15 November 2005:
HRW's Broadened Middle East Agenda Continues
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Summary: Responding to ongoing criticism of a biased and politicized
agenda in the Middle East, the activities of Human Rights Watch
in 2005 continue to reflect a changed emphasis, as seen in the following
developments.
Human Rights Watch’s report of October 3 condemns the abuses
of human rights by insurgent groups in Iraq. Entitled "A Face
and a Name: Civilian Victims of Insurgent Groups in Iraq",
the report rejects attempts to justify attacks against civilians.
Sarah Leah Whitson, director of HRW's Middle East and North Africa
division, is quoted as declaring; "There are no justifications
for targeting civilians, in Iraq or anywhere else". (Note that
HRW’s report condemning Palestinian terrorism, “Erased
in a Moment”, was issued in October 2002 but was rarely
referenced in subsequent activities.) See "Iraq:
Insurgent Groups Responsible for War Crimes", Human
Rights Watch, October 3, 2005
Other HRW publications and activities since NGO Monitor’s
September review of HRW’s publications on the region focus
heavily on the treatment of dissidents in Arab countries. This constitutes
an important change in the HRW agenda in the Middle East.
Following NGO
Monitor’s letter to the High Commissioner for Human Rights
of the UN regarding the proposed appointment of HRW Advocacy Director
Reed Brody to head the special procedures division, this nomination
has been frozen.
In addition, Joanna Weschler, HRW’s long-serving UN advocacy
director, has left the organization for a research position at the
Security Council Report. |
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