Thailand: Activists Jailed for Criticizing Monarchy (New York) – Thailand’s Bangkok Criminal Court has ordered three prominent democracy activists to pretrial detention on charges of insulting the monarchy, Human Rights Watch said today.
Malaysia: Court Punishes News Site for Reader Comments (Bangkok) – The Malaysian Federal Court decision holding an online news site responsible for reader comments contravenes international human rights standards and will chill free speech in Malaysia, Human Rights Watch said today. The court on February 18, 2021, held Malaysiakini in contempt for five comments posted by readers even though
Cambodia: Internet Censorship, Control Expanded (Bangkok) – The Cambodian government’s new National Internet Gateway will enable the government to increase online surveillance, censorship, and control of the internet that will seriously infringe on rights to free expression and privacy, Human Rights Watch said today. On February 16, 2021, Prime Minister Hun Sen signed the sub-decree
Human Rights Watch Submission to the Ministry of Unification February 15, 2021 Human Rights Watch Submission to the Ministry of Unification Regarding the Interpretation Guidelines of the Amendments of the Development of Inter-Korean Relations Act We are writing in response to your call for comments regarding the Interpretation Guidelines for the Scope of Application of Article 24(1)3
Belarus: Crackdown Escalates (Berlin) – Belarusian law enforcement officials carried out a nationwide wave of raids targeting human rights defenders and journalists on February 16, 2021, rounding up at least 40 people and searching their homes and offices, Human Rights Watch said today. Many of those targeted have documented or reported on ongoing mass
Opening the CIA’s Can of Worms “The CIA and the media are part of the same criminal conspiracy,” wrote Douglas Valentine in his important book, The CIA As Organized Crime. This is true. The corporate mainstream media are stenographers for the national security state’s ongoing psychological operations aimed at the American people, just as they
Uzbekistan: Blogger Held on Dubious Extortion Charge (Berlin) – An outspoken blogger from Uzbekistan faces up to 10 years in prison in a dubious extortion case brought by local authorities in the country’s southeast region, Human Rights Watch said today. Plainclothes officers detained the blogger, Otabek Sattoriy, on January 30, 2021. On February 1, a court authorized
What REALLY Got Gina Carano Cancelled We don’t comment on pop-culture much, but as the incredibly fine line between politics and entertainment begins to fade totally out of existence the overlap becomes harder and harder to ignore. Plus, sometimes something is just so unfair you have to take a moment to correct the record. Actress
Duterte Should Leave Alone Philippines TV Network Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte declared this week that he would not recognize any new license granted by Congress to ABS-CBN, the major television network that the government forced off the air in July 2020. Duterte repeated his claim – already debunked – that the broadcaster, one of the Philippines’ largest, owed back
Hungary Forces Klubradio Off Air A Hungarian court this week forced the embattled independent radio station Klubradio off air, likely for good.
Thailand: Prominent Activists Held in Pre-Trial Detention (New York) – The Bangkok Criminal Court has denied bail requests and ordered four prominent democracy activists into pretrial detention on lese majeste charges, Human Rights Watch said today.
Human Rights Council: Countries Should Take Bold Action on Egypt (Geneva) – Egypt’s human rights community is facing “annihilation” by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s government, more than 100 leading human rights organizations from around the world have warned today in a letter to foreign ministers. The groups called on governments to lead and support the creation of a monitoring
A tale of three old men symptomatic of the world today Three senior gentlemen have been in the news this month, each in their way speaking for the tragi-farce that is the New Normal.
Tunisia: Police Use Violent Tactics to Quash Protests (Tunis) – Police in several Tunisian governorates appear to have responded to social justice protests in recent weeks with excessive force at times, leaving one man dead and arresting hundreds, including many minors, Human Rights Watch said today. The authorities should conduct an urgent and transparent investigation into the death of
India: Journalists Covering Farmer Protests Charged (New York) – Eight journalists who covered the farmer protests in India and violence in Delhi on January 26, 2021 are facing baseless criminal charges, Human Rights Watch said today.