The Latest News Last updated Friday, February 28, 2003 News Archive   |   Latest Reports from Human Rights Watch Contribute to HRW   |   Join the HRW Mailing List Current Events Focus on Human Rights Russian Federation / Chechnya: Renewed Catastrophe  (February, 2003) Afghanistan: Human Rights Watch Key Documents  (February, 2003) September 11 Attacks: Crimes Against Humanity The Aftermath (November, 2002) Nigeria: OPC a Continuing Threat to Security (New York, February 28, 2003) Militia and vigilante violence continues to pose a real threat to security in Nigeria, especially in the period leading up to elections in April 2003, Human Rights Watch said in a new report released today. Burundi: Attacks on Civilians Growing (New York, February 28, 2003) Recent attacks by government troops, and the pullout of the main rebel force from a ceasefire agreement, are combining to put civilians in Burundi in growing danger, Human Rights Watch said in a briefing paper released today. Armenia: Mass Arrests Before Runoff (New York, February 28, 2003) Mass detentions of opposition campaign officials threaten the integrity of Armenia’s March 5 presidential election runoff, Human Rights Watch said today. Since Saturday, police have arrested at least 150 supporters of Stepan Demirchian, the challenger to incumbent President Robert Kocharian. India: Carnage in Gujarat Unpunished (New York, February 27, 2003) One year after the beginning of communal violence in Gujarat that claimed over 2,000 lives, there have been no convictions of those responsible and little in the way of promised relief for victims, Human Rights Watch said today. Algeria Led World in Forced Disappearances (New York, February 27, 2003)-- Algerian security forces made "disappear" at least 7,000 persons, more than the number recorded in any other country during the past decade except wartime Bosnia, Human Rights Watch said in a new report released today. Indonesia Should Hand Over the "East Timor 8" (New York, February 26, 2003) - Indonesia must hand over indicted Indonesian officials to the joint U.N.-East Timor court responsible for prosecuting organizers of the atrocities committed in 1999, Human Rights Watch said today. The international community should call on Jakarta to extradite all indicted Indonesian officials for trial in Dili. Uzbekistan: Silencing Critical Voices (New York, February 26, 2003) Uzbek authorities should immediately release a dissident who was beaten by police and is now seriously ill, Human Rights Watch said today. The arrest was the latest in a series of police actions intended to chill public criticism of the government. Chile: Indictments in Prats Case (New York, February 25, 2003) The indictment of five Chilean secret agents allegedly responsible for the assassination of former army commander Gen. Carlos Prats and his wife Sofía Cuthbert in Buenos Aires almost thirty years ago is an important victory for justice, Human Rights Watch said today. Egypt's Emergency without End (New York, February 25, 2003) The Egyptian government's abrupt renewal of the country's repressive Emergency Law on February 23 is designed to quash the growing campaign for the abolition of the law, Human Rights Watch said today. U.N. Security Council Resolution Should Protect Iraqi Civilians (New York, February 24, 2003) Any U.N. Security Council resolution authorizing war against Iraq must contain explicit protections for civilians, Human Rights Watch said today. Egypt: End Internet Entrapment, Homosexual Prosecutions (New York, February 21, 2003) A February 17 appeals court ruling in Egypt may signal an increasingly harsh campaign of entrapment, arrest and conviction of men solely on the basis of alleged consensual homosexual conduct, Human Rights Watch said today. Human Shields in Iraq Puts Obligations on U.S. (New York, February 20, 2003) The use of human shields in Iraq would dramatically increase the danger to civilians and the level of care the United States and its allies must take to protect them in the event of any attack, Human Rights Watch said in briefing paper released today. Investigate Killings of Opposition Supporters in Venezuela (Washington, D.C., February 19, 2003) The government of Hugo Chávez should carry out a thorough and impartial investigation into the abduction and murder of four opposition supporters whose bodies were found on February 16 and 17, Human Rights Watch said today. Mass Arrests of Street Children in Egypt (Cairo, February 19, 2003) The Egyptian government conducts mass arrest campaigns of children whose "crime" is that they are in need of protection, Human Rights Watch said in a new report released today. NATO Arrests Key Step for Justice in Kosovo (New York, February 19, 2003) NATO’s arrest of three Kosovar Albanians indicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) is an important step for the cause of justice in the Balkans, Human Rights Watch said today. Turkmen leader should mark birthday by introducing rule of law (New York, February 18, 2003) President Saparmurat Niazov of Turkmenistan should mark his birthday by committing himself to protect human rights, a coalition of human rights groups said today. President Niazov's birthday, February 19, is a major event in Turkmenistan. Letter to President Nazarbaev Regarding the Due Process Rights of Sergei Duvanov (New York, February 14, 2003) We are writing to express our deepest concern about the case of Sergei Duvanov, a journalist who on January 28 was convicted of rape by the Karasai District Court. We believe that Mr. Duvanov was denied his right to due process during the police investigation and his right to a fair trial. These concerns, as well as the circumstances surrounding the case, strongly suggest that the case against him was politically motivated and that his conviction represents a miscarriage of justice. We ask that you ensure an impartial review of the charges against him, and that he be released prior to such a review. Egypt: Growing Numbers of Arrests (New York, February 14, 2003) Recent arrests of demonstrators in Egypt may signal increasing repression of public dissent, Human Rights Watch said today. Bolivia: Investigate Killings During Clashes (New York, February 14, 2003) Killings by government security forces committed in La Paz on Tuesday and Wednesday must be thoroughly investigated, Human Rights Watch said today. The Bolivian government must ensure that restraints on the use of lethal force were followed. Indictment Text Shows China's Political Use of Subversion (New York, Feb. 14, 2003) The text of the indictment of Chinese labor activists Yao Fuxin and Xiao Yunliang illustrates how China continues to use the elastic crime of "subversion" as a weapon against leaders of movements that criticize the state, Human Rights Watch said today. An official copy of the indictment offers a rare and chilling view of the challenges facing Chinese labor activists. Belgian Ruling Key Precedent for Human Rights (New York, February 13, 2003) The Belgian Supreme Court decision permitting an inquiry into the 1982 massacre of civilians in the Palestinian refugee camps of Sabra and Shatilla is a landmark step for international law, Human Rights Watch said today. The decision will also allow a number of other cases pending in Belgium to move forward, including that of former Chadian dictator Hissène Habré. South Africa: Compensate Victims of the Past (New York/ London, February 13, 2003) The South African government should urgently implement outstanding recommendations made by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch said in a briefing paper released today. Iraq: Prepare for Humanitarian Crisis (New York, February 13, 2003) Iraqi civilians could face tremendous hardship if war disrupts their access to food and water or forces them to join hundreds of thousands of people already displaced from their homes. Cambodia: Freedom of Expression Under Attack (New York and London, Feb. 11, 2003) Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International today expressed concern about the impact of the arrests of two journalists in Cambodia on the country's climate for free expression. Afghanistan: Warlords Face International Criminal Court  (in Persian) (New York, February 10, 2003) - Afghan warlords who commit future atrocities can now face prosecution by the new International Criminal Court (ICC), Human Rights Watch said today, as Afghanistan deposited its accession to the ICC Treaty at the United Nations. Egypt: Mass Arrests of Foreigners  (in Arabic) (New York, February 10, 2003) -- Hundreds of foreigners, including refugees and asylum seekers, were beaten and jailed during two nights of racially-motivated arrests in Cairo, Human Rights Watch said today. German Chancellor Should Press Russian President on Chechnya (Moscow, February 9, 2003) - German Chancellor Gerhard Schroder should urge President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia to allow the Assistance Group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) back into Chechnya, Human Rights Watch said today. Schroder is scheduled to meet with Putin on Sunday. ICC Judges Election a Global Justice Milestone (New York, February 8, 2003) The first 18 judges elected to the International Criminal Court (ICC), a highly qualified and diverse bench, represent a major milestone on the road to the court's opening, Human Rights Watch said today. Colombia: Car Bomb Deliberately Targets Civilians (New York, February 8, 2003) The people responsible for planning and carrying out car bombings that deliberately target civilians must be brought to justice, Human Rights Watch said. In Colombia, a car bomb that was detonated in the parking area of a social club in the capital on February 7 killed at least 25 and wounded more than 120. Azerbaijani Police Raid Village (New York, February 8, 2003) Up to 200 armed police entered the village of Nardaran early in the morning of February 5 and attacked sleeping villagers at a protest site, Human Rights Watch said today. At least 15 villagers were injured during the 15-minute police assault, some suffering severe head injuries and broken ribs from truncheon and rifle-butt blows. Internment Should be Repudiated (New York, February 7, 2003) -- U.S. President George Bush and Congress should strongly repudiate statements made by a leading member of Congress that tried to justify the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II, Human Rights Watch said today. Iran: U.K. Government Should Press for Real Reform (New York, February 4, 2003) The British government should press Iran to turn its promises of political reform into reality, Human Rights Watch urged today. U.S. Should Renounce Torture before Powell Speech to U.N. (New York, February 3, 2003) - Before U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell presents evidence on Iraq's weapons programs and terror links to the United Nations on Wednesday, the Bush administration should respond to allegations that intelligence has been obtained from detainees through torture, Human Rights Watch said. ICC: Electing Best Judges is Critical (New York, January 31, 2003) When states parties to the International Criminal Court (ICC) convene in New York next week to elect the court's first 18 judges, they must put aside politics and vote only for the most highly qualified judges, Human Rights Watch urged today. U.N. Spotlights Child Soldiers (New York, January 30, 2002) Governments and armed groups using child soldiers are under new scrutiny by the U.N. Security Council and must take immediate action to end child recruitment, Human Rights Watch said today. Curbing Torture Top EU-Turkey Priority (Brussels, January 30, 2003) With a one-sentence law the Turkish government can effectively curb torture, Human Rights Watch said today. In a letter to EU officials and the Turkish foreign minister who are meeting in Ankara on January 31, Human Rights Watch urged the parties to prioritize combating torture by giving all detainees immediate access to a lawyer. Eritrea & Ethiopia: Expulsion Suffering Lingers (New York, January 30, 2003) Citizens and residents expelled by both Ethiopia and Eritrea during their 1998-2000 border war should be offered repatriation and the restoration of citizenship, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. FBI Mosque Counting Questioned (New York, January 29, 2003) The United States should not engage in religious profiling as part of its anti-terrorism efforts, Human Rights Watch said today. Russia: Abuses in Chechnya Continue to Cause Human Suffering (New York, January 29, 2003) Russia’s ongoing record of serious human rights abuse in Chechnya impugns its claim that the war there contributes to the international campaign against terrorism, Human Rights Watch said in a new report published today. Nigeria: Political Violence Increasing Before Elections (New York, January 29, 2003) The Nigerian government is doing far too little to prevent a wave of political violence in the pre-election period, Human Rights Watch said in a briefing paper released today. China: Tibetan Executed, Others Await Trial (New York, January 28, 2003) -- China's execution of one Tibetan and the suspended death sentence upheld on appeal of another raise serious concerns about due process, particularly in politically sensitive cases, Human Rights Watch said today. Sexual Abuse in Zambia Fuels Girls’ AIDS Epidemic (New York, January 28, 2003) — Sexual abuse of girls in Zambia fuels the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the strikingly higher HIV prevalence among girls than boys, Human Rights Watch said today. Concerted national and international efforts to protect the rights of girls and young women are key to curbing the AIDS epidemic’s destructive course. Iraq: Devastation of Marsh Arabs (New York, January 25, 2003) Iraq’s Marsh Arabs, having barely survived a fifteen-year campaign by the central government to eliminate them, will be at further risk in the event of war, Human Rights Watch warned today. Venezuela: Media Freedom Threatened (New York, January 25, 2003) A government investigation into alleged violations of broadcasting regulations by two Venezuelan television stations threatens media freedoms in Venezuela, Human Rights Watch said today. The stations are being investigated for broadcasts that allegedly discredit the Venezuelan government and President Hugo Chávez. More...