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Ethiopia/Kenya: Account for Missing Rendition VictimsSecret Detainees Interrogated by US Officials Are Still in Custody At least 10 victims of the 2007 Horn of Africa rendition program still languish in Ethiopian jails and the whereabouts of several others is unknown. Several of the detained men were interrogated by US officials in Addis Ababa soon after they were secretly transferred from Kenya to Somalia, and then to Ethiopia in early 2007.
Source : Human Rights Watch | 01-Oct-2008 07:00
Ethiopia: Government Prepares Assault on Civil Society
Repressive New Legislation Should Be Amended or Scrapped Ethiopia?s government should immediately abandon plans to impose strict government controls and draconian criminal penalties on nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International said today. The two groups called on donor governments, whose behind-the-scenes efforts to see the bill reformed appear to have failed, to speak out publicly against the de facto criminalization of most of the human rights, rule of law and peace-building work currently being carried out in Ethiopia.
Source : Human Rights Watch | 30-Jun-2008 07:00
Ethiopia: Army Commits Executions, Torture, and Rape in Ogaden
Donors Should Act to Stop Crimes Against Humanity In its battle against rebels in eastern Ethiopia's Somali Region, Ethiopia's army has subjected civilians to executions, torture, and rape, Human Rights Watch said in a new report released today. The widespread violence, part of a vicious counterinsurgency campaign that amounts to war crimes and crimes against humanity, has contributed to a looming humanitarian crisis, threatening the survival of thousands of ethnic Somali nomads.
Source : Human Rights Watch | 12-Jun-2008 07:00
Somalia: Beleaguered Journalists Recognized for Courage
Vibrant Press Threatened by Worsening Chaos, Repression Three Somali journalists have been awarded the prestigious Hellmann/Hammett award in recognition for their journalism while risking their lives and suffering terrible hardships in the midst of Somalia?s worsening armed conflict, Human Rights Watch said today.
Source : Human Rights Watch | 02-Jun-2008 07:00
Ethiopia: Repression Sets Stage for Non-Competitive Elections
Opposition Candidates, Voters Silenced Ahead of Local Polls The Ethiopian government?s repression of registered opposition parties and ordinary voters has largely prevented political competition ahead of local elections that begin on April 13, Human Rights Watch said today. These widespread acts of violence, arbitrary detention and intimidation mirror long-term patterns of abuse designed to suppress political dissent in Ethiopia.
Source : Human Rights Watch | 10-Apr-2008 07:00
Somalia: UN Security Council Must Not Ignore Abuses
Video Footage From Mogadishu Shows Devastating Effects of Attacks on Civilians The UN Security Council should strongly condemn serious abuses of civilians in Somalia and establish a commission of inquiry to identify individuals responsible for these crimes, Human Rights Watch said. Later this week, the UN secretary- general is due to present his report on Somalia to the Security Council.
Source : Human Rights Watch | 11-Mar-2008 06:00
Kenya: AU Leaders Should Urge Probe After Election Fraud
Kenyan Authorities Should Ensure Accountability for Post-Election Violence African leaders attending the African Union summit in Addis Ababa on February 1-2, 2008 should call for an independent inquiry into post-election violence and election fraud in Kenya, Human Rights Watch said in a letter to the African Union Commission?s chairman, Alpha Oumar Konar?.
Source : Human Rights Watch | 29-Jan-2008 06:00
AU Summit: UN Chief Should Demand Justice in Darfur
During their meeting on Thursday at the African Union summit, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon should publicly call on Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir to end his government?s obstruction of the new peacekeeping force in Darfur and his disregard for justice for international crimes, Human Rights Watch said in a letter to the secretary-general.
Source : Human Rights Watch | 29-Jan-2008 06:00
UN: Atrocities Fuel Worsening Crisis in Horn of Africa
UN Security Council Should Press Ethiopia and Somalia to Put an End to Abuses The United Nations Security Council should urgently press the Ethiopian and Somali governments to end the grave human rights abuses that are fueling the worsening humanitarian crisis in Somalia and eastern Ethiopia?s Ogaden region, Human Rights Watch said today.
Source : Human Rights Watch | 03-Dec-2007 06:00
Somalia: Mogadishu Clashes Devastating Civilians
Protect Medical Facilities and Aid Workers Ethiopian troops and insurgents have violated the laws of war in killing and wounding dozens of civilians in new clashes in Somalia?s capital, Mogadishu, Human Rights Watch said today.
Source : Human Rights Watch | 09-Nov-2007 06:00
Somalia: Killings, Arrests Shatter Independent Media
Transitional Government Must Protect Journalists, Respect Free Expression The Somali government?s systematic harassment of journalists, its closures of media outlets, and its failure to investigate the killing of eight journalists have deeply damaged independent reporting in Somalia, Human Rights Watch said today.
Source : Human Rights Watch | 22-Oct-2007 07:00
Somalia: War Crimes in Mogadishu
UN Should Address Civilian Protection Ethiopian, Somali and insurgent forces are all responsible for rampant violations of the laws of war in Mogadishu, causing massive suffering for the civilian population, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. Human Rights Watch urged the UN Security Council during its current deliberations on Somalia to include a strong civilian protection mandate in any peacekeeping mission.
Source : Human Rights Watch | 13-Aug-2007 07:00
Ethiopia: Crackdown in East Punishes Civilians
Warring Parties Must Respect Laws of War, Ensure Humanitarian Access The Ethiopian military has forcibly displaced thousands of civilians in the country?s eastern Somali region in recent weeks while escalating its campaign against a separatist insurgency movement, Human Rights Watch said today. Both the government and rebel Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) must protect civilians and ensure their access to humanitarian relief.
Source : Human Rights Watch | 04-Jul-2007 07:00
Somalia: Radio Stations Shut Despite Contact Group Meeting
Transitional Somali Government Must Respect Freedom of Expression The transitional Somali government?s decision to close three leading radio stations in Mogadishu is a serious blow to freedom of expression and the right to impart and receive information in Somalia, Human Rights Watch said today.
Source : Human Rights Watch | 07-Jun-2007 07:00
Somalia: End Indiscriminate Attacks in Mogadishu
Armed Groups Should Protect Civilians, Ensure Access to Aid The Ethiopian military, Somali government, and insurgent groups operating in Mogadishu must cease all indiscriminate attacks, Human Rights Watch said today. Human Rights Watch called on the parties to the conflict to take all necessary steps to protect the civilian population from further fighting, including ensuring access to humanitarian assistance.
Source : Human Rights Watch | 05-Apr-2007 07:00
People Fleeing Somalia War Secretly Detained
Kenya, US and Ethiopia Cooperate in Secret Detentions and Renditions Kenya, Ethiopia, the United States and the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia cooperated in a secret detention program for people who had fled the recent conflict in Somalia, Human Rights Watch said today.
Source : Human Rights Watch | 30-Mar-2007 07:00