. amnesty.org Most European countries still do not recognize in law that sex without consent is rape, Amnesty International said on the eve of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, highlighting how flawed legislation and a dangerous culture of victim blaming is perpetuating impunity across Europe. | In a briefing released today, Amnesty International analyses rape legislation in 31 countries. It…
(2018-11-24). Iran Seizes Saudi Fishing Boat In Persian Gulf, Arrests Crew. iranian.com Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards have detained a Saudi Arabian fishing boat and arrested its crew, Reuters reports citing Iran's judiciary's website Mizan reported on Friday. A local official at the Iranian port city of Bushehr told Mizan that the reason for the detention was under investigation, although subsequent reports suggested that the crew was detained […]
(2018-11-23). Free sexual harassment survivor Amal Fathy. amnesty.org Amal Fathy posted a video online, speaking about her experience of sexual harassment and criticizing the Egyptian government for neglecting survivors. Now she's been sentenced to 2 years in prison for 'spreading false news' — and faces further charges. | Shortly after posting the video in May 2018, police raided Amal's home in the middle of the night and detained her, along with her husband and young child. Her family members were released, but Amal remains in prison. She's been sentenced to two years in prison for publishing a video that includes false news that could harm public peace' — and still f…
(2018-11-23). Saying Goodbye to UN Sanctions Against Eritrea. counterpunch.org It isn't often the UN Security Council votes unanimously to remove sanctions against a country, but this past Wednesday, November 14 they did just that by saying goodbye to nine years of UN just punishment against the small, socialist, east African country of Eritrea. It was Christmas Eve, 2009 when the USA forced through UN More
(2018-11-23). Bahrain: Widespread pre-election clampdown on political opposition and activists. amnesty.org Ahead of the Bahraini parliamentary election on 24 November, Amnesty International is gravely concerned over the widespread suppression of the political opposition, activists, and civic leaders. Shi'a public figures have been disproportionately targeted in the pre-election clampdown. | | "Over the past two years, the crackdown in Bahrain has seen the political opposition detain…
(2018-11-23). Business as Usual: Washington's Regime Change Strategy in Venezuela. counterpunch.org 
For those who have been following Venezuela closely in recent years there is a distinct sense of déjà vu regarding US foreign policy towards that South American nation. This is because Washington's strategy of regime change in Venezuela is almost identical to the approach it has taken in Latin America on numerous occasions since World War Two. This strategy involves applying economic sanctions, extensive support for the opposition, and destabilization measures that create a sufficient degree of human suffering and chaos to justify a military coup or direct US military intervention.
(2018-11-23). Stop the harassment of social justice activist Nawal Benaissa. amnesty.org Nawal Benaissa spends her time speaking out for freedom and justice, while also being a full-time mum of four. She is a peaceful activist – but the authorities constantly harass her. Demand that Nawal is protected now. | In 2016, Nawal was inspired by the growing activism in the Rif region of Morocco, calling for social justice and an end to corruption. For the first time in her life, Nawal began attending peaceful protests. She loved the hope it gave her for a better future in her home town. | People were moved by her passion. In a matter of months, Nawal went from someone who had never participated in activism…
(2018-11-23). Protect LGBTI activist Vitalina Koval. amnesty.org Vitalina Koval has been central to the LGBTI community in Ukraine. She helped set up a community centre – a safe space for LGBTI people within the growing hostility of the country. | During the International Women's Day March in Ukraine in 2017, Vitalina was attacked by a dozen young men, who charged at her and other protesters — tearing up their posters and shouting threats. Vitalina tried to file a police report. The police ignored her. | Vitalina wanted to attend the 2018 Women's March, this time going to the police in advance for protection. They said she'd be fine. But during the march, two men and fou…
(2018-11-23). Two Numbers That Explain Why Trump Won't Sanction Saudi Arabia. counterpunch.org "[W]e may never know all of the facts surrounding the murder of Mr. Jamal Khashoggi," US president Donald Trump told the nation on November 20, but "[t]he United States intends to remain a steadfast partner of Saudi Arabia to ensure the interests of our country, Israel and all other partners in the region." Many find More
(2018-11-23). Free anti-death penalty activist Atena Daemi. amnesty.org Atena Daemi is an anti-death penalty campaigner and a women's rights activist serving a seven-year prison sentence in Iran for her peaceful activism. Her crime? Handing out anti-death penalty leaflets and criticizing Iran's execution record on social media. | In 2014, aged 26 years, Atena was blindfolded and arrested outside her home. For the first 28 days of her detention, she was held in a cell infested with insects and with no toilet. She said her interrogators offered to grant her easier access to the toilet in exchange for her "co-operation". Unfortunately, this was just the beginning of Atena's mistreatment…
(2018-11-23). Sweden: Homeless Roma and other EU migrants face widespread discrimination and dangerous conditions. amnesty.org Thousands of homeless and destitute EU migrants, mostly of Roma origin, are living in desperate and dangerous situations across Sweden while the country's authorities deliberately deny them access to the most basic services, a new report from Amnesty International has found. | Sweden: A cold welcome: Human rights of Roma and other "vulnerable EU citizens" at risk finds that marginalized EU migrants face insurmountable obstacles to access shelter, sanitation and health services, something that violates their human rights which Sweden has an ob…
(2018-11-23). Demand justice for the killing of Marielle Franco. amnesty.org Marielle Franco stood up for black women, LGBTI people and young people in Rio de Janeiro. On 14 March 2018, she was shot and killed. | Marielle Franco was born and raised in a favela in Rio, Brazil. An elected councillor, she worked tirelessly to promote the rights of black women, LGBTI and young people. | Marielle inspired many people. She refused to stay silent about police killings and continued to speak out against injustice right up until hours before her brutal killing in March. A car pulled up beside hers, and Marielle was shot four times in the head. | People who defend human rights in Brazil are often a…
(2018-11-23). Four Days in Occupied Western Sahara—A Rare Look Inside Africa's Last Colony. democracynow.org 
In this special rebroadcast of a Democracy Now! exclusive documentary, we break the media blockade and go to occupied Western Sahara in the northwest of Africa to document the decades-long Sahrawi struggle for freedom and Morocco's violent crackdown. Morocco has occupied the territory since 1975 in defiance of the United Nations and the international community. Thousands have been tortured, imprisoned, killed and disappeared while resisting the Moroccan occupation. A 1,700-mile wall divides Sahrawis who remain under occupation from those who fled into exile. The international media has largely ignored the occupat…
(2018-11-23). Australia: Riot police tear-gas youth at Don Dale juvenile prison. wsws.org The Northern Territory facility, repeatedly deemed unfit for children, has been the scene of years of state-sanctioned abuse and violence.
(2018-11-23). Trump Considering to Put Venezuela on 'State Sponsor of Terrorism' List and Intensify Sanctions. therealnews.com 
According reports in Washington Post and Reuters, the Trump administration is actively exploring the option of placing Venezuela on the state sponsor of terrorism list, to further intensify sanctions that have already caused significant damage to Venezuela's economy. We speak to Steve Ellner about the sanctions' effects
(2018-11-23). Protect Pavitri Manjhi . amnesty.org Pavitri is an indigenous rights defender who is standing up to big corporations who are trying to take away her community's land — but she faces threats and intimidation. Demand her protection now. | Right now, businesses in Chhattisgarh, central India, are trying to take over land that belongs to an Adivasi Indigenous community so that they can make way for two power plants. Members of the community report that they were tricked into selling their land, and those that refused to sell faced threats and intimidation by agents acting on behalf of two private companies. | Pavitri is on the front line protecti…
(2018-11-23). Join Gulzar's campaign for the rights of persons with disabilities. amnesty.org In Kyrgyzstan where often, women are not meant to speak out and persons with disabilities are labelled as "invalids" and "diseased", Gulzar keeps on fighting for her dignity. | Gulzar Duishenova is a Kyrgyzstani woman with a disability, who lives in a society where persons with disabilities face daily discrimination. One of these forms of discrimination is accessibility; from going to the doctor, to getting on public transport. | But Gulzar is fighting to change this. She has made it her life's mission to ensure that persons with disabilities can live in dignity. The accessibility issues she faces have only stren…
(2018-11-23). Pakistan: Peshawar bombing shows utter contempt for human life. amnesty.org Responding to the suicide bomb attack on a crowded marketplace in Pakistan's northwest province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa that has left at least 25 dead and more than 50 injured, Amnesty International's Deputy South Asia Director, Omar Waraich, said: | "This was a horrific attack that shows utter contempt for human life. The attackers deliberately targeted a marketplace full of ordinary people on a busy Friday afternoon. It is a grim reminder of the threat that continues to be posed by armed groups who are prepared to kill large numbers of people to pursue their agenda. Such attacks, which flout fundamental principle…
(2018-11-23). Bahrain: Suppression of opposition ahead of Bahraini elections. amnesty.org With Bahrain on the cusp of elections for the lower house of its National Assembly this week, Amnesty International notes with serious concern that political opposition has been effectively suppressed over the course of the past two years, with a disproportionate impact on Shi'a political, civic, and religious leaders. Freedom of expression, association, and assembly are all absent in a context in which civic participation is restricted to those who already fully support the existing political order. Amnesty International calls on Bahrain to allow free expression of political dissent, and to fully respect the rig…
(2018-11-23). Democratic Republic of Congo: Opposition youth leader still detained one year on: Christian Lumu Lukusa. amnesty.org Opposition youth leader Christian Lumu Lukusa has been in arbitrary detention since 22 November 2017, when he was arrested in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). He was arrested by men believed to be agents of the National Intelligence Agency (Agence Nationale de Renseignements, ANR). Family visits have been restricted and he has not been allowed access to a lawyer.
(2018-11-23). Nigeria. 'Ils ont pris nos maris et ont fait de nous leurs ´ compagnes ª': Des femmes affamées et violées par leurs prétendus sauveurs dans le nord-est du pays. amnesty.org Dans le nord-est du Nigeria, des militaires nigérians ont infligé à des femmes déplacées à l'intérieur de leur pays des violences et des atteintes aux droits humains qui équivalent à des crimes de guerre et qui pourraient constituer des crimes contre l'humanité. Ces femmes exigent que justice soit faite, que des comptes soient rendus et que ces violations des droits humains cessent.
(2018-11-23). Stop forcibly evicting the Sengwer people. amnesty.org The Sengwer people are being forced off their land. They are losing their homes, their livelihoods and their cultural identity — now someone has been killed. Help stop this now. | The Sengwer Indigenous people have lived in the Embobut Forest in North Rift Valley of Kenya for centuries. It's their ancestral land and they have a deep spiritual bond with the beautiful and vast forest. But the Kenyan government is brutally and illegally driving them off it, threatening their livelihoods and way of life.p | The government claims they are acting in the name of conservation, and that the Sengwer people are da…
(2018-11-23). Nigeria: 'They took our husbands and forced us to be their girlfriends' – Women in north-east Nigeria starved and raped by those claiming to rescue them. amnesty.org Internally displaced women in north-east Nigeria have experienced violence and abuse from the Nigerian military that amount to war crimes and possible crimes against humanity. These women are demanding justice, accountability, and an end to these violations.
(2018-11-23). Nigeria: "Se llevaron a nuestros esposos y nos obligaron a ser sus parejas" : Hambre y violación contra mujeres en el nordeste de Nigeria a manos de sus presuntos rescatadores. amnesty.org Las mujeres internamente desplazadas en el nordeste de Nigeria han sufrido a manos del ejército nigeriano violencia y abusos que constituyen crímenes de guerra y posibles | crímenes contra la humanidad. Estas mujeres reclaman justicia, rendición de cuentas y el final de estos abusos. Quieren poder alimentar a sus familias; quieren reunirse con sus esposos y otros hombres de su familia; quieren estar a salvo.
(2018-11-23). Demand protection for land defender Nonhle Mbuthuma. amnesty.org Nonhle Mbuthuma is facing danger for trying to stop mining company from taking her land. So why is the government not protecting her? | Nonhle is a farmer whose ancestral land means everything to her: "If you take my land you take my identity". But Nonhle and her community on the Eastern Cape of South Africa are at risk of losing everything because a mining company want to kick them off their land. | "This land was my grandmother's, who inherited it from her grandparents. What am I going to leave for my children? Mining is not an option." — Nonhle | Nonhle and other members of her community have led a campa…
(2018-11-23). Greece: Open letter following visit of Kumi Naidoo, Secretary General of Amnesty International to Lesvos island and Moria refugee camp. amnesty.org In this letter, Kumi Naidoo, Secretary General of Amnesty International, follows up from his recent visit to Lesvos island and Moria refugee camp in Greece. He expresses deep concern about the devastating conditions for the women, men and children at Moria camp trapped in inhumane conditions. Amnesty International urges the Greek authorities to take all the necessary measures required to restore human dignity for those trapped in Moria and the other camps on the Greek islands, and to step up their efforts to ensure refugees are transferred into adequate and dignified accommodation which ensures respect for their…
(2018-11-23). A scar on the conscience of Europe: Letter to Greek Prime Minister on conditions facing refugees in Greece. amnesty.org In early October, I visited Lesvos and the refugee camp in Moria, on behalf of Amnesty International. I would like to begin by stressing my admiration for the people of island who, in welcoming hundreds of thousands of refugees and asylum-seekers over the past years are a beacon of solidarity and inspiration. It was clear to me from my visit, that the spirit of this solidarity is very much alive today despite the tides of fear and xenophobia. | I would like to thank your government for having ensured access to the camp, for me and my colleagues, during this important visit in October and on previous occasions. Ex…
(2018-11-22). After Visiting Brazil's Lula in Prison, Noam Chomsky Warns Against "Disaster" Under Jair Bolsonaro. democracynow.org 
As Brazil's President-elect Jair Bolsonaro prepares to take office in January, we return to our conversation with world-renowned political dissident, linguist and author Noam Chomsky shortly after the election. Bolsonaro's impending presidency marks the most radical political shift Brazil since military rule ended more than 30 years ago. Bolsonaro is a former Army officer who has praised Brazil's former military dictatorship, spoken in favor of torture and threatened to destroy, imprison or banish his political opponents. Bolsonaro has also encouraged the police to kill suspected drug dealers, and once told a fem…
(2018-11-22). Iran: Mounting Crackdown on Teachers, Labor Activists. hrw.org 
| | Iranian workers chant slogans during a May Day demonstration in front of the former US embassy in Tehran, May 1, 2006, protesting against the labor resolutions and their delayed payments. | @ 2006 Behrouz Mehri/AFP/Getty Images | (Beirut) — Iranian authorities have increased targeting of teachers and labor activists in recent weeks for organizing and conducting peaceful protests, Human Rights Watch said today. | On November 13, 2018, the Council for Coor…
(2018-11-22). Making Ethiopia's Electoral Board Independent. hrw.org 
| | Birtukan Mideksa, a former judge and leading opposition figure, named head of the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE). | @PMEthiopia/Twitter | There was good news from Ethiopia as former opposition leader, lawyer and judge Birtukan Midekssa was named head of the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE). Following years of almost completely closed political space, Ethiopia's government continues to institute an important series of reforms. The appointment of a…
(2018-11-22). UK Jeweller Takes Step Towards Transparency. hrw.org 
| | A Boodles store in Dublin, Ireland, 2013. | © 2013/Alamy | Some exciting changes have taken place since I first visited the flagship store of Boodles, the prestigious UK jeweller, on Bond Street in central London in March 2017. Then, I was invited into a beautiful, century-old room to talk with the company directors about their efforts to ensure human rights were respected in each step of the supply chain from the mineral mines to the storefronts of this company with annual sales of US$86 million. | While the conve…
(2018-11-22). Judge Overturns Trump's 'Catastrophic' Asylum Ban. therealnews.com 
A federal judge ruled that Trump's ban on asylum applications from those who do not enter the US at a legal port of entry is in complete contravention to US and international law. Angelo Guisado of the Center for Constitutional Rights outlines the practical and legal background of the decision
(2018-11-22). Venezuelan Campesinos Mobilize as Rural Violence Continues. venezuelanalysis.com Hundreds rallied for their rights in western Venezuela amid another campesino assassination.
(2018-11-21). China's Social Media Crackdown Targets Twitter. hrw.org 
| | © Pixabay/CreativeCommons | Since early November, the Chinese government has been targeting Twitter users in China as part of a nationwide crackdown on social media — even though Twitter is blocked in the country. Autho…