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Democratic Republic of Congo United States: Bush Signs Law on Child Soldiers Measure to Prosecute Recruiters Abroad Puts Commanders on Notice Under a new law signed today by US President George W. Bush, leaders of military forces and armed groups who have recruited child soldiers may be arrested and prosecuted in the United States, Human Rights Watch said today. The law could apply to leaders of dozens of forces that have recruited and used child soldiers in over 20 armed conflicts. October 3, 2008 Press Release Printer friendly version DR Congo: Humanitarian Crisis Deepens as Peace Process Falters Renewed Fighting Displaces 100,000 More Civilians in Eastern Congo Renewed combat in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has caused a drastic deterioration in the humanitarian situation and immense suffering for civilians, the Congo Advocacy Coalition, a group of 83 aid agencies and human rights groups, said today. The coalition called for urgent action to improve protection of civilians and an immediate increase in assistance to vulnerable populations. September 24, 2008 Press Release Also available in 
Printer friendly version Five Activists Win Human Rights Watch Awards Honored for Courage in Exposing Abuse and Seeking Justice Five brave and selfless advocates of human rights from Burma, Congo, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka and Uzbekistan have been awarded the prestigious 2008 Human Rights Defender Awards, Human Rights Watch said today. All five have been persecuted and threatened for their work. One winner, Saudi lawyer Abd al-Rahman al-Lahim, is, which Human Rights Watch urges the Saudi government lift so that he may receive his award in person in London. September 15, 2008 Press Release Also available in 
Printer friendly version International Criminal Court’s Trial of Thomas Lubanga Questions and Answers In its decision of September 3, 2008, Trial Chamber I rejected the prosecution’s application to lift the stay of proceedings in the trial of Thomas Lubanga, which the trial chamber imposed on June 13, 2008. In that earlier decision, the trial chamber unanimously decided to “stay” the proceedings against Lubanga—therefore suspending the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) first-ever trial— because the prosecution was unable to release more than 200 documents containing potentially “exculpatory” information that it gathered during its investigation. The court defines “exculpatory” material as documentation that shows or tends to show the innocence of the accused, that mitigates the guilt of the accused, or information which may affect the credibility of the prosecution evidence. According to the judges, “the right to a fair trial—which is without doubt a fundamental right—includes an entitlement to disclosure of exculpatory material.” September 5, 2008 Questions and Answers Also available in
Printer friendly version Submission to the Committee on the Rights of the Child for the Period Review of the DRC In this submission to the committee, Human Rights Watch presents information on child soldiers, children in detention, sexual violence against girls, and abuses against street children in the Democratic Republic of Congo. August 22, 2008 Written Statement Also available in
Printer friendly version SADC: Adopt Gender and Development Protocol Summit Leaders Should Act on Equality for Women Southern African leaders should adopt the proposed Gender and Development Protocol at their upcoming summit after amending it to include crucial provisions deleted in 2007, Human Rights Watch said today. One of the most important provisions that should be put back in to the protocol would commit states to criminalize marital rape. August 14, 2008 Press Release Printer friendly version DR Congo: Peace Process Fragile, Civilians at Risk (updated version August 28, 2008) More Than 200 Killed and 150,000 Displaced Since January Accord Signed Six months since the signing of a peace agreement, horrendous violence continues to plague eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, a coalition of 64 aid agencies and human rights groups said today. The new Congo Advocacy Coalition was created in July 2008 to focus attention on the protection of civilians as part of the peace process in eastern Congo. It called on the international community to put further pressure on armed groups and the Congolese government to make real their promises to protect civilians. July 28, 2008 Press Release Also available in
Printer friendly version Congo Advocacy Coalition Update on Protection of Civilians in Eastern Congo’s Peace Process On January 23, 2008, the Congolese government signed a ceasefire agreement with 22 armed groups in Goma, North Kivu, facilitated by the European Union, the United States, the African Union and the United Nations. The agreement followed the November 2007 Nairobi Communiqué between the governments of Congo and Rwanda meant to address the problem of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a Rwandan armed group whose combatants have also attacked Congolese civilians. July 28, 2008 Campaign Document Also available in
Printer friendly version Selected Accounts from Victims and Witness in North Kivu Selected Accounts from Victims and Witness in North Kivu from recent 10-day Human Rights Watch mission to the most affected territories of Masisi and Rutshuru in eastern Congo July 18, 2008 Testimony Also available in
Printer friendly version DR Congo: Peace Accord Fails to End Killing of Civilians Murder, Rape, Looting Continues Six Months After Goma Agreement The killing and rape of civilians in the eastern province of North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo continues at a horrifying rate despite the signing of a peace accord six months ago, Human Rights Watch said today. The agreement was supposed to stop such attacks. July 18, 2008 Press Release Also available in
Printer friendly version War Criminals, Watch Out The pace of proceedings is quickening at the International Criminal Court. On July 3, Jean-Pierre Bemba, the former vice president of Congo charged with war crimes, arrived in custody in The Hague. And today, July 14, the ICC prosecutor is expected to request new arrest warrants based on alleged crimes in Darfur against senior Sudanese officials, reportedly including the Sudanese president. Those are real accomplishments for a judicial institution whose underlying statute is now seeing only its 10th birthday. July 14, 2008 Commentary ICC: Good Progress Amid Missteps in First Five Years Court Needs Continuing International Support for Challenges Ahead The International Criminal Court (ICC) has made notable progress in bringing justice for the worst crimes despite mistakes in policy and practice, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today that assesses the court’s first five years. Human Rights Watch urged greater international support of the ICC to meet the political and financial challenges ahead. July 11, 2008 Press Release Also available in
Printer friendly version UN: Council Should Help End Fresh Abuses by Uganda’s LRA Boys, Girls Among Hundreds Abducted Across Three Countries (New York, June 19, 2008) – The UN Security Council should adopt a resolution or presidential statement supporting efforts to rein in the capacity of the Lord’s Resistance Army to attack civilians and to ensure justice for the most serious crimes committed during the northern Uganda conflict, Human Rights Watch said in a letter released today to council members. The Security Council will be briefed on June 20 by the former president of Mozambique, Joaquim Chissano, who is the UN secretary-general’s special envoy to areas affected by the insurgent Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). June 19, 2008 Press Release Printer friendly version International Criminal Court’s Trial of Thomas Lubanga “Stayed” Questions and Answers Common questions on the "staying" of the ICC trial of Thomas Lubanga answered. June 19, 2008 Questions and Answers Also available in
Printer friendly version Letter to Security Council Members in Advance of the June 20 Briefing by the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy on the LRA-Affected Areas We write in advance of the briefing to the Security Council on June 20 by the Secretary-General’s special envoy for the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA)-affected areas, the former President of Mozambique, Joaquim Chissano. June 19, 2008 Letter Printer friendly version Congolese Women Appeal to the UN Security Council to Help End Sexual Violence Letter from a Coalition of 71 Congolese NGOs representing the women of DRC to the United Nations Security Council June 12, 2008 Letter Printer friendly version UN: Empower Peacekeepers to Stop Rape Security Council Should Listen to Women Hurt by War The United Nations Security Council should effectively address sexual violence in conflict as a weapon of war and its destabilizing impact on communities, Human Rights Watch and the International Women’s Tribune Center said today. June 10, 2008 Press Release Printer friendly version ICC: Congo’s Former Vice-President Arrested International Court Should Pursue Other Top Officials in the CAR and Congo Following the arrest of Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo on May 24, the International Criminal Court should pursue other top officials in the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo for atrocities committed against civilians, Human Rights Watch said today. May 30, 2008 Press Release Printer friendly version Letter to Congress regarding Bilateral Immunity Agreements As Congress begins the FY09 appropriations process, we, the undersigned organizations, would like to bring to your attention an important policy matter tied to the State/Foreign Operations appropriations bill. Since the summer of 2002, the Bush administration has aggressively sought to conclude bilateral immunity agreements (BIAs) with almost all countries, including every country in the world that has ratified the International Criminal Court (ICC) treaty. Many nations have refused to sign a BIA because they believe that doing so would breach their legal obligations under the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the Court. Countries, including those not party to the Court, have also refused in order to protect their sovereignty and out of respect for the ICC’s values and purposes. May 30, 2008 Letter Printer friendly version Letter to the UN Security Council in Advance of its June Mission to Africa We write in advance of the Security Council’s mission to Africa on June 1-10, 2008, to urge you to use this opportunity to address pressing human rights issues in Sudan, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia. May 27, 2008 Letter Also available in
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  On May 20, Metalor Technologies announced that it would suspend purchases of gold from Uganda based on concerns raised by Human Rights Watch and a United Nations report. The announcement was made after discussions and correspondence with Human Rights Watch beginning in December 2004, and after the Human Rights Watch report, “The Curse of Gold” had gone to press. Human Rights Watch welcomed Metalor’s announcement and the company’s support for the tightening of regulations on the gold export trade from Uganda.  
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