Newsroom

Update

Shahla Jahed, the “temporary” wife of a prominent Iranian football player, could be executed as early as Wednesday morning.

November 30, 2010

Update

This post is part of our Write for Rights Series Yesterday, the UN Group of Experts on the DRC just released their newest report. In it, they describe how army units have been accused by local populations of "looting and burning entire villages and torturing and raping civilians in the course of their operations."  The recent mass rapes in the territory of Walikale this past August were a sharp reminder that this type of violence happens on a frighteningly regular basis in the DRC and at an equally frightening scale: at least 15,000 rapes were reported in the DRC last…

November 30, 2010

Update

This post is part of our Write for Rights series. Labor activist Su Su Nway was arrested for putting up an anti-government banner near the hotel in Yangon, Myanmar’s biggest city, where the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Myanmar was staying. After a few previous close calls, Su Su Nway went in to hiding before the Special Rapporteur's visit in order to avoid arrest by the oppressive dictatorship which presides over the small Southeast Asian nation of Myanmar (Burma). It is estimated that Su Su Nway is one of over 2,200 political prisoners currently being detained in Myanmar.…

November 29, 2010

Update

Last week's release of Adnan and Emin - two imprisoned youth activists in Azerbaijan - was discussed (at least once) with the Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev earlier this year. In a February 2010 exchange in a confidential cable released by WikiLeaks, Aliyev seems to tentatively agree to releasing the activists: U/S Burns said that one of the ways Azerbaijan could show leadership as a tolerant and secular country was in advancing democracy and human rights. He specifically asked that, following the appeal process of the two youth activists, the President find a way on humanitarian grounds to release the two…

November 28, 2010

Update

People all over the world are remembering and mourning the 166 people killed in a brutal series of attacks against innocent civilians two years ago today.  Those victims were of every caste, creed, gender and national origin that is so reflective of India's diversity. But, it was also on November 26, 1949, when the Indian constituent assembly adopted a constitution that among other things guaranteed social, economic and political justice. The attacks two years ago are a grim reminder of the human rights violations that go on in the world today, committed not just by governments around the world, but…

November 26, 2010

Update

This post is part of our Write for Rights series. In 2009, Majid Tavakkoli, aged 24, was already a recognized student leader and advocate for academic freedom. He was a member of the Islamic Students Association while studying shipbuilding at Amir Kabir University of Technology in Tehran. The disputed Iranian elections of June 2009 changed many things in Iran, including the course of Majid's life. When Majid was arrested for giving a speech to commemorate Student's Day on December 9, it was the fourth time that Majid had been detained for peacefully exercising his right to freedom of expression. He…

November 23, 2010

Update

This post is part of our Write for Rights series. Norma Cruz has been speaking out against domestic violence in Guatemala for many years.  She is the leader of Fundación Sobrevivientes (Survivors’ Foundation), an organization that works to document cases of domestic violence and bring perpetrators to justice.  Because of her work, Norma has received numerous death threats and her life is now in grave danger. Norma began receiving death treats in 2009. These threats have been text messages to her private phone, and voicemails have been left on her home and office phones. One caller stated: "I want you…

November 22, 2010

Update

It is rare to have back-to-back good news on human rights from Azerbaijan. This week is an exception, though. Remember how the Amnesty International USA intern, born in Azerbaijan, shared her happy tears with us about her friend Adnan Hajizade's release yesterday? Well, there is more cause for celebration - Adnan's colleague and fellow digital dissenter and prisoner of conscience Emin Abdullayev Milli is also a free man. 'Donkey bloggers' Adnan and Emin reunited after release (via Global Voices Online) While Adnan's and Emin's release is great news, Azerbaijan has a long way to come clean with the oppression of…

November 20, 2010

Update

The AP is reporting today that merchants are starting to flee South Sudan ahead of January's referendum, which will decide the fate of Africa’s largest country. For over 20 years civil war took place in Sudan between the largely Muslim Arab north and the mostly Christian and Animist south. As part of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), the warring parties have agreed to a referendum that will decide if the semi-autonomous South Sudan will stay part of the country or secede. Abyei will hold a referendum simultaneously with the southern Sudan referendum to decide whether to remain in northern…

November 19, 2010

Update

Imprisoned Azerbaijani blogger Adnan Hajizadze has been released; his colleague Emin Milli is still in prison.

November 19, 2010

Update

Exciting news in the struggle to ratify CEDAW: the Senate is finally moving forward to ratify the Treaty for the Rights of Women, or CEDAW. Yesterday, the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law, chaired by Senator Durbin, held a hearing on CEDAW. The hearing, “Women’s Rights Are Human Rights: U.S. Ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)”, featured several high profile women’s rights advocates and U.S. government witnesses, as well as a huge crowd of supporters. An exciting group of human rights activists headlined by the stunning actress…

November 19, 2010

Update

Take action to free 14-year old boy from jail in Kashmir US President Barack Obama hailed the total awesomeness of India during his state visit to the country last week.  While it certainly didn’t cost the $200 million per day that the tabloids in the US and India made up, it was certainly worth its weight in lofty rhetoric except in the realm of human rights.  Not only did he NOT mention any human rights concerns that the US ought to have regarding India (nor did India mention any human rights concerns that India ought to have about the US),…

November 19, 2010