The current upsurge in oppressive measures implemented in Belarus against former political prisoners and their families is fiercely denounced by the European Union. More than a hundred people have been arrested as a result of raids and searches by security personnel. These acts are a part of a larger campaign
From the European Commission– Today, the European Commission and the High Representative set out the priorities and way ahead on Human rights and Democracy, adopting a Joint Communication and the EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy for 2020-2024. Further, they put forward a joint proposal to the Council
By Amy Braun schweiger, and Hugh Williamson of HRW – The coronavirus has rapidly spread through Italy and Spain, making them two of the world’s COVID-19 hot spots. Elsewhere in Europe, the Hungarian government has used the virus as an excuse to grab power, and other governments are using it to target critics.
Fatima Burhan, Research Assistant, Europe & Central Asia – HRW – With news that four prisoners in Italy tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, bolder steps to protect the health of detainees and guards and alleviate overcrowding in its penitentiary system are all the more urgent.
(Beirut) – Qatari authorities should ensure that migrant workers receive adequate protection during the COVID-19 pandemic, a coalition of 16 nongovernmental organizations and trade unions said in a letter on March 31, 2020 to Qatar’s prime minister and interior minister, Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al-Thani. The groups include Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and
(Beirut) – People in immigration detention in Gulf countries pending deportation should be given alternatives to detention amid health risks and global travel restrictions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, Human Rights Watch said today. Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries should also curb arrests of undocumented migrants, including of workers who “abscond;”
Rothna Begum Senior Researcher, Women’s Rights Division – HRW -Governments around the world have imposed restrictions on movements of citizens to counter the threat of COVID-19 and limit its spread. But for millions of Asian and African migrant domestic workers in the Middle East, these important safeguards also increase the
The 47-nation Council of Europe has launched an updated version of its free online “Introduction to the European Convention on Human Rights”, a 5-hour interactive training course aimed at legal professionals, public authorities, civil society and students. “Europe has the strongest system of international human rights protection anywhere in the
