Human rights groups are expressing skepticism over claims by Burma’s new human rights commission that as few as 300 of the nation’s suspected 2,000 political prisoners are still incarcerated. A Thailand-based rights group told VOA’s Burmese service it is aware of more than 1,600 political prisoners still in jail in Burma. Amnesty International’s Southeast Asia […]
Rights Groups Challenge Burmese Claim on Political Prisoners
Posted November 14th, 2011 at 4:15 am (UTC-5)
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Burma’s Rights Commission Calls for Release of Political Prisoners
Posted November 13th, 2011 at 3:10 am (UTC-5)
Burma’s government-appointed human rights body has urged the new president to release political prisoners or transfer them to prisons close to their families. Burma’s state-run newspapers published an open letter Sunday from National Human Rights Commission chairman Win Mra, calling on President Thein Sein to grant amnesty as a reflection of magnanimity or to transfer […]
Rights Group Warns Indebted Europe Against Currying Chinese Favor
Posted November 10th, 2011 at 5:05 am (UTC-5)
A leading human rights group is urging debt-pressed European governments not to ease up on criticism of China’s human rights record in hope of a financial bail-out. Sophie Richardson, the China director of U.S.-based Human Rights Watch, said Thursday in Hong Kong that governments should realize they don’t have to silence themselves in order to […]
Rights Group: Sri Lanka Not Investigating Torture
Posted November 7th, 2011 at 1:05 pm (UTC-5)
Amnesty International says Sri Lanka is not credibly investigating torture allegations leveled against security forces. The London-based rights group said Monday that despite having anti-torture legislation in place, a special police investigation unit reportedly carried out only three prosecutions in 14 years. It says most cases involving torture never go to trial, with such abuse […]
US Concerned About Uganda’s Human Rights Record
Posted November 2nd, 2011 at 3:15 pm (UTC-5)
The United States has voiced concern about Uganda’s human rights record, saying Kampala has failed to respect freedom of speech, assembly and media. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland on Wednesday urged Uganda’s government to respect the rights of its citizens, including minority groups. Nuland accused Ugandan authorities of killing civilians while trying to disrupt protests, […]
Danish Gay Rights Pioneer Axel Axgil Dies
Posted October 30th, 2011 at 6:00 pm (UTC-5)
Danish gay rights pioneer Axel Axgil, who helped make Denmark the first country to legalize same-sex marriage, has died at 96. Axgil helped found one of Europe’s oldest gay rights groups in 1948. Through the group’s non-stop efforts, Denmark became the first country in the world to legalize civil unions between homosexuals in 1989 — […]
US Group Calls For Film Boycott Over Human Rights in China
Posted October 28th, 2011 at 8:15 pm (UTC-5)
A U.S. rights group is calling for a boycott of a U.S. film company because it is shooting a movie in a Chinese city where a leading activist is under house arrest. The group, Women’s Rights Without Frontiers, says Relativity Media is filming the movie 21 and Over in Linyi, China. The city is where […]
US Group Calls For Film Boycott Over Human Rights in China
Posted October 28th, 2011 at 7:20 pm (UTC-5)
A U.S. rights group is calling for a boycott of a U.S. film company because it is shooting a movie in a Chinese city where a leading activist is in prison. The group, Women’s Rights Without Frontiers, says Relativity Media is filming the movie 21 and Over in Linyi, China. The city is where blind […]
UN Envoy Urges Burma to Do More Improve Human Rights
Posted October 19th, 2011 at 9:55 pm (UTC-5)
The United Nations special envoy on Burma says recent steps by Burma’s new government could improve the country’s transition to democracy, but that many serious human rights issues remain. Tomas Ojea Quintana, U.N. special rapporteur on human rights in Burma, said Wednesday he is encouraged by the government’s commitment to reform. But he said that […]
Rights Group Condemns Police Abuse in Ukraine
Posted October 12th, 2011 at 6:35 pm (UTC-5)
Amnesty International says Ukrainian police routinely torture and abuse detainees in their custody. The London-based group is urging Ukraine’s government to set up an independent body to investigate such crimes and bring the perpetrators to justice. In a report issued Wednesday, Amnesty says hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians are beaten and mistreated while in police […]
