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Cambodia: Rainsy Sentence Shatters Pretense of Democracy
In a September 24, 2010 news release, Human Rights Watch noted that the Rainsy Party was launched in 1998, whereas it was actually launched in 1995. The launch date of the Party has been corrected in the news release. (September 24, 2010)
Cambodia: Halt US Aid to Abusive Military Units
The July 8, 2010 news release, “Cambodia: Halt US Aid to Abusive Military Units,” incorrectly described Cambodia’s ACO Tank Command Headquarters in Kompong Speu province as “the host” of US-funded multi-national peacekeeping exercises conducted in Cambodia during July 2010. In fact, the Cambodian National Center for Peacekeeping Operations, Mine, and Explosive Remnants of War hosted the peacekeeping exercise, in partnership with and funding by the US government. After the US signed off in 2009 on the proposed location for the field training portion of the peacekeeping exercises at a military training base in Kompong Speu known as the ACO Tank Command Headquarters, the site was subsequently signed over to the National Center, with an official opening ceremony on May 3, 2010, according to the website of the US Embassy in Cambodia and other sources. The news release has been corrected accordingly.
Rwanda: Allow Independent Autopsy of Opposition Politician
The July 21, 2010 news release, “Rwanda: Allow Independent Autopsy of Opposition Politician,” incorrectly stated that Andre Kagwa Rwisereka had left some money with a relative on the evening of July 14. The correct date is July 12, 2010.
Discrimination, Denial, and Deportation
The June 2009 report, Discrimination, Denial, and Deportation did not specify that in Haiti, only criminal deportees are taken immediately to jail and held indefinitely. The report has been corrected accordingly.
“We’ll Tie You Up and Shoot You”
The May 2010 report, "We'll Tie You Up and Shoot You," was revised to correct the location of Kinama commune. Kinama is in Bujumbura. A number of spelling errors in French terms were also corrected.
The April 2010 report, “Turning a Blind Eye,” incorrectly stated the release date of the report of UN Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict as September 25, 2009. The correct date is September 15, 2010.
Where Darkness Knows No Limits
The January 2010 report, “Where Darkness Knows No Limits,” incorrectly stated that China's June 2008 Anti-Drug Law provides for a period of “community based” treatment of up to four years following on two or three years in a drug detention center, for a total of up to seven years’ incarceration and forced labor. In fact, the law provides for a period of “community based” treatment of up to only three years, meaning that a suspected drug user may be subjected to incarceration and forced labor for a total of only six years, not seven. The report has been corrected accordingly.
Geneva Conventions Still Hold Up
Human Rights Watch has updated this December 30, 2009 article following suggestions that the quote of former Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni ("On my way here I heard that Hamas declared the man killed by a rocket in Ashkelon ‘one of the Zionists' despite being an Israeli Arab. They don't make a distinction, and neither should we.") is ambiguous on whether she meant that Israel will not distinguish between combatants and civilians. Other statements from Livni and former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert support the argument, and one from Olmert has been added here.
Colombia: Protect Witnesses in Paramilitary Cases
In a December 23, 2009 press release concerning the need to protect witnesses in Colombia, Human Rights Watch noted that in one case, involving the Pablo Escobar neighborhood in Medellin, five witnesses had been killed in recent months. Human Rights Watch later received more precise information indicating that only one of the deceased was an active witness in a criminal case. Other victims were current or former residents of the neighborhood, and the son of a witness. The press release has been corrected accordingly.
Yemen: Get Aid to Trapped Civilians
In this October 1, 2009 letter on Yemen's humanitarian situation and the accompanying October 5 media release, Human Rights Watch said that Yemen's government and the Huthis, a rebel group, had not responded to United Nations calls to establish humanitarian corridors. In fact, the Huthis announced in e-mails sent to international humanitarian organizations and news outlets their readiness to do so on September 4, and again on September 15, 2009. We apologize for the mistake. (November 20, 2009)
Afghanistan: US Should Act to End Bombing Tragedies
In This May 14, 2009 news release, Human Rights Watch originally cited civilian deaths in Afghanistan during airstrikes by US forces conducted on May 3, 2009. The date of May 3 was initially reported by the US military and in the international media; however, the airstrikes actually occurred on May 4, 2009. (August 14, 2009) US: Clinton Should Stress Human Rights on Africa Trip
In a July 31, 2009 press release and a July 30, 2009 letter concerning Secretary of State Clinton's visit to Africa, Human Rights Watch did not specify that it was refugees and asylum seekers who were the target of abuse by the Angolan armed forces. The letter and press release have been corrected accordingly.
Malaysia: Politics Drive Upcoming Anwar Trial
In a July 13, 2009 news release, Human Rights Watch quoted article 24 of the Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) Identification Act. However, the article was deleted from the version of the bill passed by the lower house of Malaysia’s parliament. To date, the Senate has not passed the bill. Human Rights Watch has deleted the inaccurate referral from its news release. (July 15, 2009)
China: Filtering Software Challenges Computer Industry
In this June 19, 2009 news release a clause was inadvertently deleted from the sentence that describes mandatory installation. It should have read, “Despite domestic and international criticism, the Chinese government has apparently not reversed its initial demand that companies pre-install or otherwise include Green Dam on all personal computers by July 1.” The open letters to companies that accompanied this release did include such language to more accurately describe the Chinese government’s notification. (June 23, 2009)
The April 2009 report “Uniform Impunity” incorrectly states that the husband of Inés Fernandez Ortega has forced her to leave their home. The report has been corrected accordingly.
Sudan: Revise Repressive Press Law
In this April 23, 2009 news release, Human Rights Watch quoted Kamal al Jizouli as a prominent journalist for the Sudanese newspaper Ajras al-Huriya. However, al Jizouli is in fact a lawyer and a columnist for the newspaper, and so his title has been changed as such. (Arabic Correction)
Burundi: Find Killers of Anti-Corruption Activist
In this April 16, 2009 news release, Human Rights Watch compared the killing of a prominent Burundian activist to the 2001 killing of Dr. Kassy Manlan, the Ivoirian representative of the World Health Organization in Burundi. However, because some facts of the Manlan case remain unclear, we have deleted references to it.
Gaza Crisis: Regimes React with Routine Repression
The Arabic translation of the January 21, 2009 media statement, “Gaza Crisis: Regimes React with Routine Repression,” mistakenly stated that the Jordanian government “systematically” denies permission for demonstrations critical of Jordanian foreign policy, where the correct English version speaks of “routine” denials. We apologize for the mistake and have corrected the language in the Arabic version.
Furthermore, both the Iranian and Jordanian governments did allow many demonstrations against the war in Gaza to proceed. In Iran, the government allowed demonstrations nationwide to give voice to public outrage against Israeli actions in Gaza and support for the government’s rallying call for Palestinian rights. In Jordan, the government states that over 600 demonstrations against Israeli actions in Gaza took place. Nevertheless, at least one protest in Iran and two protests in Jordan met with police beatings and dispersal. (February 9, 2009 | Arabic Correction)
Clarification Regarding Use of Cluster Munitions in Georgia
On August 21, 2008, Human Rights Watch reported a series of attacks with cluster munitions around four towns and villages in Georgia's Gori district. Human Rights Watch attributed all the strikes to Russian forces, but upon further investigation has concluded that the origin of the cluster munitions found on August 20 in two of the villages - Shindisi and Pkhvenisi - cannot yet be determined.
South Africa: Neighbors in Need
In the Acknowledgements section (page 122) of the June 2008 report, "Neighbors in Need," Human Rights Watch misspelled the name of Tobias Hlambelo, who helped Human Rights Watch conduct interviews with Zimbabweans in South Africa.
US/Italy: Italian Court Challenges CIA Rendition Program
This April 16, 2008, news release was revised to correct a sentence that stated that nine Italian defendants are involved in the Milan prosecution. Instead, seven Italian defendants are involved, two had plea bargained.
Uzbekistan: Activists Released Before EU Meeting
Subsequent to the release of this press release, Human Rights Watch received new information indicating that Dilmurod Muhiddinov may have not been amnestied and has not been released from prison. Human Rights Watch is currently trying to confirm Muhiddinov's status and will provide additional updates as appropriate.
Human Rights Watch also learned that Bahodir Mukhtarov was released from prison on November 17, 2007 and not on February 4, 2008 as reported. (February 7, 2008)
Jordan: Rights Groups to Visit Intelligence Agency Prison
In a media statement released on August 15, 2007, Human Rights Watch described the National Center for Human Rights as "government-controlled." The Jordanian government appoints the Center's board members and sets a budget for its running costs, but the Center's work has shown its commitment to the protection and promotion of human rights and independence from government control. It would be more appropriate to describe the Center as the "governmental National Center for Human Rights." We apologize for this inaccurate description. (September 6, 2007 | Arabic Correction)
Burma: Arbitrary Detention of Protesters
This August 22, 2007, press release was revised to remove a sentence that incorrectly stated that three members of the Myanmar Development Committee (MDC), including MDC leader Ko Htin Kyaw, were arrested on August 21, 2007, following MDC's call for nationwide protests against a major fuel price hike. Instead, Htin Kyaw went into hiding on that date. He was subsequently arrested in Rangoon, together with a second activist, on August 25, 2007, after a city-wide manhunt by authorities. (August 27, 2007)
Apology to Yosri Fouda
Although a July 8, 2007 article by Kenneth Roth, entitled "Tap, tap, tap to wear down the terrorists" and accompanying photo caption published in the London Observer, suggested that the Karachi safe house of Al Qaeda's Khaled Sheikh Mohammed was discovered because a journalist who had interviewed him passed on critical information regarding his whereabouts, Mr. Roth did not say or intend to say that the journalist in question - Al Jazeera chief investigative reporter Yosri Fouda - provided any information to the authorities. As Mr. Fouda notes, Khaled Sheikh Mohammed was, furthermore, arrested in Rawalpindi (rather than Karachi) almost a full 11 months after the interview. We apologize to Mr. Fouda.
France: In the Name of Prevention
The June 2007 report, In the Name of Prevention: Insufficient Safeguards in National Security Removals, was revised to correct the date of Adel Tebourski's conviction for a terrorism-related offense on p. 42. The date of his conviction should be May 2005. In addition, the text now clarifies on p. 42 that the ministerial expulsion order against Tebourski was issued on July 22, 2006. We also amended the text on p. 2 and p. 39 to clarify that Mahfoud Brada was criminally deported from France following a conviction for rape. (Published July 24, 2007)
France: Au nom de la prévention
Le rapport publié en juin 2007, Au nom de la prévention: Des garanties insuffisantes concernant les éloignements pour des raisons de sécurité nationale, a été révisé pour corriger la date de la condamnation d'Adel Tebourski pour un délit lié au terrorisme, p. 42. La date de sa condamnation devrait être mai 2005. En outre, le texte indique maintenant clairement en p. 42 que l'arrêté ministériel d'expulsion contre M. Tebourski a été émis le 22 juillet 2006. Nous avons modifié le texte en p. 2 et p. 39 pour indiquer clairement que Mahfoud Brada a fait l'objet d'un éloignement de la France dans un contexte pénal à la suite d'une condamnation pour viol.
Gaza: Armed Palestinian Groups Commit Grave Crimes
This June 2007 press release reported that on the night of Sunday, June 10, 2007, Fatah military forces shot and captured Muhammad al-Ra'fati, a Hamas supporter and mosque preacher, and threw him from a Gaza City high-rise apartment building.
Muhammad al-Ra'fati was captured, shot, and executed by Fatah forces as the press release states. However, he was not thrown from a Gaza City high-rise building. Fatah military forces threw a different person, 30-year-old Hosam Abu Qainas, to his death from a Gaza City high-rise building that evening.
China: "No One Has the Liberty to Refuse"
The June 2007 report, "No One Has the Liberty to Refuse", misspelled the name of a town in Qinghai province, Mangra, as well as mistaking a prefecture for a region on the map situated on page 1. The map should read: ‘Mangra' and ‘Tibet Autonomous Region.' See http://www.hrw.org/reports/2007/tibet0607/1.htm#_Toc168745896 (Published June 14, 2007)
Uzbekistan: Imprisoned Rights Activist Sentenced Again
This May 2007, press release states that Uzbek human rights defender Gulbahor Turaeva received a prison sentence of five years and eight months, following her second trial on new slander charges. According to a May 13, 2007 statement by the Uzbek Foreign Ministry, Turaeva's sentence for both the April 24, 2007 conviction and the May 7 conviction is a total of six years of imprisonment and a fine of 648,000 soms, or about U.S. $648.
Turaeva's husband was in the courtroom for the reading of the second verdict against his wife on May 7 but was not provided with a written copy of this verdict.
Human Rights Watch maintains that Turaeva has been prosecuted on politically motivated charges and should be immediately and unconditionally released. She is appealing her sentence. (Published May 14, 2007)
Russia: The "Stamp of Guantanamo"
The March 2007 report, The "Stamp of Guantanamo": The Story of Seven Men Betrayed by Russia's Diplomatic Assurances to the United States , was revised to correct the date of the letter to US officials in Appendix I on page 45. The date of the letter should be September 27, 2006. See http://www.hrw.org/reports/2007/russia0307/8.htm#_Toc162429437 (Published April 24, 2007)
Burma: Natural Gas Project Threatens Human Rights
This March 2007 press release incompletely identified the corporate affiliation of the fourteen executives who are being prosecuted in Seoul on charges of illegally exporting weapons equipment and technology used to build an arms factory in Burma. Prosecutors accuse Daewoo International of being the lead company in the project, but it is not the case that all fourteen of the accused worked for that company. The former president and chief executive of Daewoo International, Lee Tae-yong, is on trial together with executives from a total of seven firms. (Published April 4, 2007)
United States: Ghost Prisoner
The February 2007 report, "Ghost Prisoner: Two Years in CIA Detention", misspelled the name of a prisoner, Majid Khan, on page 22. The sentence should read: "It said: ‘Majid Khan, 15 December 2004, American-Pakistani.'" See http://hrw.org/reports/2007/us0207/2.htm#_Toc159752299 (Published March 23, 2007)
Survey of Cluster Munition Policy and Practice
The February 2007 backgrounder, "Survey of Cluster Munition Policy and Practice" incorrectly references the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs as the Swedish Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. The information referenced on pages 55 and 56 in footnotes 257-259, 261, and 262 was obtained through communication from the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Directorate of International Law, to Pax Christi Netherlands, June 7, 2005. (Published: March 5, 2007)
Turkmenistan: World Report Chapter
The World Report 2007 chapter on Turkmenistan incorrectly stated that the former mufti of Turkmenistan, sentenced in 2004 to 22 years in prison on charges of anti-government activities, had been amnestied. According to Forum 18, a religious freedom organization based in Norway, "No verified information on the whereabouts or state of health" of the mufti has been received "since he was sentenced to 22 years' imprisonment at a closed trial in Ashgabad in March 2004. Relatives say rumours he was freed at the time of last October's prisoner amnesty are not true." (February 21, 2007)
Indonesia: Too High a Price
The June 2006 report, Too High a Price: The Human Rights Cost of the Indonesian Military's Economic Activities, was revised to remove a phrase that incorrectly quoted from a 2001 law on foundations. The revised sentence, at p. 31, reads: "That law specified that foundations could take part in business activities only indirectly through related entities whose activities were consistent with the foundation's designated social (or religious or humanitarian) purpose."
We also amended text at p. 77 to indicate that Newsweek "reported" (rather than "revealed") the alleged extortion by Indonesian soldiers of tsunami victims seeking to board an evacuation flight. The corresponding footnote was changed to indicate that an investigation by New Zealand authorities, whose air force operated the flight, did not uncover evidence to substantiate the allegation. The earlier edition stated that their investigation was inconclusive. (February 15, 2007)
The November 2005 Human Rights Watch report Ukraine On the Margins - Rights Violations against Migrants and Asylum-seekers at the New Eastern Border of the European Union was amended in January 2007 to correct errors. The original version of the report incorrectly characterized the role of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Ukraine. The section on IOM has been removed. The information in the corrected report was accurate as of November 2005. A related December 2005 Human Rights Watch statement to the IOM Governing Council has been removed permanently from the HRW website. (February 1, 2007)
The Balkans : Weighing the Evidence
In the December 2006 report "Weighing the Evidence: Lessons from the Slobodan Milosevic Trial" there is a mistaken reference to Bosnian Serbs where it should have stated Bosnian Croats. On page 11 of the report, the sentence should read: "The Bosnia indictment similarly alleges that Milosevic participated in a joint criminal enterprise, the aim of which was the forcible removal of Bosnian Muslims and Bosnian Croats from large areas of Bosnia and Herzegovina." See http://hrw.org/reports/2006/milosevic1206/3.htm#_Toc153263142 (Published January 16, 2007)
The World Report 2007 chapter on Bahrain incorrectly stated that the Bahrain Human Rights Society (BHRS) was established by the government of Bahrain in 2002. The BHRS is in fact an independent association whose activities the government authorized in 2002. The chapter also incorrectly stated that Bahrain was not a state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; Bahrain acceded to the ICCPR on September 20, 2006. (Published: January 16, 2007)
The Arabic translation to the September 2006 report Suspicious Sweeps - The General Intelligence Department and Jordan's Rule of Law Problem contains an error. In the report, we mention an Iraqi woman "who may be related by marriage to Nidal `Arabiyyat, one of the key Jordanian followers of the late Abu Mus`ab al-Zarqawi." This was rendered to Arabic to suggest, incorrectly, that she was the wife of Nidal `Arabiyyat. See http://hrw.org/arabic/reports/2006/jordan0906/3.htm#_Toc145925921 (Published: November 15, 2006)
Croatia: A Decade of Disappointment
The September 2006 report Croatia: A Decade of Disappointment - Continuing Obstacles to the Reintegration of Serb Returnees contains an error, which arose from a misunderstanding about information provided to Human Rights Watch by a judge. Pages 12 and 14 of the report wrongly states that there was a pending case in the Knin municipal court against Ante Pesic for allegedly beating another man in a bar in Devrske village, Croatia, in January 2006. Although police filed criminal charges against Mr. Pesic in connection with the alleged incident, the case was never brought. (Published: October 25, 2006)