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Bassam Khawaja @khawaja.bsky.social · 3h

HRW: Comedians performing at the Riyadh Comedy Festival did not use their public platform to urge Saudi authorities to free unjustly detained Saudi dissidents, journalists, and human rights activists. www.hrw.org/news/2025/10...

Saudi Arabia: Comedians Silent on Detained Activists

Comedians performing at the Riyadh Comedy Festival did not use their public platform to urge Saudi authorities to free unjustly detained Saudi dissidents, journalists, and human rights activists

www.hrw.org

Bassam Khawaja @khawaja.bsky.social · 7h

Egyptian authorities detained prominent independent journalist Ismail Iskandarani over Facebook posts. They should immediately release Iskandarani and establish an independent committee to review the detention of thousands of peaceful critics www.hrw.org/news/2025/10...

Egypt: Journalist Detained over Facebook Posts

Egyptian authorities detained prominent independent journalist Ismail Iskandarani over Facebook posts.

www.hrw.org

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Bassam Khawaja @khawaja.bsky.social · 1d

Houthi authorities arrested dozens of people in the last week of September 2025, as they have in past years, for peacefully celebrating or posting on social media about the anniversary of Yemen’s September 26 Revolution www.hrw.org/news/2025/10...

Yemen: Houthis Arrest Dozens Commemorating National Holiday

Houthi authorities arrested dozens of people in the last week of September 2025, as they have in past years, for peacefully celebrating or posting on social media about the anniversary of Yemen’s “Sep...

www.hrw.org

Bassam Khawaja @khawaja.bsky.social · 2d

Atrocity crimes in Israel and Palestine over the past two years have taken a devastating toll on civilians with thousands killed, maimed, starved, forcibly displaced, unlawfully held hostage or detained, and towns and neighborhoods leveled to the ground www.hrw.org/news/2025/10...

Israel/Palestine: States Should Act to Halt Atrocities

US President Donald Trump’s “Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict,” announced on September 29, 2025, is no substitute for the urgent action governments need to take to protect civilians and sup...

www.hrw.org

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Bassam Khawaja @khawaja.bsky.social · 3d

Disturbing reports that Greta Thunberg is being subjected to harsh treatment in Israeli custody after removal from the Gaza flotilla, including being detained in a bedbug infested cell, with too little food and water, and forced to hold flags for pictures. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...

Israel accused of detaining Greta Thunberg in infested cell and making her hold flags

Activist tells Swedish officials she has been subjected to harsh treatment, including insufficient food and water

www.theguardian.com

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Bassam Khawaja @khawaja.bsky.social · 5d

We need more than empty gestures as Israeli authorities expand illegal settlements and displace and exterminate Palestinians. Respect for Palestinians’ rights is not dependent on a peace plan. Countries should quickly advance justice and accountability. www.hrw.org/news/2025/10...

Justice for Palestinians Can’t Wait for a Peace Deal

The calamitous situation in Gaza, with Palestinian civilians facing extermination and ethnic cleansing by Israeli forces, was a major focus of the annual United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) high-le...

www.hrw.org

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Reposted by Bassam Khawaja

Human Rights Watch @hrw.org · 6d

Country-wide protests initiated by the youth group GenZ212 have gripped Morocco, as protesters criticize the government over corruption and spending.

Morocco’s government should hear protestors’ demands. Learn more ⤵️

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Bassam Khawaja @khawaja.bsky.social · 6d

Trump and Hegseth's remarks at an address to top military leaders this week raise grave concerns the administration will seek to deploy combat forces in domestic law enforcement roles—a brazen violation of US law, risking widespread human rights violations www.hrw.org/news/2025/10...

United States: Trump Call to Militarize Cities Risks Abuse

Remarks by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and President Donald Trump at a joint address to top military leaders on September 30, 2025 raise grave concerns that the administration will seek to de...

www.hrw.org

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Bassam Khawaja @khawaja.bsky.social · 7d

A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration’s policy to detain and deport foreign scholars over their pro-Palestinian views violates the US constitution and was designed to intentionally chill free speech rights. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Judge issues blistering opinion against Trump policy to deport pro-Palestinian students

Judge rules non-citizens have the same free speech rights as US citizens under the first amendment

www.theguardian.com

Bassam Khawaja @khawaja.bsky.social · 8d

Germany faces a stark but straightforward choice: uphold international law and align with most of its EU partners, or continue obstructing EU action, risking further isolation and reputational damage, and complicity in Israel’s atrocities in Gaza. www.hrw.org/news/2025/09...

As Israel Escalates Assault, Germany Should Support EU Action on Gaza

The German government has so far claimed that only bilateral diplomacy, without concrete action by the European Union, is enough to press Israel to halt its atrocities. It hasn’t worked.

www.hrw.org

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Bassam Khawaja @khawaja.bsky.social · 8d

Hundreds of young Moroccans took to the streets of at least 11 cities, denouncing corruption and blasting the government for pouring money into international sports events while neglecting health and education. Authorities have responded with mass arrests apnews.com/article/moro...

Young Moroccans clash with police while protesting stadium spending and health system decline

Youth-led demonstrators have clashed with police in Morocco's largest anti-government protests in years.

apnews.com

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Bassam Khawaja @khawaja.bsky.social · 9d

Predatory lending by microfinance institutions in Cambodia is driving land dispossession and human rights abuses against Indigenous communities. www.hrw.org/news/2025/09...

Cambodia: Microfinance Lending Harming Indigenous Groups

Predatory lending by microfinance institutions in Cambodia is driving land dispossession and human rights abuses against Indigenous communities.

www.hrw.org

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Bassam Khawaja @khawaja.bsky.social · 9d

North Carolina's Medicaid support for food and housing is shutting down, following cuts Congress approved in July under President Trump’s signature legislation, which extended tax cuts and slashed social safety net programs. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/29/h...

Fragile N.C. Residents Lose Medicaid Support for Food and Housing

www.nytimes.com

Bassam Khawaja @khawaja.bsky.social · 11d

Trump’s memorandum directing law enforcement to investigate a sprawling, imaginary conspiracy to foment political violence in the US is a serious threat to human rights and democratic institutions: www.hrw.org/news/2025/09...

US: Trump Targets Opponents in Sweeping Memorandum

United States President Donald Trump’s September 25, 2025, memorandum directing law enforcement to investigate a sprawling, imaginary conspiracy to foment political violence in the United States is a ...

www.hrw.org

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Reposted by Bassam Khawaja

Salsabil Chellali @salsabilc.bsky.social · 13d

Sonia Dahmani is imprisoned since May 2024 for remarks she made on the TV/radio under Decree-Law 54 on Cybercrime. The authorities even retaliated against her sister Ramla for fiercely advocating for her release & sentenced her in absentia to 2years in prison this July, under the same law. #Tunisia

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Bassam Khawaja @khawaja.bsky.social · 11d

Israel is razing Gaza city, continuing its practice of mass demolitions and leaving nowhere for people to return to. www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

Israel Is Flattening Areas of Gaza City

The city had been spared from widespread demolitions during previous military operations there. This time is different.

www.nytimes.com

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Bassam Khawaja @khawaja.bsky.social · 13d

In a rare and unexpected move, Egypt’s President Sisi rejected a deeply flawed draft Criminal Procedure Code. MPs should use this opportunity to substantially revise the bill and begin to reverse Egypt’s protracted human rights crisis www.hrw.org/news/2025/09...

Egypt’s Parliament Should Open New Era of Consultation

On September 21, 2025, in a rare and unexpected move, Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi used his power under the constitution to reject a deeply flawed draft Criminal Procedure Code. He returned ...

www.hrw.org

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Bassam Khawaja @khawaja.bsky.social · 13d

Algerian authorities should end excessive control over civil society groups and parliament should enact a new associations law based on international human rights. A preliminary draft bill currently under consideration would further undermine freedom of association www.hrw.org/news/2025/09...

Algeria: Lift Undue Restrictions on Associations

Algerian authorities should end excessive control over civil society groups and parliament should enact a new associations law based on international human rights standards.

www.hrw.org

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Bassam Khawaja @khawaja.bsky.social · 13d

Sonia Dahmani, a detained Tunisian lawyer, writer, and commentator known for her bold defense of human rights and civil liberties, honored by @pressfreedom as she served a 5 year sentence: cpj.org/2025/09/cpj-...

CPJ to honor tenacious journalists with 2025 International Press Freedom Awards - Committee to Protect Journalists

Esteemed awardees from four regions to be recognized in November New York, September 12, 2025 — The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) today announced that it will honor journalists from China, Ec...

cpj.org

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Bassam Khawaja @khawaja.bsky.social · 14d

The decision of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger to withdraw from the International Criminal Court will jeopardize access to justice for victims of atrocity crimes, putting all civilians at greater risk.
www.hrw.org/news/2025/09...

Sahel Countries: ICC Withdrawal Endangers Civilians

The decision of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC) will jeopardize access to justice for victims of atrocity crimes, putting all civilians at greater ...

www.hrw.org

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Bassam Khawaja @khawaja.bsky.social · 15d

Sisi's decision not to sign a flawed Criminal Procedure Code and to send it back to parliament for revision was a positive move. Parliament should completely revise the draft law to eliminate a series of provisions that raised human rights concerns. www.hrw.org/news/2025/09...

Egypt: President Rejects Flawed Criminal Code

The decision by President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi of Egypt not to sign a flawed Criminal Procedure Code and to send it back to parliament for revision was a positive move.

www.hrw.org

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Bassam Khawaja @khawaja.bsky.social · 15d

Syrian authorities promised accountability for the March atrocities, but have offered little transparency on whether their probe examines responsibility of senior military or civilian leaders, or how they’ll hold those with command authority to account. www.hrw.org/news/2025/09...

Syria: March Atrocities Demand Senior Level Accountability

The Syrian transitional government has promised accountability for violence in three governates in March 2025, but it has provided little transparency on whether its investigation has examined the rol...

www.hrw.org

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Bassam Khawaja @khawaja.bsky.social · 15d

The Saudi government is using the Riyadh Comedy Festival 2025 from September 26 to October 9 to deflect attention from its brutal repression of free speech and other pervasive human rights violations www.hrw.org/news/2025/09...

Saudi Arabia: Riyadh Comedy Festival Whitewashes Abuses

The Saudi government is using the Riyadh Comedy Festival 2025 from September 26 to October 9 to deflect attention from its brutal repression of free speech and other pervasive human rights violations.

www.hrw.org

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Bassam Khawaja @khawaja.bsky.social · 16d

Thousands of people like Alaa are still languishing in Egyptian jails for exercising their rights to free speech. Hopefully his release will act as a watershed moment and provide an opportunity for Sisi’s government to end the wrongful detention of thousands of peaceful critics.

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Bassam Khawaja @khawaja.bsky.social · 16d

Incredible news today that Sisi pardoned Alaa Abdel Fattah, Egypt's most prominent political prisoner who has been imprisoned more or less continuously since 2014. He should be released once Sisi’s decision is published in the Official Gazette www.hrw.org/news/2025/09...

Egypt: Presidential Pardon for Activist Alaa Abdel Fattah

Egyptian media reported on September 22, 2025, that President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi had issued a presidential pardon for the imprisoned Egyptian-British activist Alaa Abdel Fattah.

www.hrw.org

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