The Latest News Last updated Saturday, August 31, 2002 News Archive   |   Latest Reports from Human Rights Watch Contribute to HRW   |   Join the HRW Mailing List Current Events Focus on Human Rights Afghanistan: Human Rights Watch Key Documents  (August, 2002) Accountability and Transition in the Balkans  (July 24, 2002) Russian Federation / Chechnya: Renewed Catastrophe  (May 22, 2002) September 11 Attacks: Crimes Against Humanity The Aftermath (May, 2002) Yugoslavia: Council of Europe Should Make Stronger Demands (New York, August 31, 2002) The Council of Europe should seek stronger commitments on police abuse, war crimes accountability, and Roma rights in connection with admission of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FR Yugoslavia), Human Rights Watch said today. Guatemala: Political Violence Unchecked Human Rights Watch recently returned from a research and advocacy mission to Guatemala. During the mission, Human Rights Watch representatives met with President Alfonso Portillo, government ministers, and human rights defenders, among others. This backgrounder sets out our preliminary findings, while also summarizing some of our recommendations for addressing the country's human rights problems. EU Must Not Forget Imprisoned Syrian Democrats (Brussels, August 30, 2002) — The European Union (EU) must react strongly to the harsh sentencing of 10 pro-democracy activists in Syria, Human Rights Watch said today. Concern Escalates Over Missing Chinese AIDS Activist (New York, August 30, 2002) -- Human Rights Watch and the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network today expressed increasing concern about missing Chinese AIDS activist Wan Yanhai. Dr. Wan had planned to travel to Canada in September as the first recipient of a newly established human rights award. Journalist Violently Attacked in Kazakhstan (New York, August 30, 2002) The vicious attack on an independent journalist who recently criticized the policies of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev is part of a worrying trend of abuse targeting the Kazakh government's critics, Human Rights Watch said today. Uzbek Rights Defender in Psychiatric Detention (New York, August 30, 2002)—On Wednesday, August 28, two women, a human rights defender and someone she was trying to help, were forcibly detained in a locked ward of the main psychiatric hospital in Tashkent, Human Rights Watch reported today. Afghanistan: U.S. Should Act on Expanding Security (New York, August 30, 2002) - Human Rights Watch today welcomed a statement by a senior U.S. Defense Department official that the Bush administration has dropped its opposition to expanding international peacekeeping forces in Afghanistan. Nigeria: Man Faces Sharia Stoning Death (New York, August 29, 2002) Human Rights Watch today condemned the imposition of a death by stoning sentence on a man in the northern state of Jigawa in Nigeria. Earlier this month, an appellate Sharia court in northern Nigeria upheld a stoning sentence against a 30-year old woman for having sex outside marriage. EU Commitment to Criminal Court Facing Test (Brussels, August 28, 2002) -- The European Union's long-standing commitment to the International Criminal Court (ICC) must resist Washington's pressure to exempt U.S. nationals from the court, Human Rights Watch said today. Yugoslavia: Harassment by Extreme Nationalists (New York, August 28, 2002) Authorities of the Yugoslav republic of Serbia should take measures against extreme nationalists who unlawfully harass and threaten civic activists, Human Rights Watch said today. China: WPA Action on Psychiatric Abuse Falls Short (New York, August 27, 2002:) - The World Psychiatric Association (WPA) moved too cautiously in addressing the issue of China's political use of psychiatric imprisonment, Human Rights Watch said today, reacting to the vote at the WPA's general assembly meeting in Yokohama, Japan. No Religious Freedom in Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan (New York, August 22, 2002) The Bush administration must not repeat its mistake of failing to designate Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan "countries of particular concern" for religious freedom, Human Rights Watch said today in a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell. Libya Confirms Why It Is Wrong for UN Rights Chair (New York, August 20, 2002) - Libya's claim that its "security and stability" prove respect for human rights demonstrates why Libya is the wrong choice to chair the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, Human Rights Watch said today. Human Rights Watch reiterated its call on the African Union to abandon plans to nominate Libya as next chair for the Commission. Sharia Stoning Sentence for Nigerian Woman (New York, August 20, 2002) The August 19 ruling by a Nigerian court of appeal to uphold the verdict of death by stoning of Amina Lawal for adultery is a cruel and inhuman application of Sharia (Islamic) law, Human Rights Watch said today. Congo: War Crimes in Kisangani  Français (New York, August 20, 2002) In a new report, Human Rights Watch identifies top commanders of the Rwandan-backed Congolese Rally for Democracy (RCD) rebel movement implicated in the May massacres in Kisangani, and calls for their prosecution for war crimes. Rwanda: Top Genocidaire Arrest an “Important Step” (New York, August 15, 2002) The arrest of General Augustin Bizimungu, chief of staff of the former Rwandan army, marks an important step in delivering justice for the 1994 genocide of the Tutsi in Rwanda, Human Rights Watch said today. United States: Abuses Plague Sept. 11 Investigation (New York, August 15, 2002) The U.S. government's investigation of the September 11 attacks has been marred by arbitrary detentions, due process violations, and secret arrests, Human Rights Watch said in a new report released today. Indonesia Verdict Confirms Justice Elusive for East Timor Crimes (New York, August 15, 2002) - The first verdict and sentence in the East Timor trials being held in Jakarta fall far short of accountability for past rights violations, Human Rights Watch said today. Opposition Mounting to U.S. Arm-Twisting on ICC (New York, August 13, 2002) International opposition is growing to the Bush administration's latest attempt to exempt U.S. nationals from the International Criminal Court (ICC), Human Rights Watch said today. In a letter sent to all governments that have signed the ICC treaty, Human Rights Watch urged them to stand up to the administration's threat to end military assistance unless they agree never to surrender U.S. nationals to the ICC. China: End Political Abuse of Psychiatry (New York, August 13, 2002) - The Chinese government should immediately release anyone held in institutions for the mentally ill based on a politically motivated diagnosis, Human Rights Watch and the Geneva Initiative on Psychiatry said today. The government should also end the longstanding practice of using psychiatric incarceration for political ends. Rwanda: Deliver Justice for Victims of Both Sides (New York, August 12, 2002) The U.N. Security Council must stand behind its intention of delivering justice to victims of both sides in the conflict that devastated Rwanda in 1994, Human Rights Watch said today. Uzbekistan: Two Brutal Deaths in Custody (New York, August 10, 2002) -- Two suspicious deaths with apparent signs of torture highlight Uzbekistan's brutal ongoing crackdown against independent Muslims, Human Rights Watch said today. Yahoo! Risks Abusing Rights in China (New York, August 9, 2002)- Yahoo! Inc. risks complicity in rights abuses if it remains a signatory to China's "Public Pledge on Self-discipline for the Chinese Internet Industry," Human Rights Watch said today. Human Rights Watch sent a letter to Yahoo!'s CEO Terry Semel, to detail these concerns, but as of today has received no response. Libya Should Not Chair U.N. Commission (New York, August 9, 2002) - African governments' nomination of Libya as chair of the next United Nations Commission on Human Rights undercuts their new commitment to promote human rights and good governance, Human Rights Watch said today. Israel/PA: Hamas Must End Civilian Attacks (New York, August 7, 2002) Human Rights Watch today urged armed Palestinian factions to immediately stop all attacks on civilians. U.S./Indonesia: Bush Backtracks on Corporate Responsibility (New York, August 7, 2002) The U.S. State Department has asked a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit against the Exxon Mobil Corporation for its alleged complicity in human rights violations in Indonesia, raising questions about the Bush administration's commitment to corporate responsibility, Human Rights Watch said today. Turkey's Bold Reforms Fail Imprisoned Legislators Death penalty, language restrictions abolished; Kurdish parliamentarians still jailed (New York, August 7, 2002) Human Rights Watch today welcomed Turkey's significant new reforms, while expressing disappointment at important steps not taken. Peru: Future Of Aerial Anti-Narcotics Operations  Espańol (August 6, 2002) -- Human Rights Watch letter to Dr. Alejandro Toledo Colombia Ratifies International Criminal Court New Hope for Justice for ColombiaŐs Victims (New York, August 5, 2002) Human Rights Watch today applauded ColombiaŐs ratification of the International Criminal Court (ICC) treaty. The ICC is an international tribunal charged with investigating and prosecuting those accused of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. Its jurisdiction applies to state actors as well as non-state actors such as rebel groups and paramilitaries. U.S.: 'Hague Invasion Act' Becomes Law (New York, August 3, 2002) A new law supposedly protecting U.S. servicemembers from the International Criminal Court shows that the Bush administration will stop at nothing in its campaign against the court, Human Rights Watch warned today. U.S. Strengthens Human Rights Effort on Uzbekistan (New York, August 2, 2002) U.S. efforts to promote human rights in Uzbekistan should be bolstered by President George Bush's signature on a new law, Human Rights Watch said today. Repression in China Worsens Worker Protests (New York, August 2, 2002) - The Chinese government's refusal to allow independent trade unions is fueling worker protests, Human Rights Watch said in a new report released today. Syria: Long Prison Terms for Democracy Activists (New York, August 2, 2002) The convictions on July 31 of two more Syrian political activists is another sign that the government of Bashar al-Asad is intent on stifling independent voices and moving backwards on freedom of expression, Human Rights Watch said today. UN Jenin Report "Flawed" (New York, August 2, 2002) The U.N. report on events in Jenin is seriously flawed, Human Rights Watch said today. The report, mandated by a UN General Assembly resolution after Israeli objections forced the Secretary-General to disband a UN fact-finding team, largely limits itself to presenting competing accounts of the events during the Israeli military operations. U.S.: Spare Two Texas Juvenile Offenders (New York, August 1, 2002) - Texas should halt the executions of two juvenile offenders scheduled for this month, Human Rights Watch urged today. Powell Should Urge Accountability by Indonesian Military (New York, July 31, 2002) - U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell should urge Indonesia to demonstrate effective civilian control of the military and take action to hold senior military officers accountable for human rights abuses, Human Rights Watch said in a backgrounder released today. More...