The human rights situation in the world is in a critical state. But the dangers they face go far beyond the “atrocities” committed in Gaza, Sudan or Myanmar in 2023: the constant violation of international law, the rise of populist and autocratic leaders in established democracies and the double standards of many countries . Western attitudes that the abuses committed contribute to a deterioration in international respect for human rights, as noted by Human Rights Watch (HRW) in a report published this Thursday, which analyzes the state of individual and collective freedoms from country to country.
“One of the reasons why we are witnessing a regression is because governments turn a blind eye to the abuses of other countries in order to advance their own national political agendas,” denounces Tirana Hassan, director of the NGO, during a telephone interview with this diary. HRW calls this “transactional diplomacy,” i.e. reaching agreements with other countries, regardless of whether they respect human rights or not. An “excellent example”, claims Hassan, is the migration agreement between the European Union and Tunisia, which means that, to protect the Community borders, Brussels “provides funds to the Tunisian security forces, even though they are involved in abuses” against migrants attempt to cross the Mediterranean.
Another is that of India. “Governments such as those of Japan, the United Kingdom, EU countries or the United States ignore abuses, including systematic discrimination against religious minorities, suppression of political dissent and widespread repression of civil society and independent media,” he says. the director of HRW. And while at the same time they close their eyes, “they deepen relations with the government of.” [Narendra] Modi.”
Transnational repression
Democracies' silence in the face of human rights abuses increases “feelings of impunity” and leads to “abusive governments” pursuing repression beyond their borders, warns Hassan. In the case of Modi, HRW detailed in its report that he “intimidated activists and academics in the diaspora or restricted their entry into the country.” “In September, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau deemed it 'credible allegations' that Indian government agents were involved in the murder of a Sikh separatist activist in Canada,” the NGO recalls.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau greets his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi during the G20 meeting in New Delhi on September 9.POOL (via Portal)
India's “cross-border repression” is not an “isolated example”. The Nicaragua Never Again Human Rights Collective has just reported that this Wednesday two Nicaraguan exiles in Costa Rica (Joao Ismael Maldonado Bermúdez and Nadia Robleto, who fled the regime of Daniel Ortega) were attacked in broad daylight on a street in San Jose became. According to the organization, this is the second time that there has been an assassination attempt on Maldonado. Costa Rica, a signatory to the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and the American Convention on Human Rights, has not yet resolved any of the attacks.
The United Nations and Rwanda's international partners have consistently failed to recognize the extent and severity of human rights violations.
HRW
HRW specifically mentions Rwanda: “Three decades of impunity for the Rwandan government’s suppression of civil and political rights in their country have emboldened them to suppress dissent outside their borders.” According to the NGO, “the government of Rwanda has committed more than a dozen kidnappings or attempted kidnappings, enforced disappearances, attacks, threats and murders, and harassment against Rwandan citizens” living in countries such as Australia, the United Kingdom or the United States. Yet while Kigali has “risen to prominence on the international stage,” as a leader of multilateral institutions or as one of Africa’s largest peacekeepers, “the United Nations and Rwanda’s international partners have systematically failed to recognize the scale and gravity of its human threat. “Violations of the law.”
Closely related to the silence that democracies maintain in the face of abuses committed by their partners is what Hassan calls “selective outrage.” “We have seen countries like the United States, but also members of the EU, strongly condemn the attacks [la milicia islamista palestina] October 7 Hamas [en el sur de Israel]But they were much calmer when the Israeli authorities responded with incessant bombing and collective punishment against the people of Palestine, stopping and restricting humanitarian aid, water and fuel,” complains Hassan.
“This kind of selective outrage is very dangerous because it sends the message that some lives are more important than others,” he continues. But beyond that, the West's double standards have implications that go beyond this war in the Middle East. “Countries like China and Russia are using it to tell governments in the global south that the human rights system will not protect them,” warns the HRW director. However, this is not a “moral position” from Beijing and Moscow, but rather “a broader agenda to try to dismantle this system,” he adds.
How important it is to demand responsibility
Therefore, one of the great hopes for the defense of freedoms lies in the demand for “accountability.” Measures such as the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin over the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children “increase the costs of repression.” And the consequences are noticeable. For example, South Africa hosted a BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) summit last August. Although the country's authorities sent conflicting messages about their duties as members of the court, Putin ultimately did not travel to South Africa: the Gauteng High Court ruled that South Africa was obliged to arrest the Russian leader if he entered the country.
Attacks on women's rights, against refugees or the LGBTI community are the first signs that human rights are at risk
Tirana Hassan, Director of HRW
Another milestone highlighted by HRW as we look to 2023 is the political declaration by 83 countries – including five of the largest arms exporters – to protect civilians from the use of explosive weapons in populated areas during conflict. Although it has not stopped Israel from bombing densely populated areas in the Gaza Strip, Hassan believes it is necessary to establish standards by which attackers can be held accountable. However, these standards “will not be implemented alone” and require the participation of the international community, he emphasizes.
Because the alternative to not demanding accountability is to repeat tragedies like the one in Sudan, where, according to the UN refugee agency UNHCR, a conflict has raged since April 15 that has forced more than seven million people to leave their homes to leave. According to HRW, the massive attacks on civilians resulting from the power struggle between the head of the army, Abdel Fattá al Burhan, and the leader of the so-called Rapid Support Forces, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo Hemedti, are “a reflection of the abuses.” “perpetrated over the last two decades by forces loyal to both generals,” for which neither party had to accept responsibility. The NGO recalls that the International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for previous crimes in Darfur. However, “the Sudanese authorities have obstructed them” and “the United Nations Security Council has done almost nothing to address the government's intransigence.” Furthermore, the organization adds: “In 2023, when African countries on the Security Council are among the Africans included Gabon, Ghana and Mozambique, the UN, at the insistence of the Sudanese government, closed its political mission in Sudan, putting an end to little What.” What remained of the UN's ability in the country to protect civilians?
According to HRW, this year is exactly the right time to demand accountability from governments on a scale that half the world will go to the polls – 3.7 billion people will be able to vote in 70 countries. The NGO pays particular attention to those democracies in which populist and autocratic leaders emerge, such as Javier Milei in Argentina. “They are trying to consolidate their power by undermining not only human rights but also the separation of powers that guarantees the freedom of a society, for example through attacks against journalists or the judiciary,” emphasizes Hassan. For this reason, the HRW director urges vigilance in this election year: “When you see attacks against women's rights, against refugees or against the LGTBI community, these are the first signs that human rights are in danger.” .”
You can follow Future planet In XFacebook, Instagram and TikTok and subscribe to our newsletter here.