Human Rights Watch

The Chechen authorities have been carrying out a harassment campaign against a rights group that investigates allegations of serious human rights violations by law enforcement and security officials.

The government has a long-established pattern of pursuing its political opponents in the courts and later granting pardons to some of those convicted.

The courts convicted three dozen workers of organizing mass unrest for participating in a seven-month strike for better labour conditions in the town of Zhanaozen.

Bakhtiar Hajiyev was sentenced to two years in jail on politically motivated charges after he organised a protest inspired by the Arab Spring.

The rights group is warning that a ban on “homosexual propaganda” in St. Petersburg is so broad that a person displaying a rainbow flag, wearing a T-shirt with a gay-friendly logo or holding a LGBT-themed rally could be prosecuted.

For Immediate Release Russia: Reject Restrictions on Peaceful Assembly Duma to Consider Big Fines for Public Gatherings (Moscow, June 5, 2012) – Russia’s State Duma should reject the restrictive amendments to the law on public rallies and the administrative code that would severely undercut the right to peaceful assembly, Human Rights Watch said today. The […]

For Immediate Release Croatia: Don’t Force Change in Pride March Route Threat of Violence Requires Protection, Not Interference (Berlin, May 31, 2012) – Authorities in the Croatian city of Split should permit the 2012 Gay Pride March on June 9, 2012, to end on the city’s waterfront as planned, Human Rights Watch said today. Croatian […]

For Immediate Release Russia: Putin’s Visit to Germany, France Needs Rights Focus (Berlin, May 31, 2012) – The leaders of France and Germany should urge President Vladimir Putin of Russia to mark the beginning of his third presidential term by making human rights a priority, both at home and abroad, Human Rights Watch said today. […]

The interior minister to release all Emergency Law detainees or refer them to prosecutors to be charged, and ask the public prosecutor to transfer all Emergency State Security Court (ESSC) trials to regular civilian courts, says Human Rights Watch.

Oleg Volchek was sentenced to nine days in detention at the close of a hearing marked by numerous violations of due process.

The court sentenced Bassem Tamimi on May 29 to 13 months in prison, which he has already served, as well as a 17-month suspended sentence.

Ho Thi Bich Khuong was convicted in 2011 for giving allegedly critical interviews to the foreign media, and for documents that were considered to oppose the state.

Changes approved last week by Parliament to controversial media laws do little to address the serious concerns expressed by the Council of Europe, and in some cases may make matters worse, said Human Rights Watch.

Police attacked and detained more than three dozen protesters near the offices of the country’s public broadcaster and host broadcaster of the Eurovision song contest.

The outcome was a grave disappointment to those who have campaigned for Manirumva’s killers to be held to account, as potentially important evidence in the case was not pursued.

Dr. Wenceslao Mansogo Alo was transferred on 18 May without explanation to a filthy, isolated cell in Bata central prison.