Latest Human Rights Watch News & Updates

Kathmandu, May 11 (IANS) Human rights experts appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on Monday expressed grave concern over the forced eviction and displacement of several thousand residents from informal settlements along riverside corridors in Kathmandu, as the Nepali government bulldozed those settlements. The government began the campaign to remove the settlements by bulldozing houses starting on April 25, drawing both praise and criticism from different sections of soc…

Islamabad, May 10 (IANS) Pakistan’s Human Rights Commission has termed Pakistan’s forced expulsion of Afghan migrants “inhumane” and stressed that Islamabad’s action has pushed the lives of thousands of families into crisis, a report has stated. In its annual report, the human rights body stressed that Afghan refugees access to essential services like healthcare, medical treatment, and financial support has been severely restricted after Pakistan government enforced a policy to deport undocument…

Kabul, May 6 (IANS) Afghanistan’s High Commission for Addressing Migrants’ Problems has urged international organisations and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to hold talks with Pakistan so that Afghan nationals do not face difficulties. It also urged to ensure that the refugees do not face harassment, enabling their swift return. The commission stressed that issues of Afghan refugees should be addressed as a matter of urgency. It stated that Afghan refugees entering Afg…

New York, May 5 (IANS) Human Rights Watch (HRW), a US-based advocacy group, has accused Beijing of imposing Chinese-medium education and ideological indoctrination on kindergarten children as part of its efforts to forcibly assimilate Tibetans.In a 72-page report titled ‘Start with the Youngest Children: China Uses Preschools to ‘Integrate’ Tibetans’, the rights body documented that a 2021 Ministry of Education directive — the Children’s Speech Harmonisation plan — mandates the use of …

Quetta, April 27 (IANS) Shalee Baloch, the central organiser of the Baloch Women Forum (BWF), has written to international human rights bodies seeking intervention in the abuse cases across Balochistan by Pakistani forces, including what she described as the “systematic pattern of enforced disappearances”, especially targeting Baloch women. The letter was addressed to the United Nations for Human Rights Council (UNHRC), the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the UN Working Group on E…

New York, April 24 (IANS) US advocacy group Human Rights Watch (HRW) strongly condemned the arrest of at least four individuals in Bangladesh for posting social media content allegedly critical of the ruling government, describing the move as an alarming continuation of the repressive practices from the previous Muhammad Yunus-led interim government. Expressing concern, the HRW stated that the Tarique Rahman-led Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) government should uphold its promises on freedom …

New York, April 22 (IANS) US-based advocacy group Human Rights Watch (HRW) has said that the Pakistani authorities have increased raids, arbitrary detentions and forced deportation of Afghan refugees after renewed border clashes with Afghanistan. HRW noted that thousands of vulnerable Afghan refugees, including children, have been face serious problems in accessing healthcare, education and other essential services due to police operations. It also highlighted that Pakistan’s forced deportation …

New Delhi, April 18 (IANS) Fundamental issues continue to plague Pakistan, including in the Middle East, where a dispute over financial deposit repayments threaten its relationship with the UAE, according to a new report.Earlier this month, the Pakistan government announced that it would be repaying $3.5 billion worth of loans to the UAE.This includes a loan of $450 million that Pakistan has owed the UAE since the late 1990s, according to the report in Geopolitical Monitor.The report says that t…

Washington, April 11 (IANS) Pakistan’s position on women is not merely a case of gender inequality but reflects a broader systemic failure by the authorities to protect basic human rights. Amid a climate of institutional tolerance, practices such as forced marriages and so-called “honour killings” continue to persist across the country, a report detailed this week.Writing for the US-based online platform ‘Medium’, European political analyst and journalist Dimitra Staikou stated that despite …

Washington, April 4 (IANS) Pakistan has witnessed a consistent exodus of minority populations – including the Christians, Hindus, and other communities – reflecting a broader pattern of fear and insecurity. Since 1947, religious minorities have faced persistent atrocities across the country — including social prejudice, institutional discrimination and targetted violence, a report has revealed.“In Pakistan today, many minority girls live in fear that, despite being born here, they are not fu…