Annual Human Rights Tracker

2021

"Dying in the Desert": The unexplained death of African maids in Saudi Arabia

Over the last two years, 89 Kenyans - more than half of them female domestic workers - have died in the Gulf nation, according to Kenya’s foreign ministry.

1971 Genocide: Hague conference demands unconditional apology from Pakistan

An international conference in The Hague, known as the city of Justice, demanded of the international community to recognise the 1971 genocide in Bangladesh committed by Pakistani soldiers and put pressure on the Pakistan government to offer an unconditional apology to the people of Bangladesh for the crimes committed against humanity during the nine-month-long Liberation War.

What you learned about first Thanksgiving isn't true. Here is the real story

As Americans looked for an origin story that wasn’t soaked in the blood of Native Americans or built on the backs of slavery, the humble, bloodless story of the 102 Pilgrims forging a path in the New World in search of religious freedom was just what they needed, according to Silverman.

Demand for money Behind many Police Traffic Stops

Many municipalities across USA rely heavily on ticket revenue and court fees to pay for government services, and some maintain outsize police departments to help generate that money

Islamists attack temples during Hindu festival in Bangladesh, 4 killed

Bangladeshi authorities say 'unidentified' Muslim bigots attacked several temples and gatherings across the country during this festival week.

Growing anti-Hindu mindset in Bangladesh alarming: Taslima Nasreen

Hindus and Buddhists in Bangladesh have become "third class citizens" and the growing anti-Hindu mindset is alarming, the writer said.

Pakistan: Woman get death sentence, fine for blasphemy in Lahore

A sessions court handed down death penalty to a Muslim woman on blasphemy charge under section 295C of Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

French Catholic Church personnel sexually abused 330,000 minors, Probe finds

An investigation of the Catholic Church in France found that priests, church employees and volunteers sexually abused approximately 330,000 minors since 1950.

How Native Students fought back against abuse and assimilation at US boarding schools

As Indigenous community members and archaeologists continue to discover unmarked graves of Indigenous children at the sites of Canadian residential schools, the United States is reckoning with its own history of off-reservation boarding schools.

Taliban Special Forces bring abrupt end to women's protests

Taliban special forces in camouflage fired their weapons into the air bringing an abrupt and frightening end to the latest protest march in the capital by Afghan women demanding equal rights from the new rulers.

Ethiopia: Growing concerns over unity as Tigray conflict spreads

The nine-month-long war between Tigrayan rebel forces and the Ethiopian army and its allies has been mostly contained in Tigray itself.

Newzealand's PM Ardern apologizes for 1970's immigration raids on the Pacific community

The "Dawn Raids", which often occurred early in the morning, took place from 1974 to 1976 when New Zealand's economy was in a downturn and the government clamped down on immigrant workers from the Pacific who overstayed their work visas.

World Day Against Trafficking in Persons - Victims Voices Lead the Way

Many victims of human trafficking [...] have had traumatic post-rescue experiences during identification interviews and legal proceedings. Some have faced revictimization and punishment for crimes they were forced to commit by their traffickers.

The US is now investigating its deadly Indian boarding school system

From the 1800s to the 1970s, the US forced tens of thousands of children into hundreds of government-sponsored schools, many of whom never came home, their families never being told what had happened.

Canada's native schools have been exposed. What about the US?

The United States had a similar, and larger, network of institutions known as boarding schools, named “Indian industrial schools.” The discovery of one of the burial sites in Canada in June prompted [...] and investigation...

Whistleblower says UN is working with China as she fears losing her protection

Reilly alerted her bosses when she learned her office – on the request of China – handed over names of dissidents who were coming to the U.N. Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Switzerland.

European Court sides with Romuva

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has ruled that Lithuania has violated the human rights of Romuva by not recognizing the religion. Romuva is the reconstructed and revived Indigenous faith of Lithuania.

Two years before the Tulsa massacre, the 'Red Summer' saw white mobs murder hundreds of Black Americans.

The school is one of the institutions that held Indigenous children taken from families across the nation.

Mass grave with remains of 215 children found at Indigenous residential school in Canada

The school is one of the institutions that held Indigenous children taken from families across the nation.

How US police training compares with the rest of the world

More people are killed by the police in the US than in any other developed country.

Racism in Scandinavia: The Sami natives of that land

The Nordic countries have a long history of racism against their indegenous population that dates back many centuries. The governments of Sweden, Finlad and Norway, as well as Russia, where the Sámi live, still deal with the problem to this day.

Myanmar policemen cross border into India after refusing to carry out military junta's orders

It is the latest sign of growing dissent within the security forces and civil service officials who are opposed to the military coup.

Increasing evidence that Myanmar military is shooting to kill as country morns young victims

More than 54 people believed to have been killed by Myanmar's military junta since countrywide peaceful protest against the February 1 coup began.

US (Iowa) journalist faces charges from reporting on summer racial justice protests

At least 126 journalists were arrested or detained in 2020, but only 13 still face charges, according to the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker.

Buddhist temple set on fire, vandalized in LA's Little Tokyo

A fire and potential arson recently occurred at Higashi Honganji Buddhist Temple as hate crimes against Asian Americans continue to increase

California police filmed shooting man dead after jaywalking

“If this was a white man attempting to do or stand in a public space, the stop and the shooting would never have occurred,” Mr Taylor added.

It's time for Australia to reckon with the reality of sexual violence

Two weeks ago, a former Liberal Party staffer came forward alleging that she was raped by a colleague in the office of Defense Minister Linda Reynolds. This revelation has led to a number of further claims about sexual assaults in Australian political circles.

Amnesty International revokes Kremlin critic Navalny's 'prisoner of conscience' status

In a 2007 video, he called for the deportation of migrants to prevent the rise of far-right violence. “We have a right to be (ethnic) Russians in Russia. And we’ll defend that right,” he said in the video.

Jamal Khashoggi: Biden faces calls to strike a blow for Saudi human rights

"Banishing the persons responsible for ordering the killing of Jamal Khashoggi from the international stage is an important step towards delivering justice..."

Court rules against Apaches in bid to halt proposed mine

Apaches call the mountainous area Chi’chil Bildagoteel. The land near Superior has ancient oak groves, traditional plants and living beings that tribal members say are essential to their religion and culture.

Maori Member of Parliament expelled over traditional dress code in New Zealand

The Maori people are indigenous to New Zealand and make up about 15 percent of the population of 5 million. Maori activists have accused successive New Zealand governments of discrimination and failures to fully reckon with the legacies of colonialism.

New UN report airs concerns over human rights in Sri Lanka

It warned of the encroachment of military leaders into roles that have traditionally been held by civilians and cited “a pattern of intensified surveillance and harassment of civil society organizations, human rights defenders and victims.”

US commission says China possibly committed 'genocide' against Uighur Muslims

The Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) said new evidence had emerged in the past year that “crimes against humanity - and possibly genocide - are occurring” in Xinjiang. It also accused China of harassing Uighurs in the United States.

Huawei patent mentions use of Uighur-spotting tech

Government authorities are accused of using high-tech surveillance against them and detaining many in forced-labour camps, where children are sometimes separated from their parents.

US bans all imports of cotton and tomato products from Xinjiang, citing allegations of forced labor

The measure will also send shock waves through a global garment industry that is deeply enmeshed in Xinjiang, which produces around a fifth of the world's cotton.

Wiccan professor: Catholic college targeted me for discrimination

Hoffman's complaint contends then-Provost Michael Fischer responded by asking Hoffmann to sign a document "vowing to uphold Catholic values."

British judge says US prisons are dangerously inhumane

Britain refused a request to extradite Julian Assange because US prison conditions might make him suicidal.

The prosecution of Julian Assange and the threat to freedom of the Press and Human Rights

In July 2019, in an 81-page opinion, US District Judge John G. Koeltl characterized WikiLeaks as “an international news organization” and specifically upheld Assange’s First Amendment right to knowingly publish stolen material.

US judge blocks Trump sanctions targeting human rights lawyers, war crimes tribunal

A U.S. judge on Monday blocked the Trump administration from sanctioning human rights lawyers for supporting the work of the world’s war crimes tribunal, the International Criminal Court.

149 Hindus killed in different incidents in 2020 in Bangladesh

At least 149 people of the Hindu community were killed in different incidents and 7,036 were injured in the country in 2020, which are higher than the previous years’ figures, claimed Bangladesh Jatiya Hindu Mohajote on Wednesday.