Justice for Syrians | Sexual Violence as a Weapon of War

THE WEEK IN RIGHTS | October 5, 2017 Step By Step, Justice for Syrians

Photo © 2009 Reuters Hello, Here are some stories you should know this week. Some European countries are beginning to hold trials on war crimes in Syria. It's good news for victims, who are now getting to help bring their tormentors to justice. The hundreds of thousands of Syrian asylum seekers and refugees who have fled to Europe brought some incredibly valuable evidence with them – their memories. They know the names of people who were “disappeared,” the faces of soldiers who rampaged villages, and some even have photos and videos. HRW researcher Maria Elena Vignoli states, "These people have suffered horrible crimes, they lost everything, yet they still keep going and fighting for justice." Read the rest of an interview with Maria Elena on these important trials and what Syrians are doing to help»

Sexual Violence by Armed Groups in the Central African Republic Human Rights Watch interviewed nearly 300 survivors of sexual slavery and rape by members of armed groups. This special feature is based on those interviews. Here are their stories »   Anti-Gay Crackdown in Azerbaijan Since last month, police in Azerbaijan have detained dozens of people on dubious charges, beating and using electric shocks on some of them to coerce bribes and information about other gay men. More on this vicious campaign »   How US Surveillance Helps Repressive Regimes Recent stories from Edward Snowden’s disclosures beg the question: Is the US facilitating serious abuses in Ethiopia and other countries? More on this darker side of the vast intelligence network »

YOUR POINT OF LIGHT A Glimmer of Hope in Yemen Finally, the United Nations Human Rights Council has announced it will start investigations into war crimes in Yemen. Here's why this matters »

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