human rights

Stories 161 - 180 | << Prev   Next >>

Obama Meets With Human- Rights Leaders

Under fire for recent moves, holds 'probing' pre-speech discussion

(Newser) - Dogged by criticism over recent decisions, President Obama invited a crew of human-rights and civil-liberties leaders and academics to discuss Guantanamo, tribunals, and transparency ahead of today’s speech on similar themes, the Huffington Post reports. Obama said he was unhappy with Congress’ denial of funds to close Gitmo and...

Brit Families Can Sue Over Soldier Deaths

Court: Troops protected by human rights law, even on battlefield

(Newser) - A British court has ruled that defense heads can be sued for neglecting soldiers’ human rights—meaning decisions made on the battlefield could be subject to litigation, the Times of London reports. The ruling stemmed from an inquest into the heatstroke death of a soldier due to what the coroner...

US Lands Seat on UN Human Rights Council

Bush White House had boycotted body over Israel, Darfur stances

(Newser) - The US today won a seat on the UN Human Rights Council for the first time, along with four countries accused of serious human rights violations: Cuba, Saudi Arabia, China, and Russia. President Bush's administration had boycotted the council over its repeated criticism of Israel and its refusal to cite...

Obama Puts Human Rights on Back Burner, Activists Say

Sometimes confrontation isn't best tactic, administration suggests

(Newser) - Human-rights workers had high hopes for the Obama administration after President Bush’s inconsistent, too-hot-too-cold policies—but so far, the Washington Post reports, activists think President Obama has let rights take a back seat to more pressing concerns. For example, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said pushing China on human...

Violence Plummets as Mexican Army Polices Juárez

But human rights violations said to be rampant

(Newser) - Since Mexico’s army took over for police in the drug haven of Ciudad Juárez, killings have dropped: In 2009’s first two months, there were 434 drug-related murders. In March, 5,000 troops arrived—and murders plummeted to 51, the Washington Post reports. With 10,000 soldiers now...

No Torture Trial for 'Bush Six': Spain's Top Cop

Case would turn courts into political 'plaything,' he says

(Newser) - Spanish prosecutors will recommend against opening an investigation into whether six Bush administration officials sanctioned torture against terror suspects at Guantanamo Bay, the country’s attorney general said today. The case against former high-ranking figures like Alberto Gonzales was without merit, he said, because the men weren’t present when...

Peru's Ex-Prez Gets 25 Years in Death-Squad Trial

(Newser) - A special tribunal convicted former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori of murder and kidnapping today and sentenced him to 25 years in prison related to death-squad activities during his autocratic 10-year rule. The judge told a hushed courtroom there was no question the 70-year-old Fujimori authorized the creation of a military...

Obama Meets With Hu, Plans Visit to China

(Newser) - President Obama and Hu Jintao of China met today at the G20 summit in London and agreed to close cooperation on issues ranging from the economic crisis to global security, Time reports. Obama will travel to China later this year. Meanwhile, high-level representatives will meet in Washington during the summer...

US to Join UN Human Rights Panel, Reversing Bush

(Newser) - In another reversal of Bush policy, the Obama administration said today it would seek to join the UN Human Rights Council. The US will participate in May elections for one of three open seats on the 3-year-old body, the Washington Post reports. Bushies declined to join, arguing that the council...

Brits Condoned Torture, Aided Extraordinary Renditions: UN

UK a full partner in US terror effort, report says

(Newser) - Binyam Mohamed, a recently released Gitmo detainee, alleges that he was tortured in Morocco while asked questions on behalf of Britian’s MI5. His story so far has amounted to his word against MI5’s, but a new report supports the former detainee’s claim, the Economist reports. A UN...

Human Rights in Russia 'Under Siege': US State Dept.

(Newser) - Human rights in Russia are "under siege," and the Chinese government is engaging in "serious human rights abuses," the US State Department says. The finger-pointing, in an annual report released today, comes just a week after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited China and downplayed...

On First Trip, Clinton Strikes a Blunt Tone
On First Trip, Clinton Strikes
a Blunt Tone
ANALYSIS
Feb 23, 2009 6:55 AM CST

On First Trip, Clinton Strikes a Blunt Tone

Diplomats split over uncharacteristic lack of tip-toeing at State

(Newser) - On her first trip as secretary of state, Hillary Clinton spoke far more frankly than her predecessors about everything from North Korean leadership to the efficacy of US sanctions against Burma. As the Washington Post writes, the Asia trip showcased a blunter, more open style of American diplomacy. But veteran...

Gitmo Meets Geneva Rules: Pentagon Report

Study urges changes in rules for 'most troublesome' detainees

(Newser) - A Pentagon report conducted for President Obama asserts that Gitmo treats its prisoners humanely and in accordance with the Geneva Convention, reports the Los Angeles Times. The report does, however, call for some reforms, such as giving the most dangerous inmates more contact with other prisoners and opportunities for prayer....

Clinton to China: Economy Trumps Human Rights

Other issues 'can't interfere' with economic crisis, she says

(Newser) - The US still cares about human rights in China, but "those issues can't interfere on the global economic crisis, the global climate change crisis, and the security crisis," Hillary Clinton said today in Beijing. In fact, it's the economic mess that makes strengthening ties with China a priority,...

Democratic Petition Gains Support in China

Charter 08 first sustained human-rights campaign since '89 Tiananmen protests

(Newser) - An online human-rights manifesto has been gaining support in China, the Washington Post reports. Charter 08 has gathered 8,100 signatures, from ordinary citizens as well as known advocates for democracy. The document, modeled after a document put together by intellectuals in the former Czechoslovakia, demands China’s constitution be...

Top Human Rights Lawyer Slain in Moscow

He opposed release of colonel who killed Chechen teen

(Newser) - A Russian lawyer fighting the early release of a colonel convicted of war crimes was shot dead yesterday in Moscow, Deutsche Welle reports. Stanislav Markelov, 34, was planning to challenge the parole of Yuri Budanov, who was freed last week after being imprisoned 6 years ago for murdering a Chechen...

Obama's Delayed Gitmo Plan Upsets Rights Groups

President-elect urged to stop tribunals before child soldier's trial

(Newser) - Human rights groups are worried about Barack Obama's plan to wait over 100 days before closing the Guantanamo Bay detenion center, reports the Miami Herald. Activists fear that Obama plans to keep the system of military tribunals going and are especially concerned about the upcoming trial of prisoner Omar Khadr,...

Iranian Cops Raid Nobel Winner's Office

Prosecutors claim Shirin Ebadi's organization was acting as political party

(Newser) - Iranian police today raided the office of a human rights group led by Nobel prize-winning activist Shirin Ebadi, Reuters reports. The office was hours away from hosting a Human Rights Day celebration when cops shut it down. "We will protest against it," said Ebadi. "It will not...

Tibetans Push Lama Toward Harder Stance on China

Even leader sees that time's running out on non-confrontational 'middle way'

(Newser) - Tibetans still support the Dalai Lama’s “middle way” policy of negotiating for greater autonomy under Chinese rule, the Christian Science Monitor reports, but a conference of Tibetan exiles that ended today in India revealed many are growing impatient with Beijing’s endless foot-dragging. Members of the conference said...

EU Honors Chinese Dissident, Enraging Beijing

Hu Jia is serving a prison sentence for 'subversion'

(Newser) - A move by the European Parliament to award a major human-rights prize to a Chinese dissident has Beijing outraged on the eve of a summit on the economic crisis, the Telegraph reports. The government denounced as “gross interference in China's domestic affairs” news that the jailed Hu Jia had...

Stories 161 - 180 | << Prev   Next >>
Most Read on Newser