THE WEEK IN RIGHTS

March 14, 2013 Follow us on: Mercury Treaty Designed to Save Lives Photo © 2011 Juliane Kippenberg/Human Rights Watch  Suzanne, an 11-year-old who lives in Mali, eagerly explained how she handles deadly mercury to mine gold to help support her family. “Once the ore is panned, you put a bit of mercury in. You rub the ore and the mercury with your two hands,” Suzanne told Human Rights Watch Researcher Juliane Kippenberg. “Then, when the mercury has attracted the gold, you put it on a metal box and burn it. When I have finished, I sell the gold to a trader. I do this daily… I know mercury is dangerous, but I don’t know how. I do not protect myself.” Now, there is a new treaty designed to limit mercury exposure. Human Rights Watch played a key role in pushing for measures in the treaty that could protect tens of thousands of children across Africa, Asia, and Latin America who, like Suzanne, mine gold using mercury. Read more >> share on:   What Rules Should Govern US Drone Attacks? by Kenneth Roth, Executive Director  New York Review of Books  As bits and pieces of the Obama administration’s legal justifications for its drone attacks trickle out, what is most striking is their deliberate ambiguity. That is obviously troubling for people who believe that the United States should conduct its counterterrorism operations in accordance with international law. It also sets a worrying precedent as other governments inevitably develop their own drone programs.  Read more >> share on:   Fleeing Rohingya Shot in Sea by Thailand’s Navy Rohingya fleeing Burma should be given protection, not shot at. The Thai government should urgently investigate why sailors opened fire at boat people helpless in the sea and prosecute all those found responsible.  See the Latest News in Asia >> share on:   In Hungary, Constitution Changes Warrant EU Action The government’s willingness to bypass the constitutional court and subvert the constitution for its own political ends underscores the need for a concerted EU response. These latest changes leave no doubt about the Hungarian government’s contempt for the rule of law.  See the Latest News in Europe/Central Asia >> share on:   TWITTER Keep up on our top human rights news from around the globe. Follow Now >> BOOK For his book, Radio Congo, Ben Rawlence traveled by foot, motorbike, and boat through Congo, meeting people along the way. Buy it at a discount using the code: HRW. Buy Now >> YOUTUBE See what our researchers experience on the ground. Watch Now >> Thank you for supporting Human Rights Watch. Follow us on: Home | Take Action | Donate | Privacy Human Rights Watch - 350 Fifth Avenue, 34th Floor New York, NY 10118 USA Tel: 1-(212) 290-4700 | news@hrw.org