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Ending the Abusive Treatment of Prisoners Reforming Juvenile Injustice By Carol Chodroff, advocacy director, US Program Published in The Huffington Post Juvenile justice policies in the United States are replete with contradictions between practices proven to prevent crime, and punitive laws politicians promote to get elected. Juvenile and criminal justice principles, scientific research on prevention, intervention, and adolescent brain development, and US treaty obligations argue against the "lock 'em up and throw away the key" policies that harm children, increase recidivism and exacerbate crime. Next week, the US Senate should act on reauthorization of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Reauthorization Act (JJDPA) and amendments to improve juvenile justice in this country. Improvement is long overdue. July 2, 2008 Commentary Printer friendly version Onward and Ever Upward – But Not in a Good Way By Jamie Fellner, senior counsel in the US Program Published in The Huffington Post The United States incarcerates the greatest number of people in the world (2.3 million), and at the highest rate (762 out of every 100,000 people). So why the never-ending prison growth? Three ill-considered policies drive it: the war on drugs, draconian sentencing laws, and punitive parole practices. The extraordinary rate of incarceration in the US is not necessary to protect the public – community-based sanctions and treatment for addiction would be even more effective at reducing most kinds of nonviolent crime and at far less cost. Meanwhile, the unnecessary incarceration of Americans damages individuals, families and communities. June 20, 2008 Commentary Printer friendly version Letter to Pakistan's Prime Minister to Abolish the Death Penalty Charges carrying the death penalty have significantly increased in recent years in Pakistan, resulting in a much higher number of death sentences and executions. Pakistan has over 95,000 people in custody for criminal offenses, of which approximately 67 percent (about 63,600) are pre-trial detainees. Out of the more than 31,400 convicts, nearly a quarter—over 7,000 individuals, including almost 40 women—have been sentenced to death, and are either involved in lengthy appeals processes or awaiting execution after all appeals have been exhausted. June 16, 2008 Letter Printer friendly version Burma: Free Celebrity Activist Critical of Aid Response Concerned Governments Should Press for Zargana's Release Burma’s military government should immediately free detained activist Zargana and permit him to continue distributing aid unhindered to communities affected by Cyclone Nargis, Human Rights Watch said today. June 13, 2008 Press Release Also available in 
Printer friendly version Ethiopia: Army Commits Executions, Torture, and Rape in Ogaden Donors Should Act to Stop Crimes Against Humanity In its battle against rebels in eastern Ethiopia's Somali Region, Ethiopia's army has subjected civilians to executions, torture, and rape, Human Rights Watch said in a new report released today. The widespread violence, part of a vicious counterinsurgency campaign that amounts to war crimes and crimes against humanity, has contributed to a looming humanitarian crisis, threatening the survival of thousands of ethnic Somali nomads. June 12, 2008 Press Release Also available in 
Printer friendly version US: Improve Prison Conditions at Guantanamo New Report Finds Treatment of Detainees Unnecessarily Harsh More than two-thirds of detainees at Guantanamo Bay, including many cleared for release or transfer, are being housed in inhumane conditions that are reportedly having a damaging effect on their mental health, Human Rights Watch said in a new report. June 10, 2008 Press Release Also available in 
Printer friendly version The insanity inside Guantánamo A new report reveals that a number of prisoners – even some long ago cleared to leave – are spiraling into hallucinations, despair and suicide. By Jennifer Daskal, senior counterterrorism counsel, and Stacy Sullivan, counterterrorism advisor Published in salon.com Approximately 185 of the roughly 270 men still being held at Guantanamo – including many who have been cleared for release or transfer – are being housed in facilities akin to US “supermax” prisons. Such detainees spend 22 hours a day alone in small cells with little or no natural light or fresh air, extremely limited contact with other human beings, and little more than a book and the Koran to occupy their time. Several are reportedly suffering from depression and anxiety disorder, and some have reported having visions and hearing voices. June 10, 2008 Commentary Printer friendly version Spain: Improve Care for Migrant Children Ombudsman Confirms Human Rights Watch Abuse Findings (Brussels, June 9, 2008) - An investigation by the Spanish Ombudsman has revealed serious shortcomings in two Canary Islands emergency care centers housing up to 200 unaccompanied migrant children, Human Rights Watch said today. The Spanish Ombudsman’s office launched an independent investigation in September 2007, triggered by the Human Rights Watch report “Unwelcome Responsibilities: Spain’s Failure to Protect the Rights of Unaccompanied Migrant Children in the Canary Islands.” This report documents serious human rights violations against several hundred unaccompanied migrant children housed in emergency care centers on the islands. The conclusions of the Ombudsman’s investigation have now been made public. June 9, 2008 Press Release Also available in 
Printer friendly version Letter to Prince Khaled bin Faisal on the Detention of Tariq Yunis H.R.H. Prince Khaled bin Faisal bin Abd al-‘Aziz Al Sa’ud Governor Mekka Region Your Royal Highness, We write to you to request that you order the immediate release of Tariq Yunis Akram Mashharawi, currently imprisoned in Buraiman prison, Jeddah. June 9, 2008 Letter Also available in
Printer friendly version US: Prison Numbers Hit New High Blacks Hardest Hit by Incarceration Policy New figures showing that US incarceration rates are climbing even higher, with racial minorities greatly overrepresented in prisons and jails, highlight the need to adopt alternative criminal justice policies, Human Rights Watch said today. June 6, 2008 Press Release Printer friendly version Jordan: Prison Burning Deaths Need Independent Investigation Police Investigation Ignores Evidence, Intimidates Witnesses King Abdullah should order an independent investigation into the events surrounding the deaths on April 14 of three prisoners at al-Muwaqqar prison east of Amman, Human Rights Watch said today. Despite ample evidence of misconduct, and potentially criminal acts by prison officials, police authorities told Human Rights Watch that their investigation into the incident will vindicate the prison officials, setting out that they acted correctly. May 8, 2008 Press Release Also available in
Printer friendly version Universal Periodic Review of France Human Rights Watch's Submission to the Human Rights Council Over the past five years, France has forcibly removed dozens of foreign residents accused of links to terrorism and extremism. Available government figures indicate that 71 individuals described as “Islamic fundamentalists” were forcibly removed from France between September 2001 and September 2006. Fifteen of these were described as imams. Though not a new policy, national security removals now form an integral part of France’s national strategy to counter violent radicalization and recruitment to terrorism. May 5, 2008 Written Statement Printer friendly version In Support of the "Prison Abuse Remedies Act of 2007"; Hearing in the House Judiciary Subcommittee Statement submitted by David Fathi, US Program director H.R. 4109, the Prison Abuse Remedies Act of 2007, would amend various provisions of the Prison Litigation Reform Act (PLRA), in particular what is known as the "physical injury requirement." In this written statement, Human Rights Watch supports the repeal of this provision, asserting that it is inconsistent with US obligations under international human rights treaties including the Convention against Torture, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. April 22, 2008 Written Statement Printer friendly version Afghanistan: Karzai Should Suspend Death Penalty Supreme Court Announces 100 Death Sentences Afghan President Hamid Karzai should suspend the death penalty and reject signing execution orders for about 100 prisoners whose death sentences were announced by the Supreme Court on April 16, Human Rights Watch said today. April 16, 2008 Press Release Printer friendly version Universal Periodic Review of the Philippines Human Rights Watch's Submission to the Human Rights Council Since 2001, hundreds of members of left-wing political parties, human rights activists, political journalists, and outspoken clergy in the Philippines have been killed or abducted. Their murders and “disappearances” have for the most part gone unprosecuted. Human Rights Watch has done extensive research on the issue, documenting the involvement of the armed forces in the killings of individuals. April 7, 2008 Written Statement Printer friendly version Universal Periodic Review of Brazil Human Rights Watch's Submission to the Human Rights Council Police violence continues to be one of the country’s most intractable human rights problems. Faced with high levels of violent crime, especially in the country’s urban centers, some police engage in abusive practices rather than pursuing sound policing policies. Prison conditions are abysmal. In rural regions, violence and land conflicts are ongoing, and human rights defenders suffer threats and attacks. And, while the Brazilian government has made efforts to redress human rights abuses, it has rarely held accountable those responsible for the violations. April 7, 2008 Written Statement Printer friendly version Universal Periodic Review of Tunisia Human Rights Watch's Submission to the Human Rights Council The government uses the threat of terrorism and religious extremism as a pretext to crack down on peaceful dissent. There are continuous and credible reports of torture and ill-treatment being used to obtain statements from suspects in custody. Sentenced prisoners also face deliberate ill-treatment. April 7, 2008 Written Statement Printer friendly version The United States Was Not Forthcoming and Accurate in its Presentation to CERD Letter to the Secretary of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination The United States made inaccurate and potentially misleading statements made by the United States in its oral submissions to the Committee on February 21-22, 2008, and in its February 20, 2008 written response to questions submitted by the Committee. In partcicular, Human Rights Watch would like to highlight four issue areas: children sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole; non-citizens deported without adequate judicial review; the school-to-prison pipeline; and racial discrimination in administration of the death penalty. February 27, 2008 Letter Printer friendly version Review and Halt California's Use of the Death Penalty Letter to the California Commission on the Fair Administration of Justice Human Rights Watch opposes capital punishment in all circumstances because of its inherent cruelty. In submitting this letter, to the California Commission on the Fair Administration of Justice, we urge the Commission to take three points into particular consideration: (1) the execution of innocent persons results in an irreparable miscarriage of justice; (2) the United States occupies a position of increasing isolation among our peer nations in employing the death penalty; and (3) capital punishment is unnecessary, and is often carried out in a discriminatory manner. February 11, 2008 Letter Printer friendly version Iran: Investigate Detention Deaths Two Alleged Prison Suicides Raise Suspicion Iranian authorities should investigate the sudden deaths of two people while in custody in northwestern Iran, Human Rights Watch said today. January 18, 2008 Press Release Also available in 
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