Human Rights Watch Witness: Branded a Troublemaker – Ruth’s Story‏

THE WEEK IN RIGHTS May 21, 2015 Follow us on:

Witness: Branded a Troublemaker – Ruth’s Story Photo © 2014 Mary F. Calvert As a little girl, Ruth Riviera (not her real name) loved to step into her dad’s army boots and strut around the house with pride and self-importance. Her dad, a Non-Commission Officer in the US Army, was her childhood hero. She admired pretty much everything about him: his creativity, his courage, and his attitude that one can accomplish anything one puts one’s mind to. It felt natural to Riviera to follow in his footsteps and sign up for the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC), a military program for students, when enrolling in college at 18. Fifteen years later, the idealistic young woman, who excelled in college and planned on serving her country as a military leader and role model, is looking back on shattered dreams and the end of her army career. Riviera had dared what most of her colleagues shunned: She had reported male colleagues for sexual harassment. Read more » share on:

In South Sudan, Arbitrary Detention, Torture South Sudan’s military and National Security Service have unlawfully detained dozens of civilians, some for as long as 10 months. Detainees, often accused of supporting South Sudanese rebels, have been kept in poor conditions, and in some instances tortured or brutally beaten.  See the Latest News in Africa »  share on:

"These are people floating around, waiting to die." Thousands of minority Rohingya Muslims remain stranded at sea without adequate food and water. On Wednesday, Malaysia and Indonesia finally bowed to mounting international pressure, announcing that they would offer refugees temporary shelter provided that they are resettled and repatriated by the international community within a year. Roma Rajpal Weiss speaks with Human Rights Watch Deputy Asia Director Phil Robertson about the crisis.  See the Latest News in Asia »  share on:

EU: Don’t Endanger Lives at Sea or Deny Protection European Union military action against human smuggling networks should not put the lives and rights of migrants and asylum seekers in jeopardy. Saving lives at sea and bringing people at risk in the Mediterranean safely to EU shores should be the top priority.  See the Latest News in Europe/Central Asia >>  share on:

Attacks on Health Facilities, Staff, Patients  Over the past year armed groups have attacked hospitals, clinics, and health personnel in 41 incidents in Afghanistan and deliberately killed over 45 health workers, primarily polio vaccinators, in Nigeria and Pakistan. In Syria, where medical facilities in Aleppo have been hit with government barrel bombs, 194 medical personnel have been killed and 104 medical facilities attacked since 2014.  Read More »  share on:

MAP       Anti-Gay Laws: What countries outlaw same-sex relations, and what’s the impact on LGBTI people? Check out our interactive map. View now » BOOK       A Front-row seat to the fall of communism in Albania, Modern Albania is a new book by Human Rights Watch’s Fred Abrahams.   Learn More » MAP Attacks on Health: An interactive map  View Now »