Tag Archives: Human rights

Singapore’s leader said the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) should continue excluding Myanmar’s junta from its meeting until it cooperates on an agreed peace plans. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in a video call on Friday urged the regional group’s new chair, Cambodia, to engage all sides in Myanmar’s …

British actress Emma Watson on Wednesday received an online backlash and was accused of antisemitism by Israeli officials for her social media post in solidarity with Palestine.  Watson, known for starring in the “Harry Potter” series, had shared a post on her instagram page on Monday showing her solidarity with …

Lawmakers in Hong Kong’s new “patriots only” legislature swore oaths of allegiance on Monday as it sat for the first time following a new selection process that barred the city’s traditional democracy opposition. In a ceremony laden with symbolism reflecting Hong Kong’s new political realities, 90 lawmakers took their oaths …

The head of the EU mission to the West Bank and Gaza Strip issued an impassioned appeal to Israel on Monday to halt the eviction of Palestinians from their homes in occupied East Jerusalem to make way for Jewish settlers. Sven Kuhn von Burgsorff led a high-powered EU delegation on …

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says no U.K. government minister will attend the Beijing Winter Olympics, calling it “effectively” a diplomatic boycott. Johnson was asked in the House of Commons whether the U.K. will join the United States, Australia and Lithuania in a diplomatic boycott of the Winter Games. He …

A Saudi man arrested in Paris in connection with the 2018 murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul has been released and is not the suspect being sought by Turkey over the crime, prosecutors said on Wednesday. “In-depth verifications to determine the identity of this person have enabled us …

Rohingya refugees from Myanmar are suing Meta Platforms Inc, formerly known as Facebook, for $150 billion over allegations that the social media company did not take action against anti-Rohingya hate speech that contributed to violence. A US class-action complaint, filed in California on Monday by law firms Edelson PC and …

The International Criminal Court’s prosecutor Monday defended omitting the United States from a probe in Afghanistan, saying the “worst crimes” were committed by the Taliban and the Islamic State group. Rights groups criticized Karim Khan’s decision in September to “deprioritize” the investigation into American forces, and focus instead on Afghanistan’s …

Democratic U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar filed legislation on Friday seeking to block the sale of $650 million air-to-air missiles to Saudi Arabia, the first major arms sale to the kingdom during President Joe Biden’s administration. Omar said she filed the measure, known as a joint resolution of disapproval, because of …

A Palestinian human rights group on Monday urged the United Nations to investigate claims that activists in the Israeli-occupied West Bank were hacked using Israeli technology firm NSO Group’s spyware. “We call on the United Nations to launch an investigation to disclose the party that stood behind using this program …

U.S. President Joe Biden told Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan his request for F-16 fighter jets had to go through a process in the United States, while Erdogan said his counterpart was “positive” toward the jet sale. Ties between Ankara and Washington have been strained over a host of issues in …

Saudi Arabia is seeking Washington’s help in bolstering its defences as it comes under intense U.S. pressure to end a blockade of Yemeni ports that its Houthi enemies say is an obstacle to ceasefire talks, two sources with knowledge of efforts to end the Yemen war and a U.S. official …

Turkey and its Western allies climbed down from a full-blown diplomatic crisis on Monday after foreign embassies said that they abide by diplomatic conventions on non-interference, averting a threatened expulsion of 10 ambassadors. President Tayyip Erdogan, who said at the weekend he had ordered the envoys to be declared “persona …

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi has thrown his support behind Ain al-Remmaneh’s residents and those who were arrested in the wake of the deadly Tayyouneh clashes. “With its legitimacy, institutions and judiciary, the state is asked to protect its people and prevent attacks on them and to act wisely, fairly and …

A Palestinian held without charge by Israeli authorities is in “extremely dangerous” condition more than three months into a hunger strike to protest his detention, a group representing detainees said Thursday. Miqdad al-Qawasmi, 24, is the least healthy of six incarcerated Palestinian hunger strikers who are demanding their release from …

“We are Google and Amazon workers. We condemn Project Nimbus.” That is the headline of an open letter written by Google and Amazon employees who chose to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation. Gabriel Schubiner, software engineer and researcher at Google and Bathool Syed, content strategist at Amazon, wrote in an op-ed …

A Saudi appeals court has upheld a lengthy prison sentence handed to aid worker Abdulrahman Al-Sadhan earlier this year by a counterterrorism court, his sister said. Sadhan, who was detained by Saudi authorities in March 2018, was reportedly sentenced to 20 years in prison followed by a 20-year travel ban, the US State Department said in …

A Palestinian military court on Monday began the trial of 14 security officers charged with beating to death a prominent critic of President Mahmoud Abbas, in a case that has drawn widespread protests and calls for his resignation. Nizar Banat’s death following his arrest on June 24 has heightened https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/criticism-palestinian-security-forces-raises-pressure-abbas-2021-06-30 …

The United Arab Emirates rejected on Friday as “factually incorrect” a resolution passed by the European Parliament criticizing its human rights record and calling for the release of peaceful political activists. “Every country has its own laws and legal institutions, the UAE constitution and national legislation enshrines fundamental rights which …

The US State Department has approved a potential agreement covering up to $500 million in military support services for Saudi Arabia, and has sent the agreement to Congress for review, the Pentagon said on Thursday. It was the first major defense agreement for Saudi Arabia sent to Congress since President …

U.S. Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi said on Sunday she was “deeply concerned” about the alleged torture of a Saudi aid worker while in detention in Saudi Arabia. The aid worker, Abdulrahman al-Sadhan, was detained by Saudi authorities in March 2018 and reported to be sentenced to …

By Emad El-Din Aysha, PhD     Before I say anything at all I have to highlight that this movie, Mousa (2021), is to be commended just for the fact that it’s an Egyptian (and Arabic SF) production, something almost unheard of and inexcusably neglected nowadays in the world of …

U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday will host Jordan’s King Abdullah, a key U.S. ally in a volatile region, in what will be the first of three face-to-face meetings with leaders from the Middle East expected soon. Abdullah, who faced down a challenge to his authority in April from his …

The United States on Wednesday warned Egypt not to target rights campaigners after a prominent activist was indicted, saying the issue would be a factor in arms sales to the ally. Hossam Bahgat, executive director of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, said this week that prosecutors indicted him and …

A human rights expert has called for an independent inquiry into allegations of state-ordered executions of thousands of of political prisoners in Iran in 1988 and the role played by President Ebrahim Raisi.  Javaid Rehman, the UN investigator on human rights, said on Monday that he believes it is ‘very important’ to …

Overlooking war-battered Gaza from the tenth floor of a tower block, Palestinian human rights lawyer Raji Sourani has a new bundle of files — on victims of last month’s war with Israel. For years, he has been building cases in the Israeli-blockaded enclave to be submitted to the International Criminal …

The Palestinian Authority (PA) on Saturday deployed security forces to confront protesters who took to the streets of Ramallah in the West Bank after one of President Mahmoud Abbas’s biggest critics died in custody. Nizar Banat had been arrested by PA forces who broke into a relative’s house where he …

A Palestinian activist who died in the custody of President Mahmoud Abbas’s security forces took blows to the head, a Palestinian rights group said after conducting an autopsy, adding the wounds indicated “an unnatural death”. According to relatives, Nizar Banat was severely beaten during his arrest by Palestinian security forces …

The Philippine president has threatened to order the arrest of Filipinos who refuse COVID-19 vaccination and told them to leave the country if they would not cooperate with the efforts to contain the pandemic. President Rodrigo Duterte, who is known for his public outbursts and brash rhetoric, said in televised …

Amnesty International released a report Saturday saying that Iran’s newly elected leader Ebrahim Raisi is involved in crimes against humanity, including murder, torture and forced disappearances. The report, which came out a few hours after Raisi was named the winner of the Islamic republic’s presidential election, denounces his rise to presidency instead of …

Criteria for European Union sanctions being prepared for Lebanese politicians are likely to be corruption, obstructing efforts to form a government, financial mishandling and human rights abuses, according to a diplomatic note seen by Reuters. Led by France, the EU is seeking to ramp up pressure on Lebanon’s squabbling politicians …

President Joe Biden and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan agreed in a meeting this week that Turkey would take a lead role in securing Kabul airport as the United States withdraws troops from Afghanistan, U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said on Thursday. However, the two leaders were not able to …

Driving through one the villages of Mount Lebanon to get my car serviced. I stopped at a particular mechanic shop to get Freon put into my air conditioner. The mechanic on duty referred me to another workshop in the neighboring village as not all places provide such a service apparently. …

Saudi Arabia’s crown prince has taken a more conciliatory public stance towards Iran, trying to balance long-held animosity with economic considerations and bridge differences with Washington over how to tackle Tehran’s regional behaviour. Tensions between Riyadh and Tehran have festered over the Yemen war, where an Iran-aligned group has increased …

U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration has told Congress it is proceeding with more than $23 billion in weapons sales to the United Arab Emirates, including advanced F-35 aircraft, armed drones and other equipment, congressional aides said on Tuesday. A State Department spokesperson said the administration would move forward with the …

A British-based campaigner who helped detain an Iranian lawyer allegedly involved in the mass execution of thousands of political prisoners has provided international prosecutors with evidence for the arrest of nearly 20 regime officials. The secret list is believed to include Ebrahim Raisi, potential successor to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali …

 Human Rights Watch says a Saudi man who was convicted following a “grossly unfair trial” for crimes committed when he was a minor risks being executed although the Saudi authorities have said they have scrapped the death penalty for juveniles. Abdullah al-Huwaiti was convicted by a criminal court in October …

The United States, the European Union, Britain and Canada imposed sanctions on Chinese officials on Monday for human rights abuses in Xinjiang, the first such coordinated Western action against Beijing under new U.S. President Joe Biden. Chinese territory of Xinjiang, Beijing hit back immediately with punitive measures against the EU …

Myanmar’s most powerful Buddhist monks’ association called on the junta to end violence against protesters and accused an “armed minority” of torture and killing innocent civilians since last month’s coup, media said on Wednesday. In its most forthright condemnation of the military’s bloody crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations, the government-appointed organisation …

Iranian authorities have charged French tourist Benjamin Briere, arrested 10 months ago, with espionage and “propaganda against the system”, one of his lawyers told Reuters on Monday. The news comes as the United States and European parties to Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal, including France, are trying to restore the pact …

Three NGOs on Monday announced a landmark legal case in Moscow against Russian mercenary group Wagner over the torture of a detainee in Syria, aiming to hold to account a murky fighting force with Kremlin links. “This litigation is a first-ever attempt by the family of a Syrian victim to …

Bahrain has rejected the European Parliament (EP) resolution on the human rights situation in the Kingdom, affirming its lack of evidence, state news agency BNA reported. Bahrain has always exerted efforts to promote human rights and the resolution does not reflect that, Defence and National Security Committee Deputy Chairman Isa …

A Saudi court on Wednesday upheld the original sentence of women’s rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul, who had championed women’s right to drive and for an end to Saudi Arabia’s male guardianship system. Hathloul was sentenced in December to nearly six years in prison under broad cybercrime and counterterrorism laws after …

After Iran last month imposed an Internet shutdown lasting several days in a southeastern region during a rare upsurge of unrest, activists say the government is now using the tactic repeatedly when protests erupt. Rights groups say at least 10 people were killed when security forces opened fire on fuel …