'When I returned from Gaza they called me a hero. But I felt I was a monster' Some of Them Killed Civilians in Gaza; Others Just Looked On, or Witnessed Abuse and Cover-ups in the Name of Revenge. Now They're Trying to Cope With Something a Bit Different Than PTSD

'When I returned from Gaza they called me a hero. But I felt I was a monster.' IDF soldiers talk about killing civilians in Gaza & the 'moral injury.' Accountability is needed for these crimes. www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...

India: Proposed Rules to Expand Online Censorship The Indian government should immediately withdraw rules that would allow greater executive control over online content and further undermine privacy in the country, Human Rights Watch said today.

The Indian government should immediately withdraw rules that would allow greater executive control over online content and further undermine privacy in the country. New from @hrw.org www.hrw.org/news/2026/04...

China: Pressure on Catholics Escalates Chinese authorities are increasing pressure on underground Catholic communities to join the state-controlled official church.

Chinese authorities are increasing pressure on underground Catholic communities to join the state-controlled official church. The Chinese government has tightened ideological control, surveillance & travel restrictions on the country’s estimated 12 million Catholics. www.hrw.org/news/2026/04...

Singapore: Halt Imminent Execution for Cannabis Trafficking The Singaporean government should immediately halt the execution of Omar bin Yacob Bamadhaj, scheduled for April 16, 2026, for trafficking cannabis.

The Singaporean government should immediately halt the execution of Omar bin Yacob Bamadhaj, scheduled for April 16, 2026, for trafficking cannabis. Joint statement from @hrw.org @amnesty.org @cpjpaus.bsky.social & @adpan.bsky.social www.hrw.org/news/2026/04...

Thai authorities should urgently, thoroughly & impartially investigate the assassination attempt on Kamonsak Leewamoh, a Muslim member of parliament & prominent human rights lawyer. New from @hrw.org www.hrw.org/news/2026/04...

A senior cabinet minister in Thailand has brought criminal defamation lawsuits against two prominent journalists who reported about a bribery case, raising serious concerns for media freedom. New from @hrw.org www.hrw.org/news/2026/04...

Decorated Australian Soldier Arrested for Afghanistan War Crimes On April 7, Australian police arrested Ben Roberts-Smith, a decorated Australian soldier who stands accused of committing five counts of war crimes in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2012.

Despite the sluggish pace of justice for Afghan victims, the arrest of decorated Australian soldier Ben Roberts-Smith on war crimes charges sends a powerful message to Australia’s armed forces that even those deemed “war heroes” are not above the law.
www.hrw.org/news/2026/04...

@hrw.org is hiring a senior China researcher. Do you have strong written and spoken Mandarin and English, excellent open source investigative skills, and experience working on mainland China? See more details here: job-boards.greenhouse.io/humanrightsw...

Pakistan: Airstrike on Afghan Medical Facility Unlawful A Pakistani airstrike on a drug treatment center in Afghanistan on March 16, 2026, was an unlawful attack and a possible war crime.

"Concerned countries should press Pakistan to provide genuine accountability and ensure that failures in intelligence, target verification, and decision-making are identified and fixed so such strikes never happen again.”

Middle East Conflict: Rhetoric, Actions Flout Laws of War The geographic spread, speed of escalation, and open disregard for international norms by all parties one month into the Middle East conflict are a critical stress test for the international legal ord...

“As the Middle East conflict has spread and intensified, so too has the dangerous rhetoric by leaders on all sides, including open threats to commit war crimes.”

- @bolopion.bsky.social / @hrw.org on the past month of war in the Middle East

Read more ⤵️

Landmark Ruling for Victims of Thailand Gold Mine Contamination In a landmark class action lawsuit in Thailand, a court held a multinational corporation accountable for contamination from a gold mine and recognized the right of villagers in affected areas to effec...

In a landmark class action lawsuit in Thailand, a court held a multinational corporation accountable for contamination from a gold mine and recognized the right of villagers in affected areas to effective remedies.
👏
www.hrw.org/news/2026/03...

Europe’s Economic Security Begins With Human Rights Confronted with what he calls a “commercial tsunami” from China and growing unpredictability from the United States, French President Emmanuel Macron has urged Europe to become “a true geopolitical an...

"A Europe that systematically embed human rights across trade, procurement, migration, and security policies, would strengthen not only its credibility, but also its security, acting as a stabilizing force in an unstable world."

- @benjeannerod.bsky.social &
@mayawang.bsky.social in @lemonde.fr

TNI Replaces BAIS Chief over Andrie Yunus Acid Attack Case TNI confirmed that the Chief of BAIS TNI Lt. Gen. Yudi Abrimantyo has handed over his position for accountability for the acid attack on Andrie Yunus.

Breaking - Indonesia's TNI spox says BAIS chief Lt. Gen. Yudi Abrimantyo hands in notice over acid attack on activist. That's not enough. We still need a full investigation into all those involved in orchestrating the attack & perpetrators held to account. en.tempo.co/read/2094490...

UN: Western Sahara Peoples’ Self-Determination at Risk A United Nations Security Council resolution on the dispute around Morocco’s claims to Western Sahara does not ensure that a new framework to end the long-standing impasse on the issue upholds the rig...

NEW: UN Security Council resolution on new framework to deal with impasse around Morocco’s claims to Western Sahara does not ensure that the right to self-determination for the territory’s peoples is upheld and is consistent with international law
@hrw.org
www.hrw.org/news/2026/03...

The Singapore government should drop criminal charges against Jay Ish’haq Rajoo & repeal the repressive Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) law says @hrw.org @amnesty.org @civicusalliance.bsky.social + Forum Asia www.hrw.org/news/2026/03...

Indonesia: Acid Attack Against Rights Activist Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto should immediately issue a presidential decree setting up a fact-finding team independent of the military to fully investigate the acid attack against a prominent...

“President Prabowo should set up an independent fact-finding team to investigate the attack against Andrie Yunus to ensure that all those responsible are brought to justice.”

New from @hrw.org / @andreasharsono.bsky.social ⤵️

Philippines declares national energy emergency in wake of Iran conflict The war has caused "imminent danger" to the country's energy supplies, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr says.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos has declared a national energy emergency, “in light of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.” The Philippines, along with many Asian countries, is heavily reliant on Middle ​Eastern oil for fuel. www.bbc.com/news/article...

The brutal acid attack in downtown Jakarta against a prominent rights activist raises grave concerns for Indonesia’s entire human rights community. Indonesian President Prabowo should set up a fact-finding team independent of the military to fully investigate the attack. www.hrw.org/news/2026/03...

Drug War: How the World Failed the Philippines Aside from the belated case at the International Criminal Court, institutions of international accountability have been missing in action.

How the world failed the Philippines. Aside from the belated case at the International Criminal Court, institutions of international accountability have been missing in action. Oped by @carlosconde.bsky.social thediplomat.com/2026/03/drug...

Want to hear rare good news?

A Belgian court opened a criminal trial against a former Belgian official for his alleged involvement in the killings of Lumumba, the DRC's first PM, & two senior officials during decolonization.

Justice delayed shouldn't be justice denied.

www.hrw.org/news/2026/03...

Duterte’s drug war faces judgement at the ICC Victims of the Philippines’ drug war finally see a path to justice in The Hague.

“For the families of those killed in the “drug war” watching tearfully from the public gallery, this hearing marked the first real step towards justice after years of violence, denial, and dehumanisation of their loved ones.”

- @elainepearson.bsky.social
/ @hrw.org in op-ed @aljazeera.com

Duterte’s drug war faces judgement at the ICC Victims of the Philippines’ drug war finally see a path to justice in The Hague.

As world institutions wobble, The Hague has unexpectedly become the stage for a reckoning long denied in the Philippines. My take in @AJEnglish on the recent hearing at the International Criminal Court in the case of ex-president Rodrigo Duterte www.aljazeera.com/opinions/202...

EU, Thailand Must Address Migrant Worker Rights in Trade Talks In its rush to diversify trading partners amid growing global uncertainty, the EU should not sacrifice the potential of trade negotiations to improve rights and address abusive practices.

In EU/Thailand trade talks, migrant workers rights must be addressed. The EU is rushing to diversify trading partners amid global uncertainty but it shouldn't sacrifice the potential to improve rights & address abuses. @hrw.org @claudiofrancavilla.bsky.social thediplomat.com/2026/03/eu-t...

Workers’ Rights: ‘Fair Chains, Fair Opportunities’ Human Rights Watch will conduct research for the next three years into working conditions in the supply chains in Asia for European countries, thanks to the generous support of the players of the Post...

Great news!

@hrw.org (@elainepearson.bsky.social + team) will conduct research for the next 3 years into working conditions in the supply chains in Asia for European countries, thanks to generous support of the players of @postcodelottery.bsky.social in NL.

Read more⤵️

Workers’ Rights: ‘Fair Chains, Fair Opportunities’ Human Rights Watch will conduct research for the next three years into working conditions in the supply chains in Asia for European countries, thanks to the generous support of the players of the Post...

Good news! @hrw.org will conduct research for the next 3 years into working conditions in the supply chains in Asia for European countries, thanks to the generous support of the players of Postcode Lottery Netherlands.
www.hrw.org/news/2026/03...

Pakistan: Quash Longstanding Blasphemy Case Pakistani authorities should quash the unjust conviction of Junaid Hafeez, who was sentenced to death in 2013 under Pakistan’s draconian blasphemy laws.

Junaid Hafeez’s case is emblematic of the unjust & abusive nature of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws. The authorities should quash Hafeez’s conviction and safely release him and others held under the blasphemy laws. New from @hrw.org www.hrw.org/news/2026/02...

Japan Should Adopt Regulation to Counter Uyghur Forced Labor Japanese lawmakers and Uyghur activists gathered on February 25 at an event hosted by the Japan Uyghur Association in Tokyo to address the Chinese government’s atrocity crimes in the Xinjiang Uyghur A...

@hrw.org urges Japanese lawmakers to introduce a regulation to counter Uyghur forced labor.The law should target any region with a high risk of state-imposed forced labor & require companies seeking to import at-risk products to show products werent made thru forced labor
www.hrw.org/news/2026/02...

Australia: Offshore Detention Cruel, Costly Australia’s government should invest in community-based alternatives to immigration detention rather than spending millions of dollars per person each year on its abusive offshore regime.

Australia’s government should invest in community-based alternatives to immigration detention rather than spending millions of dollars per person each year on its abusive offshore regime. New from @hrw.org www.hrw.org/news/2026/03...

Laos: Investigate Prominent Dissident’s Death Lao authorities should urgently and impartially investigate the suspicious death of an outspoken critic of the government and appropriately prosecute those responsible.

The Laotian authorities should immediately and impartially investigate the suspicious death of a prominent government critic. Sisay’s death sends a spine-chilling message to critics of the Lao government, deepening the climate of fear in the country. New from @hrw.org www.hrw.org/news/2026/03...

Australia: Offshore Detention Cruel, Costly Australia’s government should invest in community-based alternatives to immigration detention rather than spending millions of dollars per person each year on its abusive offshore regime.

What can the world learn from Australia's failed policies on migrants and refugees?

Governments should invest in community-based alternatives to immigration detention rather than spending millions of dollars per person each year on abusive offshore regimes.

More via @annabelhennessy.bsky.social ⤵️