A video shared by Israel’s National Security Minister Ben-Gvir shows Israeli security forces humiliating detained international activists. When a senior minister taunts detainees on camera, it is a signal that abuse is not just tolerated but celebrated.

Health care should never be a target of war. UN member states and civil society met in NYC on Tuesday to recognize the urgent need to stop attacks on health in conflict and “close the gaps” between rhetoric and action. New @hrw.org dispatch: www.hrw.org/news/2026/05...

The humanitarian infrastructure sustaining life in Gaza remains in peril over six months after a ceasefire agreement. As the Board of Peace prepares to brief the UN Security Council on its six-month progress report, Israeli authorities are undermining humanitarian lifelines. https://bit.ly/4nBz9cS

In Liberia, only 17 percent of children complete grade 9, and 1 in 3 children never attend school at all. In a new report, HRW documents that mandatory fees place a heavy financial burden on families and violate children’s right to education. Read more from HRW: https://bit.ly/4nNJ0MX

The humanitarian infrastructure sustaining life in Gaza remains in peril over six months after a ceasefire agreement. As the Board of Peace prepares to brief the UN Security Council on its six-month progress report, Israeli authorities are undermining humanitarian lifelines. https://bit.ly/4nBz9cS

This week at the International Criminal Court, Libyan suspect Khaled El Hishri is at a hearing that could take him to trial for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed at Mitiga Prison in Tripoli. This moment is 15 years in the making. HRW's @hanansalah.bsky.social is in The Hague ⤵️

17 years ago, Sri Lanka’s civil war came to an end in Mullaitivu, Sri Lanka. During the final clash between Sri Lankan military and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, tens of thousands of civilians were killed. 17 years on, there has been no accountability.

NEW: Two years after the Arakan Army, an ethnic armed group, killed and wounded hundreds of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar’s Rakhine State and burned down their village, the survivors are still denied justice and cannot return to their homes. www.hrw.org/news/2026/05... 🧵⤵️

During occupation of #Uvira, eastern #DRCongo, #M23 & #Rwanda forces carried out summary killings, disappearances & sexual violence. @eudiplomacy.bsky.social should sanction commanders involved in crimes, support justice & accountability. @hrw.org new report 👇 www.hrw.org/news/2026/05...

Prominent anti-corruption lawyer Ruth López remains in pretrial detention in El Salvador one year after her arrest. Salvadoran authorities should guarantee López a prompt, open, and fair trial, lift the judicial secrecy on her case file, and allow her regular contact with her family and lawyers.

In a new report, HRW finds that the implementation and oversight of the EU regulatory framework governing export of surveillance technologies has serious flaws, resulting in the tech being sold to those who have previously used it in violation of international human rights and humanitarian law. 🧵⤵️

NEW: The M23 armed group and Rwandan military forces carried out an abusive month-long occupation of an eastern Democratic Republic of Congo city beginning in December 2025. HRW documented numerous horrific abuses but may have only scratched the surface. Read more: https://bit.ly/4eLP0n8

NEW: The US government’s abrupt cuts to nearly all US foreign aid in 2025 harmed the global human rights movement and put countless people at risk. The way the US terminated assistance caused foreseeable harm and demands accountability. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4novSgZ

It's estimated that “gig” or “platform” work grew by 90 percent from 2016 to 2020. Yet labor protections for those workers have not kept up. In a new report, HRW documents the experiences of platform workers across nine countries, and urges governments to adopt strong standards to protect workers.

🚨New @hrw.org comes as govts prepare to negotiate 1st global treaty on platform work at @ilo.org. Across 9 countries workers describe low + unpredictable pay, opaque algorithms, safety risks & little/no social security. A thread🧵 www.hrw.org/feature/2026...

NEW: Gig workers around the world experience long hours, unpredictable and declining pay, and serious safety risks. In a new report, HRW documents the experiences of platform workers across nine countries. Read more:

Venezuela’s new amnesty law falls notably short of ensuring the release of anyone arbitrarily detained for political reasons. What’s worse, its unfair and opaque implementation has further undermined whatever limited promise it held. Read more:

Authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo are increasingly harassing and arbitrarily detaining journalists, activists, and political opposition members. Authorities should stop the clampdown on critical voices and release those wrongfully detained.

NEW: The EU has failed to prevent member states from exporting surveillance technology to governments with well-documented histories of using technology to spy on activists, journalists, and other critical voices. Read the new report from HRW:

New @hrw.org report: European Union countries exports surveillance tech to governments around the world with well-documented histories of using similar tech to spy on activists, journos and other critical voices. And we've got the receipts.

🚨Tomorrow @hrw.org releases a new report on the human impact of unregulated platform work - low pay, unsafe conditions, lack of social security across 9 countries. It comes ahead of landmark @ilo.org negotiations on the 1st global🌍standard for platform work. DM for embargoed access.

What happens when powerful surveillance tools are sold to authorities who don’t respect human rights?  In a new report, Human Rights Watch assesses how the European Union’s landmark Dual-Use Regulation, adopted in 2021, is functioning in practice.

A step in the right direction, but so many more needed for the EU to comply with international law Settlers are state-backed - as is #Israel 's unlawful occupation, apartheid, torture, genocidal campaign in #Gaza, and Gaza-fication of #Lebanon May this be a late start, @kajakallas.bsky.social

24-year-old Maung Sawyeddollah is a refugee living in NYC, in a country that no longer welcomes people like him. In the fifth episode of The Great Unrooting, host Ngofeen Mputubwele charts Maung’s journey out of the refugee camp in Bangladesh and into New York City. 🔊: https://bit.ly/4uz8Pma

In #Niger, authorities have suspended a dozen French media outlets, including AFP, France 24, and RFI, accusing them of “seriously jeopardizing public order.” This measure is the latest in a series of actions targeting freedom of expression and the press.

Five employees of the Tunisian Council for Refugees will stand trial on May 13 after appealing criminal sentences for their work assisting asylum seekers and refugees. Authorities should end this abusive prosecution, which sends a chilling message to groups carrying out humanitarian work.

This week was supposed to be a step forward for Brazil, with Resolution 310—a crucial resolution requiring that prosecutors lead investigations into police killings and comply with international standards—scheduled to take effect. Instead, the resolution is on ice.

#Tanzania authorities refused @europarl.europa.eu mission, further questioning authorities' commitment to #HumanRights & justice for election-related violations. EP should convene hearing; @eudiplomacy.bsky.social should call for genuine accountability. www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/pres...

1/2) The EU will fund €6M in projects to "protect" Palestinians from Israeli settler attacks. If it took measures to enforce international law, there would be no settlers to begin with - and to protect Palestinians from: euobserver.com/215523/eu-gi... ⤵️...

Singapore is introducing the use of caning as a “last resort” disciplinary measure under new guidelines. Violence against children is never acceptable. Schools should instead model safety, dignity, and respect. Read more: https://bit.ly/4dgUHqN

Since March 18, 2026, Iranian authorities have executed at least 28 people on politically motivated charges. Scores of imprisoned protesters remain at risk of arbitrary and secret executions. Learn more:

Mass mobilizations across the EU have helped slowly move the needle, but the EU and its member states should: ⚪ Halt arms transfers to Israel ⚪ Suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement ⚪ Ban trade with Israel’s illegal settlements ⚪ Sanction those responsible for apartheid atrocity crimes

Burkina Faso’s media regulator has ordered the suspension of French broadcaster TV5Monde, accusing it of “disinformation” and “apology of terrorism.” The ban is not an isolated act: it reflects a broader campaign by Burkina Faso’s military rulers to silence dissent.

The trial of Atef Najib opened in Syria on April 26, with Najib facing charges related to "crimes against the Syrian people." Perpetrators should be held accountable, but accountability only lasts if the process itself is solid. HRW's Hiba Zayadin is in Damascus ⤵️

A rights-respecting #Syria is key for successful normalization with Damascus. We wrote to @kajakallas.bsky.social @eudiplomacy.bsky.social to press #EU to tie future relations to genuine progress on accountability, security sector reform & fundamental rights guarantees. www.hrw.org/news/2026/05...

This week, the US Supreme Court paused an order that had inflicted a serious blow to abortion access nationwide. While the immediate danger was temporarily halted, the episode underscores a looming threat to abortion access posed by ongoing litigation in the United States.

NEW: The Chinese government is imposing Chinese-medium education and ideological indoctrination on kindergarten children in its efforts to force Tibetans to assimilate.

The Zambia government’s flimsy reasons for postponing RightsCon suggest that the government wanted to control the summit’s human rights agenda. The authorities should fully explain the last-minute cancellation, which is a serious loss for the promotion of human rights.

🚨 In a new op-ed, senior coordinator at @hrw.org, Robbie Newton, shares from his experience at the Qatar World Cup & argues that without enforceable safeguards, fans at the 2026 tournament remain at risk of discrimination, arbitrary treatment, & unequal access. 🔗 www.playthegame.org/news/promise...

From warring parties targeting journalists in Yemen to a Hong Kong Court’s conviction of former publisher Jimmy Lai, there are steep efforts to curtail free speech worldwide. This is precisely why we must speak out. #WorldPressFreedomDay

Journalism is not a crime. Governments should take note. On World Press Freedom Day, we continue to fight all forms of repression of speech, in all media, around the globe. #WorldPressFreedomDay

2025 was the deadliest year for journalists since @pressfreedom.bsky.social started collecting the data. At least 129 press members were killed last year, and at least 104 of them were killed amid armed conflicts.

After years of silence over #Tunisia ‘s crackdown on critics, @EUDiplomacy.bsky.social speaking up against attack on Ligue tunisienne des droits de l'homme (LTDH) is welcome. There should be no place for attacks on rights & freedoms in EU-Tunisia relationship. www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/tunisie...

According to media reports, Israel intercepted an aid flotilla bound for Gaza near Greece and detained 175 activists. Israel’s interception of yet another aid flotilla is not security. It’s the detention of people trying to relieve the extreme suffering caused by Israel’s unlawful blockade of Gaza.

"It was a magical box, and if he had known what I know now, maybe he wouldn't have opened it." 🎙️ In the fourth episode of The Great Unrooting, witnesses and experts recount the role that social media played in the story of Maung, a Rohingya refugee. Listen now: Spotify: https://bit.ly/4cRPmFV

The US Supreme Court's decision in "Louisiana v. Callais" is a devastating blow to critical civil rights protections that risks undermining the Voting Rights Act once again. Voting is a human right. It should be protected.

The US military said it attacked another boat in the Pacific Ocean on Sunday, killing three people, per @nytimes.com: www.nytimes.com/2026/04/27/w... These strikes aren’t one-off incidents, they’re part of a pattern of using military force where the law does not permit it, over and over again.

Nepal has a proud history of protecting the rights of LGBT people. Now access to legal gender recognition has stalled. The new government should put procedures in place to ensure that all people can have identity documents that correspond to their gender identity. www.hrw.org/news/2026/04...

Autocratic governments aren’t stopping at their borders. They’re targeting people abroad. Join HRW and @humanrightsfirst.org this Friday to unpack a case against Egypt after two brothers were attacked in NYC — and hear directly from them ⤵️

With sustained attacks on federal voting rights protections in the US, it's critical for state legislatures to take up the mantle. Legislation in Maryland and Alabama would expand voting rights for people with felony convictions, marking significant progress in the movement to expand voting rights.