Archive for category: Human Rights

Information and stories about human rights.

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5 Important Facts To Know About Human Rights in Togo

Human Rights in TogoTogo is a small country in West Africa on the Gulf of Guinea that has struggled with human rights issues for years. In February 2005 their leader of 38 years, Eyadema Gnassingbé, died suddenly and his son, Faure Gnassingbé, was appointed.

His appointment drew widespread criticism, so Gnassingbé left the power and held elections which he won in April of that same year. Gnassingbé’s opponents declared the election fraudulent and hundreds of people were killed during this time of political unrest.

Today, Gnassingbé continues to serve as the president of Togo after being reelected in 2010 and 2015, but the new and fragile democracy still struggles with human rights violations. Below is an examination of five major facets to human rights in Togo, what improvements have been made and what still needs to be done in the future.

1. Legality and acknowledgement of the importance of protecting human rights on a national level has improved.

One crucial step that Togo recently took is its decision to become involved in international human rights conventions such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Convention against Torture. In an of itself, this participation is primarily symbolic; however, it is still a vital step toward a better future for the citizens of Togo.

The Constitution of Togo sets the stage for a country that prioritizes human rights. Articles 15 through 18 state that nobody shall be arbitrarily detained, those who are in prison will be treated humanely and everyone maintains a presumption of innocence before a fair trial.

Article 21 condemns torture, Articles 25 and 26 declare freedom of speech and of the press and Articles 36 and 37 protect working conditions and the fair treatment of children. Reading through The Constitution of Togo, it is clear that at least on paper, human rights in Togo are respected.

2. Criminality is not handled lawfully, those on trial do not maintain a presumption of innocence and some wrongful arrests are made.

Although the constitution states otherwise, arbitrary arrests do happen and there is little to protect a citizen’s presumption of innocence. Despite every defendant’s right to obtain legal advice, most cannot afford it and must represent themselves. The practice of pretrial detention also renders the presumption of innocence futile as these detention periods can be lengthy and harsh.

Amnesty International reported that after the 2015 lawful protest demonstrations in Mango, “Five men remained in detention without trial… There were concerns that they may be held solely because they were the organizers of the protest.”

Detainees awaiting trial account for about 65 percent of the prison population and are not separated from convicted prisoners. Togo does not provide any alternatives to incarceration; therefore, those prosecuted for less serious or nonviolent crimes are detained in the same prisons as violent offenders.

3. Prison conditions are unacceptable.

The dangerous and inhumane prison conditions in Togo are alarming and still require significant reform. In some prisons, prisoners only receive one meal per day and die of hunger. The 2015 report from Amnesty International stated that, “Torture and other ill-treatment were used to extract confessions from detainees, and prisoners were denied timely medical treatment.”

Togo prisons hold more than double their capacity, which leads to increased risk of disease and death.

The 2016 Human Rights Report states that 27 prisoners died that year due to inadequate conditions. The overcrowding crisis in Togo prisons that is responsible for appalling human rights violations, is a direct result of pretrial detention and a broken justice system.

4. Laws against political corruption and penalties against criminal corruption are not properly implemented.

According to Togo’s 2016 Human Rights Report, The National Commission for the Fight against Corruption and Economic Sabotage lacked specific anticorruption legal mandates and was inactive. Other entities like the Government Accounting Office and Finances Inspectorate had limited resources and reported very few results.

Many reforms are still needed into the electoral process, such as instituting a presidential term limit, but the National Assembly rejected the bill that would institute that and other reforms.

5. Child labor and human trafficking have been addressed, but with only moderate improvement.

In November 2015, the National Assembly passed a revised penal code that increased penalties for child labor and human trafficking violations. However, these increases penalties have not been successful in ending child labor, human trafficking or torture.

According to The United States Department Of Labor, Togo “has not devoted sufficient resources to combat child labor, and enforcement of laws related to child labor remains weak. In addition, Togo’s social programs to combat the worst forms of child labor do not match the scope of the problem and rely largely on NGOs and international organizations for implementation.”

Overall, Togo has made positive steps in its acknowledgment of the importance of protecting human rights; however, the country still has a long way to go in implementing protection and improving the lives of its citizens. The justice system and police force currently do not line up with what the Constitution of Togo declares, leading to continuing hardship and violations of human rights.

Since 2005, Togo has come a long way, but there is still a need to raise awareness and advocate for better prison conditions, corruption accountability and increased resources put toward combating child labor and human trafficking.

– Katie Hemingway

Photo: Flickr

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Human Rights in Croatia

Human Rights in CroatiaAs a newly elected member of the United Nations Human Rights Council, Croatia is promising to protect human rights and fight against discrimination. Considering the unfair treatment of minorities and hate crimes that were written of in the Human Rights Practices report for 2016, the country has a great deal of work to do.

Out of the 24 reported hate crimes in 2015, 15 were related to racism and xenophobia. A recent example of xenophobia in the nation can be seen through the way policemen have been treating asylum-seekers from Serbia. Out of the 10 Afghani asylum seekers who were interviewed, nine reported that the Croatian police were physical with them. Not only did they punch them, but they also seized some of their possessions. After doing all of this, the Croatian police officers forced them out of the country and back to Serbia.

Another large issue in Croatia is the segregation of people with disabilities. People with disabilities in Croatia tend to lack control in their lives because they are placed into institutions rather than communities.

Although human rights in Croatia still need to improve greatly, the people are still making a conscious effort to fix the problems they are faced with. For example, the Humans Rights House Zagreb addresses the country’s issues and introduces solutions to help them. In 2016, they partnered with Gong to explain both the importance of and how to combat hate speech.

To combat segregation of people with disabilities, de-institutionalization has begun in Croatia, in an attempt to legally give those with disabilities their rights. So far, 24 percent of institutions have begun de-institutionalization. While this number may be small, it is a start to a solution.

Croatia, like every other country in the world, is nowhere near perfect. However, with the help of citizens and activists who advocate for what they believe is morally right, human rights in Croatia will continue to progress.

– Raven Rentas

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Human Rights in Montenegro Have Room for Improvement

Human Rights in MontenegroMontenegro, which declared its independence from the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro on June 3, 2006, is classified as an upper middle-income economy by the World Bank. Overall, the state of human rights in Montenegro seems to be better than that of other countries in the developing world. This being said, there is also still work to be done.

One of the areas in which human rights in Montenegro are relatively well protected is political freedom. Montenegro is a mixed parliamentary and presidential republic with a multiparty political system, in which the voters elect both the president and the unicameral parliament through popular elections. According to a preliminary report published by the observation mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR), the elections held on October 16, 2016 were conducted in a competitive environment, and the fundamental freedoms of voters were generally respected. The Montenegro Human Rights Report, published by the U.S. State Department in 2016, also stated that there were no reports of the government’s involvement in arbitrary or illicit killings, and no reports of politically motivated disappearances.

However, some problems still remain unresolved, especially those involving restrictions on the freedom of press. For example, On October 22, 2015, a freelance journalist named Jovo Martinovic was arrested on suspicion of involvement in a drug-trafficking scheme. Many have voiced concerns that the evidence against Martinovic offered by the deputy special prosecutor is weak at best. Moreover, the journalist has contended from the beginning of his detention that the only reason he spent time with the criminal group was to fulfill his duties as an investigative journalist. This incident has clearly illustrated the Montenegro authorities’ lack of respect for media freedom.

Other reported problems in human rights in Montenegro include corruption and lack of transparency in government, impunity for war crime, and violations of the right to peaceful assembly. Whether the country will be able to achieve noticeable improvement in these areas still remains to be seen.

– Minh Joo Yi

Photo: Flickr

Prioritizing and Improving Human Rights in Tuvalu

Human Rights in TuvaluHuman rights violations occur to some groups in Tuvalu. Social patterns and traditions cause discrimination against women and minority religious groups. Women still lack land and child custody rights, and domestic violence remains a problem in the country. These violations call for an improvement and show why human rights in Tuvalu need to be a priority.

In November 2015, Prime Minister of Tuvalu, Enele Sopoaga, stated that climate change threatened the core principles of Tuvalu’s human rights. Sopoaga added that human rights are essential to developing Tuvalu’s climate change solutions, especially for Tuvaluans without access to food and water. Tuvalu plans to express this issue at international climate meetings.

Tuvalu’s 2016 human rights report revealed that some human rights were already in place for the country. There were no reports of government officials or agents committing unlawful killings. The report also stated that Tuvalu’s constitution prohibits cruel, inhumane or degrading treatments for crimes. No government officials were reported to have committed these crimes either.

Tuvalu’s 2016 human rights report also reveals no prison or detention center conditions that would raise human rights concerns. No deaths were reported in Tuvaluan prisons, and the government received no complaints of inhumane prison conditions. A “people’s lawyer” would take any complaints or concerns that prisoners had.

In July 2016, the Pacific Community worked with Tuvalu’s government to formulate the country’s first national action plan for improving human rights. The national action plan would focus on improving rights for women, children, disabled people and other Tuvaluan minority groups. The national action plan would also provide a timeframe for addressing these human rights issues.

Enele Sopoaga opened a consultation on the plan. Government ministers, permanent secretaries, judiciary members and other Tuvaluan officials attended Sopoaga’s meeting to discuss the country’s key human rights issues. The government’s leadership in making commitments was greatly appreciated as a way to improve human rights in Tuvalu.

In January 2017, the country’s government launched a national action plan on human rights in Tuvalu. Tuvalu’s government plans for donors, development partners and other entities to ensure that the action plan’s goals and objectives are fulfilled. The national action plan will especially help Tuvalu’s elderly, women, children and disabled residents.

Romulo Nayacalevu, the Pacific Community’s senior human rights advisor, added that Tuvalu is the first country in the Pacific to launch a human rights action plan. Nayacalevu added that human rights include not only civil and political rights but access to education, water and healthcare. This means that Tuvalu could have these opportunities as well.

Human rights in Tuvalu are expected to improve with the national action plan in place. Women, disabled residents, children and other minority groups in the country now have the potential to see positive outcomes from these changes, and Tuvalu’s people can hope for a positive future so long as Tuvalu’s government keeps its promise to improve human rights.

– Rhondjé Singh Tanwar
Photo: Flickr

Problems and Solutions for Human Rights in Côte D’Ivoire

Human Rights in Côte D'IvoireHuman rights in Côte d’Ivoire remain restricted in 2017. A small country located in West Africa, the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire (also known as the Ivory Coast) has recently gained an atmosphere of political stability and continued macroeconomic growth. This has, in turn, influenced a positive change in law and an upward trend in certain economic and social rights.

However, there is still much work to be done in addressing the political violence caused by the denial of or controversy surrounding certain human rights in Côte d’Ivoire.

Some of the rights that those in the United States take for granted every single day are the rights to freedom of expression, press and assembly. In Côte d’Ivoire, joining a peaceful protest can often be met with arrest or what is known as “mobile detention,” which is essentially just being held in a moving police vehicle and then forced to walk all the way home.

While the country’s new constitution removes the stipulation that a future presidential candidate has an Ivorian mother and father, a past source of political conflict, other controversies over the new constitution were effectively shut down by restricting the freedom of the press. Those that opposed various aspects of the new constitution were limited in the expression of their opinions by a lack of access to state media and the suspension of two newspapers that had opposing views. The campaign period was only seven days, giving those with opposing views little time to make their voices heard.

This form of political bias has also been visible during trials. Current president Alassane Ouattara claims to ensure country-wide justice for those who have committed war crimes and crimes against humanity, many of which were committed during a particularly turbulent post-election era in 2010. However, only those who are allegedly supporters of former president Laurent Gbagbo were prosecuted for human rights violations. Those loyal to President Ouattara who committed similar human rights violations were not prosecuted.

Côte d’Ivoire remains vulnerable to extremist groups like Al-Qaeda, another negative impact on human rights in Côte d’Ivoire. While there are always improvements that can be made, hopefully the upward trend in social and economic rights will continue.

In June 2017, the World Bank approved a $120 million credit for the Cote d’Ivoire Infrastructure for Urban Development and Competitiveness of Secondary Cities Project. This project aims to create an environment more conducive to local business growth and make cities more appealing to investors and workers. As economic and social factors improve, there is hope that human rights will, too.

– Ellen Ray

Photo: Flickr

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Human Rights in Swaziland

Human Rights in SwazilandSwaziland is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa, and has been ruled by the absolute monarch, King Mswati III, since 1986. The current state of human rights in Swaziland is lamentable. Although the Constitution of the Kingdom of Swaziland Act – which guarantees basic human rights – took effect in 2005, numerous incidents of human rights violations have been reported, including repression of political dissent and banning of political parties.

In 2016, specific cases of infringement of human rights in Swaziland included restrictions on freedom of assembly. The police took advantage of the Urban Act, which requires protesters to report any plans of a public protest two weeks prior to the event, and cracked down on it by attacking protesters. For example, in February the Swazi police arrested two leaders of the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT), Mcolisi Ngcamphalala and Mbongwa Dlamini, who were participating in protests.

On September 22, 2016, the Human Rights Watch released a statement that criticized the Swazi government for not implementing the recommendations it accepted during its last Universal Periodic Review (URP) in 2011. These recommendations – which were aimed at ensuring progress in human rights reform in the country – comprised: elimination of all restrictions on fundamental civil and political rights, allowing political freedom through fair and transparent democratic elections and decriminalization of same-sex relations. Despite the apparent absence of democracy in Swaziland, the king has recently carried out a deceptive campaign to convince his citizens that their country is a democratic kingdom.

The future of human rights in Swaziland is unclear. However, the recent performance by the country’s High Court is notable. In September 2016, the court declared the Suppression of Terrorism Act, which had been used by the government to ban opposition to King Mswati’s rule, as unconstitutional. If similar political decisions are made in the future, it would mean more progress for human rights in Swaziland.

– Minh Joo Yi

Photo: Google

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Ongoing Violations of Human Rights in Burundi

Human Rights in BurundiSince the political upheaval of Burundi’s 2015 elections, the Imbonerakure, the youth wing of the ruling party, continues to pose a direct threat toward human rights in Burundi, as confirmed by recent rape chants caught on video.

As 21,000 Burundians fled to Rwanda in 2015 due to the Imbonerakure, many believe that the presence of this youth wing serves a source of intimidation and violence to quell the opposition to President Pierre Nkurunziza’s controversial third term.

While a two-term limit exists in Burundi’s national constitution, the ruling party claimed that Nkurunziza’s first term failed to count since he was originally elected by parliament, causing an upheaval of opposition that still prevails today.

Since the election, Imbonerakure members continue to rape, torture and kill Burundi citizens. Investigators have revealed that the targets of the youth party are most often women whom they believe to have ties to anti-government supporters, including the wives and daughters of opposition members.

The United Nations’ mission in Burundi described the group as “one of the major threats to peace in Burundi and to the credibility of the 2015 elections as they are responsible for most politically motivated violence against the opposition.” Recent action on the part of the youth wing has shown their threats to have only become worse.

On April 1, 200 members of Burundi’s ruling party youth league marched through the center of Ntega, chanting, “Impregnate the opposition, so they give birth to Imbonerakure.  There are lots of girls. Impregnate them, Imbonerakure!”

While this song serves as the reality for many of Burundi’s people, one man decided to file a complaint with the police after two policemen raped his wife. As a result, this man was beaten by Imbonerakure members and told by the police that he was “staining the image of the security forces.”

As the youth league continues to violate human rights in Burundi, the people live in fear, as they are afraid to speak out knowing that President Pierre Nkurunziza’s government makes no effort to prosecute or provide consequences for the Imbonerakure’s crimes.

While the Imbonerakure continue to impose themselves as a threat to the nation, is clear that human rights in Burundi will not be maintained until government officials take action to address these heinous acts of brutality.

– Kendra Richardson

Photo: Flickr

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Evolving Human Rights in Peru

Human Rights in PeruPeru is a country with a tumultuous past. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, insurgent guerilla organizations battled the government – a conflict that resulted in the death of nearly 70,000 people. By 2000, the conflict slowed down and since then the government has focused on integrating human rights in Peru into national law.

The Constitution of Peru protects human rights, claiming that humans have the right to respect, dignity, life and equality. Even so, there is still conflict over human rights in Peru.

According to Human Rights Watch, security forces in Peru have occasionally responded to protests over large development projects with gunfire, which has killed or injured protestors. There are also significant threats to freedom of expression and violence against women.

Journalists who publish pieces critical of the government can face intimidation, assault and even murder at the hands of individuals supporting or hired by the government.

Unfortunately, even a well-intentioned policy can fail to ensure the universal human rights. For example, the Peruvian Constitution promises free education to children ages six through 16. In reality, parents are faced with administrative and educational material fees that prevent less wealthy children from receiving a quality education. Students in rural areas receive lower quality education than those in urban areas. Gender and ethnicity can also factor into the quality of education that children receive.

However, there are some positive outcomes in terms of human rights in Peru. Health services are provided for free by the Peruvian government and workers are free to unionize. The Peruvian Constitution also promises a healthy environment for its citizens. Successive administrations have focused on eliminating violence against women, and political parties are now required to include a minimum of 30 percent of female candidates.

While human rights in Peru can be messy and complicated, the government is eager to put the violent history of the country firmly in the past and continue expanding human rights and ensuring those rights are upheld.

– Brock Hall

Photo: Flickr

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Human Rights in Malawi

Human Rights in MalawHuman rights in Malawi have gone through periods of both exacerbation and improvement. The new constitution that was ratified in 1994 – which included a section specifically dedicated to human rights – guaranteed every individual’s right to life, right to be protected from genocide, entitlement to education and other basic rights. With the adoption of this constitution, multi-party democracy was introduced to the country’s government, which led many to expect noticeable improvement of human rights in Malawi.

Unfortunately, toward the end of the presidency of Bingu wa Mutharika, who died while in office in 2012, the situation worsened. As stated in the U.S. State Department’s 2010 Country Report on Human Rights Practices, numerous cases of the state’s violation of human rights were reported, such as: the security forces killing innocent individuals; torture, sexual abuse and other inhumane treatment of prisoners; and arbitrary arrest or detention.

Fortunately, inauguration of the new president Joyce Banda in April 2012 brought about positive changes to the country. While her attempt to overturn the law banning homosexuality turned out unsuccessful in the end, she did manage to repeal a section of Malawi’s penal code which banned all publication not to be deemed in the public interest. Moreover, she announced that she would arrest the infamous Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir – who was convicted of genocide – if he entered the Malawian territory. This helped her gain favor among international donors and improved Malawi’s international relations.

Although human rights in Malawi have improved, problems do still exist. For instance, since November 2014, people with albinism have faced an increased risk of being abducted or killed in murders associated with witchcraft. On March 9, 2017, four men attempted to drill through the house of Gilbert Daire, former president of the Association of the People with Albinism, while he was asleep. Highlighting the lack of protection and safety for people with albinism in Malawi, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for Southern Africa, Deprose Muchena, strongly suggested that the “Malawian authorities must end this cycle of impunity of perpetrators of these crimes.”

– Minh Joo Yi

Photo: Flickr

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Nine Important Facts About Human Rights in Hungary

Human Rights in HungaryHungary is going through a drastic transformation. The nation was deeply shaken by the 2008 financial crisis. In 2010, the nation responded by electing the Fidesz party into power. With the support of the Christian Democratic People’s Party, Fidesz built a conservative coalition with the ability to draft a new constitution. This constitution was enacted in 2011 and has given Fidesz significant power. Recently, Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced plans to transform Hungary into an illiberal democracy. Here are nine important facts about human rights in Hungary during this time of dramatic change.

Hungary continues to hold free elections. However, constitutional changes have unfairly benefited Fidesz. These changes include reducing the number of legislators, gerrymandering districts and allowing Hungarian-speaking residents in neighboring territories to vote. These “Hungarians abroad” overwhelmingly voted in favor of Fidesz.

The Hungarian Constitution protects freedom of speech and the press, but recent changes have undermined the freedom of the press. Media outlets are required to register with the government for licenses that can be revoked if the outlet violates content policy through actions like inciting hatred or violating human dignity. Recently, a close ally of Prime Minister Orban bought out and disbanded Hungary’s leading political newspaper after it reported on senior government officials mishandling funds.

Hungary’s constitution protects religious freedom, but the government has attempted to limit this freedom. In 2012, the Hungarian National Assembly passed the Church Act, forcing religious institutions to apply to the National Assembly for tax benefits guaranteed to accepted churches. This was ruled unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court, but the National Assembly tried and failed to pass a revised version in 2015.

This April, the Hungarian government furthered Orban’s crusade against liberalism by targeting academic freedom. The National Assembly passed a law intended to shut down Central European University, which was founded by American billionaire George Soros. Human rights organizations believe this was done to stifle criticism of Fidesz-backed reforms.
The Hungarian government has become increasingly hostile to human rights organizations and has put stringent registration requirements on nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Several NGOs that were critical of the government faced unlawful police raids that went unpunished. Many are worried that these actions exemplify a growing disregard for human rights in Hungary.

In 2016, Hungary passed a constitutional amendment that allows the government to declare a state of emergency in the event of a terror threat. The grounds for a terror threat are broad and poorly defined. In a state of emergency, the government has the power to restrict movement, freeze assets, ban public gatherings and fight terrorism without oversight from the National Assembly or the judiciary. After 15 days, the National Assembly can vote to increase the powers of the state.

Hungary has taken on a strong anti-immigration stance that breaks with European policy. Some notably harsh measures include detaining asylum-seekers for months in shipping containers, scaling back resources for refugees granted asylum and allowing the military to restrict the civil liberties of refugees and use “coercive weapons.” Refugees that are detained and hunted down by the military are often subjected to brutality.

The Roma are Hungary’s largest ethnic minority and are widely discriminated against. Though the government has attempted to aid the Romani people, Roma remain disproportionately impoverished and are often segregated from Hungarian schools and placed in schools for the mentally disabled.

Discrimination is becoming an even greater concern with the rise of Jobbik, Hungary’s growing right-nationalist party. Jobbik made large gains in the 2011 and 2014 elections and has a history of anti-Roma, anti-semitic and ethnic nationalist rhetoric. Some of this rhetoric has been disturbingly adopted by Orban to advance his anti-migrant agenda. Though party leaders of Jobbik claim to have toned down their rhetoric, the party’s advancement could lead to a further decline in human rights in Hungary.

Though Hungary is continuing to follow an anti-democratic trend, the situation is not hopeless. For a long time, the E.U. has turned a blind eye to Hungary’s illiberal reforms. Increased pressure from the multistate organization could motivate Hungarian leaders to follow the E.U.’s standards for human rights. In addition, NGOs are essential to protecting human rights in Hungary. Though they have become the target of government scrutiny, they retain partial freedoms to work within Hungary and encourage positive reform.

– Carson Hughes

Photo: Flickr