Human Rights Watch

(New York) – George Soros, philanthropist and financier, today announced a challenge grant of $100 million over 10 years to Human Rights Watch.

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(New York) - The Zambian police routinely engage in cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment, including torture, to extract confessions, Human Rights Watch said today. The government should investigate, discipline those found to be implicated, and train officers to interrogate suspects without coercion, Human Rights Watch said.

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(Mumbai) - Many Indian hospitals routinely subject rape survivors to forensic examinations that include the unscientific and degrading "finger" test, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. It urged the Indian government to ban the practice, used to determine whether the rape survivor is "habituated" to sexual intercourse, as it reforms its laws on sexual violence.

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(New York) - The Chinese government should use this week's visit by Burmese leader Than Shwe to press Burma to conduct open elections and provide accountability for serious crimes, Human Rights Watch said today. Senior General Than Shwe will conduct a four-day visit to Beijing and Shanghai starting Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

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Update: (September 3, 2010, Bazar-Kurgan) - On September 2, 2010, the trial against Azimjon Askarov and another seven defendants on charges connected to the June violence began in the Bazar-Kurgan District Court. The first hearing in the trial was in Nooken, 10 kilometers from there.

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(New York) - Jordan's military prosecutor at the State Security Court should immediately order the release of Hatim al-Shuli, a university student, and rescind charges against him, Human Rights Watch said today.

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(Cairo) - Egyptian authorities should immediately disclose the fate and whereabouts of Mohamed Saad Tork, who disappeared in July 2009 with strong indications that he was being held by the authorities, and prosecute those responsible, Human Rights Watch said today. Tork's case highlights the continuing practice of enforced disappearances by Egypt's State Security Investigations agency.

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(New York) - The apparent brutality by Saudi employers against a Sri Lankan domestic worker highlights the severe shortcomings in labor laws and practices that foster abuse and exploitation, Human Rights Watch said today.

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(Jerusalem) - Hamas should be held accountable for two new attacks against Israeli civilians in the West Bank, and those who ordered and participated in the attacks should be prosecuted, Human Rights Watch said today.

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(Beirut) - Libya's new nationality law granting women married to foreign spouses the right to pass their own nationality to their children is a significant move forward for women's rights, Human Rights Watch said today. But the law still contains some contradictory provisions that could be interpreted to perpetuate discrimination, Human Rights Watch said.

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(New York) - Many European companies that publicly embrace workers' rights under global labor standards nevertheless undermine workers' rights in their US operations, Human Rights Watch said in a report issued today.

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(New York) - Arrests without warrants, followed by alleged torture at national police headquarters, raise questions about how Moroccan authorities are handling a case involving seven prominent members of the country's leading Islamist association, Human Rights Watch said today. The men have been in pretrial detention since June 28.

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(Washington, DC) - Bahraini authorities should immediately look into allegations of torture by four opposition activists who had been held in incommunicado detention for more than two weeks, Human Rights Watch said today. In their formal interrogation sessions with prosecutors, the four contended that their captors had subjected them to torture and degrading treatment.

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(New York) - Iran's Judiciary should ensure that human rights activist Shiva Nazar Ahari receives a fair trial, Human Rights Watch said today, including full access to a lawyer, adequate time to prepare her defense, and the ability to challenge evidence presented against her.

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(New York) - Four international human rights organizations urged the Cambodian government to immediately release Leang Sokchouen, staff person of the Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO), who was sentenced to prison on disinformation charges on August 30, 2010.
 

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(New York) - Governments meeting at the United Nations this week to discuss implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) should focus on effective strategies and good practices that benefit persons with disabilities, Human Rights Watch said today. The convention went into effect two years ago.  

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(New York) - Decisions by state and local officials in several US states to uphold the building of mosques and Muslim community centers despite protests is an important affirmation of the right to freedom of religion enshrined in international human rights law as well as the US Constitution, Human Rights Watch said today. Such projects are going forward in at least five states.

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(New York) - Kenya should bar Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir from entering Kenya or arrest him for trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC) if he enters Kenyan territory, Human Rights Watch said today. The Sudanese state news agency has reported that al-Bashir will travel to Kenya on August 27, 2010, to attend the celebration of Kenya's new constitution.

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(Moscow) - The Tverskoi District Court of Moscow should overturn Lev Ponomarev's sentence of administrative arrest and ensure his immediate release from custody, Human Rights Watch said today. The activist was sentenced to three days for "disobeying police orders" and is currently serving the sentence at a special detention center of the Moscow Police Department.

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(Dakar) - Authorities in Côte d'Ivoire and Nigeria should investigate and close down networks that traffic Nigerian women and girls to Côte d'Ivoire for forced prostitution, Human Rights Watch said today. Human Rights Watch also called for collaboration among regional neighbors to improve border efforts to combat trafficking.

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