Human Rights Watch

Authorities use vague and abusive laws that criminalize speech, association, and assembly.

COP27 countries should press Cairo to end onerous restrictions curtailing the work of environmentalist organizations.

“The new high commissioner will have his work cut out combating a difficult human rights environment across the globe. Whether it’s confronting crimes against humanity in Xinjiang, war crimes in Ukraine and Ethiopia, or racism in the United States, the rights chief’s most effective tools are robust investigations and a strong voice.”

In the last three decades, protections for LGBTQI+ rights have advanced rapidly in many countries and regions. But populist authoritarianism poses a significant threat to this progress because abolishing sexual freedom is often at the heart of repressive political projects.

The new report by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights details widespread human rights abuses across Xinjiang, a context where those who dare to criticize the state face intimidation and threats, including the Uyghur diaspora who have spoken out about the conditions.

After the lifting of a media ban, the public learned that Hong Kong authorities have filed charges against 47 former lawmakers, unionists, academics, and activists due to their peaceful political activities.

The outrageous sentence – believed to be the longest ever imposed on a Saudi woman for her peaceful online expression – is an indicator that Saudi leadership is ramping up repression, as it emerges from diplomatic isolation.

Dozens who were detained during May 2022 protests are facing closed, unfair trials on serious charges – often without access to lawyers or the evidence against them.