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THE WEEK IN RIGHTS August 13, 2015 Follow us on:

Rights Activists Honored Photo © Jahangir Yusif, Francesca Leonardi (Internazionale), 2014 Human Rights Watch, 2015 Rebecca Vassie, 2015 Nisha Ayub, Paramount Color Lab, Ulloor, Trivandrum Four courageous and tireless advocates for human rights are the 2015 recipients of the prestigious Alison Des Forges Award for Extraordinary Activism, Human Rights Watch said today. The winners, leading voices for justice in their countries, are Nisha Ayub, a leading human rights defender on transgender rights in Malaysia; Yara Bader, a journalist and human rights activist who works to expose the detention and torture of journalists in war-torn Syria; Khadija Ismayilova, a prominent investigative journalist who has dedicated her life to fighting for human rights in the former Soviet republic of Azerbaijan; and Nicholas Opiyo, a leading human rights lawyer and founder of the human rights organization Chapter Four Uganda, who has worked tirelessly to defend civil liberties in Uganda. Ismayilova is currently behind bars and on trial on bogus tax and other charges brought in retribution for her reporting. The four 2015 honorees and two 2014 recipients of the award, Father Bernard Kinvi from the Central African Republic and Dr. M.R. Rajagopal from India, will be honored at the Voices for Justice Human Rights Watch Annual Dinners held in more than 20 cities worldwide. Read more » share on:

Burundi: Spate of Arbitrary Arrests, Torture The widespread killing and displacement of civilians by ethnic militia in northern Katanga, in southeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, shows the urgent need for the government to protect civilians. The government should act to address the sources of violence in the region.  See the Latest News in Africa »   share on:

Dispatches: Nepal’s Transgender Passport Progress By Kyle Knight Monica Shahi made history today as Nepal’s first citizen to carry a passport that allows its bearer to select a gender other than male or female. This acknowledgement of her gender identity follows years of activism that pushed the legal system to recognize gender on the basis of self-identification.  See the Latest News in Asia »   share on:

Saudi Arabia: Prominent Writer Detained  Saudi authorities detained Zuhair Kutbi, a prominent writer and commentator, on July 15, 2015, following a TV interview in which he discussed his ideas for peaceful reform. Authorities apparently questioned him about his television appearance, which had attracted considerable attention on social media.  See the Latest News in the Middle East/North Africa »   share on:

VIDEO     Militias Kill, Kidnap Civilians in the Congo Watch Now » SOCIAL MEDIA       Stay on top of the world’s human rights news.  Follow Human Rights Watch on twitter» TWEET of the WEEK Australia can learn from Dutch courage on marriage equality. @hrw's Boris Dittrich in @smhhttp://www.smh.com.au/comment/head-20150812-gixbma.html … Follow Elaine Pearson Now, click here»

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