Articles by Human Rights Watch
Serbian state-run university censors Internet
(HRW/IFEX) – On 21 December 1998, Human Rights Watch condemned a new clampdown on the Internet in Serbia, part of a concerted effort by President Slobodan Milosevic to stifle free expression and academic freedom. The university administration’s order prevents students, professors, and researchers throughout Serbia from accessing a website from OpenNet, the Internet branch of […]
Iranian writer escapes possible murder attempt; HRW welcomes new committee to probe murder spree
(HRW/IFEX) – An Iranian writer escaped an apparent attempt on his life on 13 December 1998, the latest in a spate of killings of Iranian intellectuals and opposition figures. HRW urged the government to take stronger measures to ensure the safety of independent Iranian writers and critics. **New case and update to IFEX alerts of […]
Another missing Iranian writer dead under suspicious circumstances
(HRW/IFEX) – Human Rights Watch has urged the Iranian government to investigate the recent death of an Iranian writer under suspicious circumstances. **Updates IFEX alerts of 9 December, 8 December, 7 December and 27 November 1998** The body of Iranian poet, writer, and free expression advocate Mohammad Makhtari was found on 9 December 1998 in […]
EOHR secretary-general detained
(HRW/IFEX) – Following is a letter Human Rights Watch sent on 2 December 1998 to President Mubarak about the 1 December detention of the secretary-general of the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights. He is facing serious criminal charges for dissemination abroad of an EOHR report, and for accepting a grant from the human rights committee […]
Nikitin trial update
(HRW/IFEX) – On 20 October 1998, an estimated two hundred trial observers and representatives of the press were present as Judge Sergei Golets of the St. Petersburg City Court opened the Nikitin trial. Despite a request from the defence to open larger parts of the trial, the judge ordered the hearing closed after only an […]
Nikitin trial update: day two
(HRW/IFEX) – The Nikitin trial resumed on 21 October 1998 at 11:00 a.m. (local time) in a closed session. The judge questioned Nikitin until approximately 3:00 p.m. (local time), asking him in great detail to give his points of view on all sections of the indictment. According to Nikitin’s lawyers, Yurii Schmidt, Genrikh Reznik and […]
Call for release of Iranian journalists
(HRW/IFEX) – In an open letter sent on 7 October 1998 to the Head of the Judiciary in Iran, Ayatollah Yazdi, Human Rights Watch called for the immediate and unconditional release of four journalists from the daily newspaper “Tous”, who were arrested on the order of a Revolutionary Court on 16 September. **Updates IFEX alerts […]
China signs human rights treaty
(HRW/IFEX) – On 4 October 1998, Human Rights Watch welcomed China’s signing of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). It urged Beijing to act quickly to ratify the treaty and fully implement its guarantees of freedom of expression, fair trial, protection against arbitrary detention, protection against torture, and freedom of association. “Since […]