Human Rights August 2007

Saudi Arabia: Migrant Domestics Killed by Employers Brutal Beatings and Killings Symptomatic of Wider Abuse The killing of two Indonesian domestic workers by their employers in Saudi Arabia highlights the Saudi government's ongoing failure to hold employers accountable for serious abuses, Human Rights Watch said today. The brutal beatings by these employers also left two other Indonesian domestic workers critically injured.
Press Release: http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/08/17/saudia16699.htm August 17, 2007
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China: Media Chokehold Tightens Before Party Congress Crackdown on 'False News' a Direct Threat to Reporting Freedom The Chinese government's announced crackdown on "false news" and "illegal news coverage" could be yet another direct threat to media freedom in China, Human Rights Watch said today.
Press Release: http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/08/17/china16700.htm August 17, 2007
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Russia: New Campaign to Silence Rights Activist The Russian government's latest attempt to silence a leading human rights advocate reflects a deepening crackdown on critical voices in Russia, Human Rights Watch said today. A court in Nizhni Novgorod will today rule on whether to impose tougher terms on Stanislav Dmitrievsky, who was convicted in 2006 for publicizing human rights abuses in Chechnya.
Press Release: http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/08/17/russia16702.htm August 17, 2007
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Jordan: Government Pledges to Grant Iraqis Education, Health Rights Iraqis Still Denied Refugee Status The Jordanian government in a welcome step has pledged to provide public health care and education to Iraqis living in Jordan regardless of their legal status, but continues to refuse to recognize them as refugees, Human Rights Watch said today. Press Release: http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/08/16/jordan16687.htm August 16, 2007 ----- SCO Summit: Crackdown Highlights Failings on Human Rights Shanghai Cooperation Organization Should Not Undermine Rights in Name of Security Members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization missed a key opportunity to implement the organization's human rights principles when they met on August 16 at the SCO summit in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek, Human Rights Watch said today.
Press Release: http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/08/16/kyrgyz16698.htm August 16, 2007 -----
Jordan: Rights Groups to Visit Intelligence Agency Prison First Visit by Independent Experts The Jordanian intelligence agency has agreed to allow independent human rights monitoring organizations to visit prisoners at itssecretive detention facility for the first time, Human Rights Watch said today.
Press Release: http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/08/15/jordan16673.htm August 15, 2007
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UK: Terrorism Powers Should Not Be Used Against Heathrow Protesters The British authorities should not use terrorism powers against protesters at London's Heathrow airport, Human Rights Watch said today. In a demonstration against global warming, hundreds ofprotesters have set up a tent camp next to the airport to pressure the government to halt the airport's planned expansion.
Press Release: http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/08/14/uk16684.htm August 15, 2007
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Darfur Needs Most Efficient, Trained Troops Immediately Letter to African Union Chairman and the Under-Secretary-General for UN Peacekeeping Operations The nationalities of troops should not impede the urgent establishment of the most effective peacekeeping force possible for Darfur, Human Rights Watch said today in letters to the chairman of the African Union Commission and to the United Nations under-secretary-general for peacekeeping operations. The new African Union-United Nations hybrid peacekeeping force must have military and civilian components, including police, that are experienced, well-trained and well-equipped if it is to deliver on its promise to protect civilians in Darfur.
Press Release: http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/08/15/darfur16695.htm
Letter: http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/08/15/darfur16694.htm August 15, 2007
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SADC: Take Action to End Zimbabwe Rights Crisis Send Human Rights Monitors to End State Brutality Government leaders gathered this week at a summit in Lusaka, Zambia should urgently press Zimbabwe's government to end its broadscale attack on human rights, Human Rights Watch said in a briefing paper released today. Human Rights Watch called on the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to deploy human rights monitors to Zimbabwe to assess the situation.
Press Release: http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/08/08/zimbab16615.htm August 14, 2007 -----
Libya: Men Face Possible Death for Planning Peaceful Demonstration Two Others 'Disappeared' for Nearly Six Months The Libyan government should drop charges against 12 men, one of them a Danish citizen, on trial for planning to hold a peacefulpolitical demonstration in Tripoli, the Libyan capital, Human Rights Watch said today. Two other men have "disappeared" since their arrest in connection with the case nearly six months ago.
Press Release: http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/08/14/libya16638.htm August 14, 2007
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Rwanda: Investigate 'Disappeared' Businessman Confer Due Process Rights to Arrested Generals Rwandan judicial and police authorities should account promptly for the whereabouts of Assinapol Rwigara, a prominent businessman, and should assure due process rights to arrested generals Frank Rusagara and Sam Kanyemera, Human Rights Watch said today.
Press Release: http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/08/14/rwanda16668.htm August 14, 2007 -----
Somalia: War Crimes in Mogadishu UN Should Address Civilian Protection Ethiopian, Somali and insurgent forces are all responsible for rampant violations of the laws of war in Mogadishu, causing massive suffering for the civilian population, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. Human Rights Watch urged the UN Security Council during its current deliberations on Somalia to include a strong civilian protection mandate in any peacekeeping mission.
Press Release: http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/08/06/somali16599.htm
Report: http://hrw.org/reports/2007/somalia0807/ August 13, 2007