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HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH The Human Rights Watch monthly email update highlights the impact of our work around the world, as well as recent campaigns, publications, and special features. This update is sent to all HRW listserv subscribers. If you have not subscribed to an HRW listserv and would like to receive the monthly email update, you can subscribe by sending a blank email message to hrw-update-subscribe@topica.email-publisher.com.
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---- Human Rights Watch's report, "Hatred in the Hallways: Violence and
Discrimination Against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender
Students in U.S. Schools," details the prejudice, harassment, and abuse
faced by gay youth -- and the failure of school officials to protect
them.
The report was released on May 30 at a press conference at Fairfax high
school in Los Angeles. HRW California Committee Chair Mike Farrell
moderated and speakers included Roy Romer, the superintendent of the
Los Angeles Unified School District, a former student victim who gave
testimony about his plight, and representatives from LAMBDA Legal
Defense Fund and GLSN, the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network.
HRW's Widney Brown, a co-author of the report, began the day with an
appearance on ABC-TV's "Good Morning America." The release of the
report was covered by local television and radio as well as the Los
Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Chicago Tribune, New York
Newsday, NPR's "All Things Considered" and the MTV News program
"Fight for Your Rights". Read the report online at http://www.hrw.org/reports/2001/uslgbt ---- As a direct result of HRW advocacy with the Council of Europe, the
Council's Parliamentary Assembly at its April session distributed a
comprehensive list of cases against Russian servicemen for crimes
against
civilians in Chechnya. On May 15, HRW released "Burying the Evidence: The Botched
Investigation into a Mass Grave in Chechnya." The report calls for a
serious investigation into the deaths of fifty-one people whose bodies
were found buried less than one kilometer from Khankala, Russia's main
military base in Chechnya. The report has been widely used to continue
to
apply pressure on Russia. Read the report online at http://www.hrw.org/reports/2001/chechnya2
---- In February 2000, a Senegalese court indicted Chad's exiled former
dictator, Hissène Habré, on charges of torture and crimes against
humanity and placed him under house arrest. The result of work
spearheaded by HRW, the indictment represented the first time that an
African had been charged with atrocities by the court of another African
country. In March 2001, however, after political interference, Senegal's
Court of Final Appeals ruled that Habré could not be tried in Senegal
for
crimes allegedly committed in Chad. We are now working with Habré's
victims to seek his extradition to Belgium where a judge has opened an
investigation. The United Nations Committee against Torture, in a rare
move, has asked Senegal not to let Habré leave Senegal except via
extradition. In the meantime, the case has opened new possibilities for
justice in Chad itself, where the victims have filed cases against many
of
Habré's accomplices who remain in powerful positions. The film shows Reed interviewing witnesses, plotting strategy, and talking about accountability and the "Pinochet principle." For more on the documentary visit
http://www.hrw.org/french/themes/habre-documentary.html ---- On May 10, Senator Tom Harkin introduced new legislation into the US
Senate to address abusive and exploitive child labor in the United
States.
The legislation would eliminate the current double-standard which allows
children to work in large-scale commercial agriculture at younger ages,
for longer hours, and under more hazardous conditions than children in
non-agricultural jobs. United States Failure To Protect Child Farmworkers," HRW has actively
campaigned to stop the exploitation of child farmworkers. For a sample letter or to find our more visit http://www.hrw.org/campaigns/crp/farmchild ---- Bahrain has seen some extraordinarily positive developments over the
past six months, including the release of all of the country's political
prisoners and the return of the country's numerous political exiles.
Shortly
after a referendum on the National Charter in which both women and men
were able to vote, the country's ruler, Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa,
decreed the repeal of the State Security Law of 1974, which allowed
arbitrary and incommunicado detention and unfair trials. The amir
(prince) also abolished the State Security Court, which for a quarter of
a
century had convicted thousands of Bahrainis on the basis of
uncorroborated confessions, many extracted under torture. View the report online at http://www.hrw.org/reports/1997/bahrain/ ---- In the face of international pressure, on May 5 the foreign minister of
the
Democratic Republic of Congo promised not to execute four child
soldiers sentenced to death by a special military court. In a meeting on
May 2 with Foreign Minister She Okitundu, Human Rights Watch senior
researcher Suliman Ali Baldo urged the government to spare the lives of
the four children. The children, between 14 and 16 years of age at the
time of their arrest, were tried by Congo's Court of Military Order,
which
grants the accused no right to counsel or to appeal a sentence. Read the report online at http://www.hrw.org/reports/2001/drc3 ---- On May 3, the United States failed to win re-election to the United
Nations Commission on Human Rights. This is the first time since the
founding of the Commission in 1947 that the United States will not have
a seat on it. The vote reflected both a growing effort by human rights
abusers to shield themselves from criticism, as well as frustration on
the
part of U.S. allies with America's unwillingness to support
international
institutions and treaties. Many thanks to those who submitted questions. Our response is online at http://www.hrw.org/un/us_qna.htm HRW's report, "Tunisia: A Lawsuit Against the Human Rights League, an Assault on All Rights Activists," documents the government of Tunisia's all-out campaign against critics, including heavy-handed police action to block meetings of human rights organizations, physical assault on activists, passport confiscation, and interruption in phone service. The assault threatens to undermine the Arab world's oldest independent human rights organization. Read the report online at http://www.hrw.org/reports/2001/tunisia ---- On May 3, the Chilean Senate unanimously approved ratification of the
1997 Mine Ban Treaty. Concerns remain about how Chile will clean up
its borders which are still contaminated with mines and unexploded
ordnance. In the Americas only the United States and Cuba have yet to
join the treaty. For more about HRW's efforts to ban landmines visit http://www.hrw.org/arms -------- Your contribution to Human Rights Watch will allow us to continue to investigate human rights abuses in more than 70 countries and to generate pressure to end them. HRW does not accept financial support from any government or government agency. Every investigation we undertake, every advocacy campaign we embark on, and every report we produce is funded solely by generous contributions from private individuals and foundations. To find out more about membership, or to make a donation online, by phone or postal mail visit http://www.hrw.org/donations/ |
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