Human rights groups voice need for strong and urgent Security Council action
Since mass protests began, the UN has estimated at least 2,600 civilians have been killed, the majority of them protesters and local residents shot with live ammunition by the security forces and army.
Trial of activists “fundamentally unfair,” say rights groups
Amnesty International, ANHRI, Front Line Defenders, and Human Rights Watch call on the authorities to drop the charges and free the accused activists.
United States urged to take tough stance on Uzbekistan
In a letter to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, human rights groups expressed concern over proposed legislation to permit military and other assistance to the Uzbek government, one of the most repressive in the world.
Human Rights Watch calls for reinstatement of expelled students, faculty
Earlier in 2011, universities dismissed faculty and staff and expelled students for expressing critical opinions or attending overwhelmingly peaceful demonstrations.
Human Rights Watch releases briefing paper on missing political prisoners
The fate of 21 senior government members and journalists who criticised President Isaias Afewerki is still unknown 10 years after they were arrested.
UN member states should challenge Ahmadinejad as campaign to crush dissent continues, says Human Rights Watch
Lethal force has reportedly been used against protesters, while opposition leaders, lawyers, journalists and rights activists have been detained on politically-motivated charges.
Human Rights Watch calls for end to clampdown on opposition party members, government critics
The authorities have reportedly arrested more than 100 real or perceived opponents of the government, including well-known writer, artist and activist Abdelmoniem Rahma.
Free activists before elections, say four rights groups
International rights groups seek to monitor trial of 5 activists during 26 September trial appearance.
CIHRS hosts panel discussion, film screening on free expression crisis
CIHRS screened the Al Jazeera documentary “Shouting in the dark” and hosted a panel discussion on Bahrain in parallel with the recent meeting of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva about the situation in Bahrain.
Human Rights Watch honours writers for commitment to free expression
Forty-eight writers from 24 countries have received 2011 Hellman/Hammett grants for their commitment to free expression and their courage in the face of persecution.
Human Rights Watch calls on authorities to release unfairly convicted demonstrators
A police court in Luanda sentenced five organisers of the 3 September demonstration to three months in prison and fines and damages totalling US$1,400 for the crimes of disobedience, resistance, and “corporal offenses”.
Human Rights Watch calls on authorities to drop charges against human rights lawyer
The charges against Walid Abu al-Khair include “communicating with foreign agencies” and “participating in media [programmes] to distort the country’s reputation”.
Charges against human rights defender dropped
Al-Amin Kimathi had been charged with terrorism, as well as murder and attempted murder, and was held in pre-trial detention for nearly a year.
Radio personality shot dead
Hadi al-Mahdi had been critical of government corruption and social inequality and was involved in Iraq’s protest movement.
Call for release of detained opposition leaders as crackdown intensifies
The arrest of two ethnic Oromo leaders appears to be a prime example of the government using the anti-terrorism law to silence the opposition, Human Rights Watch said.
Government urged to free seriously ill rights advocates as part of National Day amnesty
The blogger Dieu Cay is believed to have suffered a serious injury in prison, while Father Nguyen Van Ly, a veteran political activist who had been given medical parole because of three strokes and another serious illness, was re-incarcerated in July.