Human rights watch

Syrian university restriction on female enrollment deepens concerns over women’s rights

Syria’s Higher Education Ministry announced that admission to law, economics and management, and social sciences programs at the National University of Defense Sciences would be restricted to men.

Women walk past a mural with the slogan "no to violence" (against women) drawn on the walls of a school in Syria's northern city of Manbij on December 21, 2024.
Iranian ballistic cluster munitions are fired towards Tel Aviv on March 27, 2026 in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Hezbollah’s use of cluster munitions against Israel may be war crime, HRW says in rare condemnation

Human Rights Watch logo

New Turkish law allows children to be sentenced to life in prison outrages human rights groups

Clergymen lead Christmas celebrations at the St. George's Syriac Orthodox Church in the old city of Damascus.

Christians arbitrarily detained in Syria denied Bible access, forced to observe Ramadan, CSI report


UAE arbitrarily detaining over 2000 Afghan evacuees - Human Rights Watch

Although the UAE has resettled the vast majority of the Afghan refugees they have sheltered, Human Rights Watch is charging the Gulf nation with arbitrarily detaining as many as 2700 for over a year.

 Evacuees from Afghanistan sit at Emirates Humanitarian City in Abu Dhabi, UAE, August 28, 2021

Bahrain cancels Human Rights Watch parliament conference visas

Rights groups, including HRW, have criticized Bahrain for holding international events as a way of distracting from repression of political opposition

Kingdom of Bahrain flag

UN should follow up on China 'crimes against humanity' - report

Previous bids for China to face a UN debate have failed.

 U.S. Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield bumps fists with Permanent Representative of China to the UN Zhang Jun

Harvard University has capitulated to antisemitism - opinion

Harvard has not only exposed its cowardice. It has also contributed to the growth of systemic antisemitism on its campus and campuses across the US.

 OVER HIS long career, Kenneth Roth has blamed the Jews for bringing antisemitic violence upon themselves, says the writer.

Ukraine: Russia sending civilians through landmine fields to find safe routes

Russian forces reportedly send civilians into Ukrainian minefields to find safe routes to Ukrainian positions. * This comes as Human Rights Watch condemned Ukraine's landmine use.

 Ukrainian serviceman examines anti tanks mines near a destroyed Russian Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC), as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues, near the town of Izium, recently liberated by Ukrainian Armed Forces, in Kharkiv region, Ukraine September 24, 2022.

Human Rights Watch urges Ukraine to investigate landmine use accusations

Ukraine could be in violation of international humanitarian law if they are found to have been using rocket-fired antipersonnel landmines against Russia.

View of a mine-warning sign as a Ukrainian service member demonstrates clearing a minefield using a remote control for the Armtrac 400 demining machine, capable of clearing 2,400 square metres per hour, amid Russia's invasion, in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine October 27, 2022.

Harvard offers fellowship to Israel critic Ken Roth after controversy

Harvard initially vetoed the decision to offer Roth the fellowship, allegedly because of Roth’s 'anti-Israel bias.'

 Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch, attends an interview with Reuters in Geneva, Switzerland, January 12, 2021.

Ex-HRW head Ken Roth denied Harvard fellowship due to 'anti-Israel bias' - report

During Roth's tenure as the head of HRW, the watchdog NGO was often criticized for its statements and publications against Israel, including accusing the Jewish state of apartheid.

Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch, gestures during an interview with Reuters in Geneva, Switzerland, January 12, 2021. Picture taken January 12, 2021.

Apartheid slander is latest verbal weapon against Israel - opinion

Two reports, one by Amnesty International and the other by Human Rights Watch add to the slander accusing Israel of apartheid.

 COPIES OF Amnesty International’s report named ‘Israel’s Apartheid Against Palestinians’ are put on display at a news conference in Jerusalem last year.

Russian forces killed hundreds of civilians early in Ukraine war, UN report says

"The acts in question were committed by Russian armed forces in control of these areas and led to the deaths of 441 civilians (341 men, 72 women, 20 boys and 8 girls)," the report said.

 A firefighter works to extinguish fire at market stalls hit by shelling in the course of Russia-Ukraine conflict in Donetsk, Russian-controlled Ukraine, December 6, 2022.