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05 Jan 2012 10:51

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World: Syria says it has freed political prisoners detained during revolt

  • 552 prisoners freed, according to Syrian state television source
  • » The second round of prisoner releases: Last month, the Arab League made a deal to free 755 detainees as part of a peace plan. Now it seems to have gone further, as the Arab League said on Monday it had secured the release of 3,500 total prisoners. However … it’s possible they may just be getting detained outside of the view of Arab League observers. Last week, Human Rights Watch accused Syria of moving prisoners to military facilities, where observers are not allowed to go. Syria hasn’t proven the most trustworthy government during the conflict.

15 Jun 2011 16:49

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Politics: Chinese government covering up lead poisonings, report says

  • Parents, journalists, and community activists who dare to speak out about lead are detained, harassed, and ultimately silenced.
  • Joe Amon, a director for Human Rights Watch • Voicing charges of large-scale deception by the Chinese government in informing its citizens about (and keeping them safe from) lead poisoning. The report comes on the heels of a major lead poisoning incident near a tinfoil factory that struck 103 children; it finds that the Chinese government would tell parents, among other things, that eating eggs and drinking milk was a sufficient treatment for lead poisoning. One parent describes being told his child wasn’t poisoned but not being allowed to actually examine his tests. This sounds like a case of putting an industrial economy above the health and safety of citizens — the level of safety regulation for factories in China is generally very poor. source

10 Apr 2011 12:17

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World: Human Rights Watch: Both sides commit abuses in Ivory Coast

  • The group wants Alassane Ouattara to investigate. With incredibly high stakes at play, the situation in the Ivory Coast certainly had the potential to get very bad very quickly, and that’s exactly what Human Rights Watch claims has happened. “While the international community has been focused on the political stalemate in Abidjan over the presidency,” said Human Rights Watch Africa director Daniel Bekele, “forces on both sides have committed numerous atrocities against civilians, their leaders showing little interest in reining them in.” On Alassane Ouattara’s side, the group claims supporters “summarily executed and raped perceived Gbagbo supporters in their homes.” On Laurent Gbagbo’s side, supporters reportedly retaliated by killing more than 100 civilians. In case you haven’t been watching this story, now might be the time to use your non-blind eye. source

14 Jul 2010 11:12

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Biz, World: At least Kate Gosselin’s kids aren’t working for Philip Morris

Apparently kids as young as ten are making painful livings harvesting tobacco for Philip Morris, says Human Rights Watch. source

28 Mar 2010 12:04

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World: Mass killings in the Democratic Republic of Congo under-reported

  • 321+ were reported killed
    in the December
    attacks by the Lord’s Resistance Army
  • 180+ were abducted by Congo rebels, 80 of them children, Human Rights Watch says
  • yes the UN knew about the attacks, but says communication lines are weak source