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Associate, Europe and Central Asia

Mihra Rittmann @mihrarittmann.bsky.social · 20d

HRW's Europe & Central Asia division is hiring an associate to work in Brussels or Berlin to support our work in the region. If you're a recent grad, interested in human rights, have admin skills, and looking for a job, check out the job announcement below:

job-boards.greenhouse.io/humanrightsw...

Multiple Locations Considered

job-boards.greenhouse.io

Ukrainian war veterans, some amputees, swim Istanbul's Bosphorus on Ukraine's independence day

Reposted by Mihra Rittmann

Philippe Dam @philippedam.bsky.social · Aug 28

Man-made starvation, bombardment & gunfire around flawed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation facilities, but also enforced disappearances of civilians - @UN_SPExperts report.

Int'l community's and EU's inaction only enables #Israel army's abhorrent crimes.

www.ohchr.org/en/press-rel...

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Mihra Rittmann @mihrarittmann.bsky.social · Aug 26

Was privileged to share the waters with them over the weekend!

Ukrainian war veterans, some amputees, swim Istanbul’s Bosphorus on Ukraine’s independence day

www.latimes.com/world-nation...

On Monday, Coast guard and maritime police vessels in Istanbul were searching for a Russian swimmer who went missing during the race, Turkish state-run media reported.

www.latimes.com

Reposted by Mihra Rittmann

IFEX @ifex.org · Aug 26

#Kazakhstan 🇰🇿 @rsf-interfr.bsky.social condemns the refusal to renew accreditation for seven @rferl.org.web.brid.gy
Kazakh journalists: "The judiciary is endorsing a cynical legal sleight of hand aimed at hindering the work of RFE/RL's local bureau". buff.ly/ONRuU4s

Kazakhstan Tries to Shoot the Messenger

Mihra Rittmann @mihrarittmann.bsky.social · Aug 21

#Kazakhstan: Instead of penalizing Bakhytzhan Toregozhina for her human rights work, Kazakh authorities shld recognize her posts for what they are: an important public record of rights violations in Kazakhstan that the government itself should be working to address.

www.hrw.org/news/2025/08...

On August 17, police in Kazakhstan detained veteran human rights defender Bakhytzhan Toregozhina and held her for several hours apparently in connection to a criminal investigation on charges of parti...

Kyrgyzstan: Rights Defender on Trial After Publishing Activist’s Letter

Mihra Rittmann @mihrarittmann.bsky.social · Aug 15

Kyrgyzstan: Rights Defender on Trial After Publishing Activist’s Letter
www.hrw.org/news/2025/08...

The trial of a Kyrgyz human rights defender who published a letter from a political activist on her Facebook page is scheduled to start on August 15, 2025.

Kyrgyzstan adopts new, draconian media law

Reposted by Mihra Rittmann

Global Voices @globalvoices.org · Aug 14

The draft media law has been in the works since 2022 and has been criticized by journalists, civil society, and human rights organizations from the outset.

The draft media law has been in the works since 2022 and has been criticized by journalists, civil society, and human rights organizations from the outset.

globalvoices.org

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Reposted by Mihra Rittmann

Philippe Dam @philippedam.bsky.social · Aug 13

European leaders should make clear to Trump that release & return of 1000s civilians, including children, protection of civilians & accountability for war-time crimes should be at center of his meeting w/ Putin.

Read @HRW Rachel Denber's take 👇
www.hrw.org/news/2025/08... @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu

Trump-Putin Meeting Sidelines Civilian Protection, Justice

United States President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet in Alaska on August 15, reportedly to discuss ending Russia’s war in Ukraine.

«Отсутствие большой гостиницы в Бозжыре не мешает развивать туризм» - Аналитический интернет-журнал Власть

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Reposted by Mihra Rittmann

Joanna Lillis @joannalillis.bsky.social · Aug 11

Activists up in arms as plans to build at Bozzhyra in west #Kazakhstan resurface (company linked to Azeri ruling family, controversially given construction contract at Charvak in #Uzbekistan). Development at Kok Zhaylau near Almaty also back on agenda
vlast.kz/obsshestvo/6...

Сразу два противоречивых проекта застройки природных мест, ранее замороженных после общественного резонанса, вновь вернулись в повестку: сначала Кок Жайлау в Алматы, теперь Бозжыра в Мангистау. Пять ...

Bakhytzhan Toregozhina fined for social media post

Mihra Rittmann @mihrarittmann.bsky.social · Aug 5

Human rights defender from #Kazakhstan Bakhytzhan Toregozhina fined for social media post via Front Line Defenders

www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/case/bakh...

www.frontlinedefenders.org

Kazakhstan's Mining Industry Sees Growing Abuse - Аналитический интернет-журнал Власть

Mihra Rittmann @mihrarittmann.bsky.social · Aug 1

#Kazakhstan's Mining Industry Sees Growing Abuse
A new report highlights growing allegations of violations of labor and environmental laws

vlast.kz/english/6578...

Читайте этот материал на русском.

Kazakhstani Human Rights Lawyer Found Guilty of Spreading Disinformation - Аналитический интернет-журнал Власть

Mihra Rittmann @mihrarittmann.bsky.social · Aug 1

Kazakhstani Human Rights Activist Found Guilty of Spreading Disinformation
Bakhytzhan Toregozhina has been outspoken in her support of political prisoners

vlast.kz/english/6588...

Saint Lucia High Court Decriminalizes Same-Sex Conduct

Reposted by Mihra Rittmann

Belkis Wille @belkiswille.bsky.social · Aug 1

🚨 Israeli forces have killed hundreds of starving Palestinians seeking food in Gaza. These are not isolated incidents; these are war crimes. Our latest investigation lays out the evidence. #Gaza #WarCrimes
🔗 www.hrw.org/news/2025/08...

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Mihra Rittmann @mihrarittmann.bsky.social · Jul 31

Would love to see such a victory in Central Asia too, in either (both!) Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, countries that continue to criminalize same-sex relations between men.

Human Rights Watch @hrw.org · Jul 31

In a landmark victory, Saint Lucia has decriminalized consensual same-sex conduct.

The decision strikes down laws that criminalized intimacy between same-sex partners, which are discriminatory and inconsistent with international human rights standards.

In a landmark victory for human rights, Saint Lucia has decriminalized consensual same-sex conduct. The High Court’s decision strikes down laws that criminalized intimacy between same-sex partners, wh...

Ukraine Eyes Central Asia: Can War-Weary Kyiv Forge New Regional Alliances? - The Times Of Central Asia

Reposted by Mihra Rittmann

The Times of Central Asia @timesca.com · Jul 31

Our @nikolamikovic.bsky.social observes that Ukraine intensifies diplomatic efforts in Central Asia, seeking support amid war with Russia, but faces economic and logistical challenges timesca.com/ukraine-eyes... #Ukraine #CentralAsia #Diplomacy #Geopolitics

Despite the ongoing war with Russia, Ukraine is attempting to intensify its diplomatic and economic ties with Central Asia. Kyiv is seeking the region’s de

timesca.com

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Reposted by Mihra Rittmann

Joanna Lillis @joannalillis.bsky.social · Jul 31

Tune in to Turan Tales, where I talked to @aga-pik.bsky.social about the long shadow Nazarbayev casts over #Kazakhstan even six years after he stepped down as president after 30 years in power substack.com/@turantales/no…

https://substack.com/@turantales/no…

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Reposted by Mihra Rittmann

David Ho @davidho.bsky.social · Jul 30

Motherfucking wind farms…

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Mihra Rittmann @mihrarittmann.bsky.social · Jul 30

During its 102nd session in April 2025, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention issued Opinion 18/2025 concerning the detention of Mr. Marat Zhylanbaev (Kazakhstan), finds Zhylanbaev's detention arbitrary & says appropriate remedy is to "release Zhylanbaev immediately."
ohchr.org/sites/defaul...

ohchr.org

Mihra Rittmann @mihrarittmann.bsky.social · Jul 30

The hearing is tomorrow at 10am in Almaty. Max penalty is a fine.

The thing is... Zhylanbaev shouldn't be in prison in the first place, his health deteriorating, and authorities shouldn't be going after Toregozhina for trying to bring attention to Zhylanbaev's plight in prison! But here we are.

Mihra Rittmann @mihrarittmann.bsky.social · Jul 30

#Kazakhstan is prosecuting the rights defender Bakhytzhan Toregozhina on administrative charges of "disseminating false information" in connection w/ her FB post(s) abt Marat Zhylanbaev, a political opposition activist serving an unfounded 7 yr prison term, whose health has deteriorated in prison.

Disrupted, Throttled, and Blocked

Reposted by Mihra Rittmann

Anastasiia Kruope @akruope.bsky.social · Jul 30

Today, @hrw.org released a report documenting growing isolation and pervasive censorship that internet users face in #Russia.
www.hrw.org/report/2025/...

The 50-page report, “Disrupted, Throttled, and Blocked: State Censorship, Control, and Increasing Isolation of Internet Users in Russia,” documents the impact of the government’s increasing technologi...

Правозащитницу Бахытжан Торегожину вызвали в полицию по делу о «распространении ложной информации» - Аналитический интернет-журнал Власть

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Reposted by Mihra Rittmann

Mary Lawlor UN Special Rapporteur HRDs @marylawlorhrds.bsky.social · Jul 29

I will be closely following the trial of civic activist Murat Dushemov, who has been in prison since 2021 & is now facing new criminal charges in apparent retaliation for his peaceful activism & the exercise of his freedom of expression in #Turkmenistan. I call for his immediate release.

The flag of Turkmenistan flying in the wind against a blue sky background.

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Mihra Rittmann @mihrarittmann.bsky.social · Jul 28

Правозащитницу Бахытжан Торегожину вызвали в полицию по делу о «распространении ложной информации» #Kazakhstan
Ранее она сообщила о тяжелом состоянии здоровья политического активиста Марата Жыланбаева

vlast.kz/novosti/6584...

Правозащитницу Бахытжан Торегожину вызвали в управление полиции Алмалинского района Алматы для рассмотрения административного дела по «распространению ложной информации» (456-2 часть 3 КоАП), сообщила...