(New York) - A Kuwaiti judge ordered the release on bail on June 28, 2010, of the journalist and blogger Mohammad al-Jasim, Human Rights Watch said today. Al-Jasim, a well known government critic, faces criminal charges under Kuwait's state security law based on his blog postings and books critical of Kuwait's government, including members of the ruling family.

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In the United Arab Emirates, a country that prides itself on modernity and its willingness to advance women's rights, the criminal court in Abu Dhabi has sentenced an 18-year-old Emirati woman to a year in prison for illicit sex after she reported that six men had gang-raped her.

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(London) - France, Germany, and the United Kingdom use foreign intelligence obtained under torture in the fight against terrorism, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today.

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(New York) - This week's high-level ministerial meeting about gender equality in international development assistance should promote the rights and needs of women with disabilities, Human Rights Watch said today.  Specifically, governments should address the marginalization of women with disabilities in the declaration to be adopted on July 1, 2010.

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(New York) - The European Union should set benchmarks for human rights improvements with the Chinese government during this week's EU-China human rights dialogue, Human Rights Watch said today.

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(Jakarta) – The European Union should urge reforms in the Indonesian government’s laws, policies, and practices on human rights during a bilateral meeting on human rights on June 29, 2010, Human Rights Watch said in a letter to the EU released today.

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(New York) - Insecurity and political repression are increasing in advance of Rwanda's August 2010 presidential elections, Human Rights Watch warned today.  In the last two days, an independent journalist has been killed, the leader of an opposition party has been detained by the police, and other opposition party members have been arrested.

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(New York) - The G20  countries  should insist on development plans that are firmly grounded in human rights principles as they meet this weekend,  Human Rights Watch said today. The heads of government of the G20 countries are meeting in Toronto to discuss how best to further the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.

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(New York) - Newly uncovered evidence of vicious attacks during the massive violence in Kyrgyzstan on June 10 to 14, 2010, underscores the need for an international inquiry into the mayhem, Human Rights Watch said today.  Human Rights Watch said the international inquiry should supplement the Kyrgyz government's investigation.

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Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the Nigerian Bar Association Human Rights Institute and other Nigerian human rights non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are deeply concerned by reports of a decision by the Nigerian government to resume the execution of prison inmates. The reason given by the authorities for the resumption is to ease prison congestion.

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(Washington, DC) - The winner of Guinea's hugely significant upcoming presidential election should urgently focus on rebuilding the rule of law and holding human rights abusers to account, Human Rights Watch said today. The first round of voting is scheduled for June 27, 2010.

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(Jerusalem) - Hamas authorities in Gaza should immediately end the cruel and inhuman treatment of Staff Sgt. Gilad Shalit of Israel and allow him to communicate with his family and receive visits from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Human Rights Watch said today. June 25, 2010 is the fourth anniversary of his captivity.

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(New York) - Egyptian authorities should speedily investigate and bring charges against two plainclothes police officers who numerous witnesses say beat to death 28-year-old Khaled Said in Alexandria on June 6, 2010, Human Rights Watch said today.

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(New York) - Kyrgyz authorities should ensure that a detained human rights activist is allowed to exercise his full due process rights and should take immediate measures for his safety, Human Rights Watch said today. A lawyer who visited 60-year-old Azimzhan Askarov on June 22, 2010, said he bore marks of ill-treatment.

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(New York) - The Philippine National Bureau of Investigation should immediately investigate the latest killing of a witness to the November 2009 massacre of at least 58 people in Maguindanao province, Mindanao, Human Rights Watch said today. Human Rights Watch called on the government to act swiftly to protect witnesses and their families.

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(New York) - The Chinese government should immediately drop trumped-up charges against Karma Samdrup and investigate the serious and detailed allegations of torture in detention he and his lawyers made in court on June 22, 2010, Human Rights Watch said today.

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(New York) - The Angolan government should drop politically motivated criminal charges against three prominent rights advocates who go on trial on June 23, 2010, in Cabinda, Angola's oil-rich province, Human Rights Watch said today.

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(Jakarta) - The Indonesian government should immediately release the more than 100 Papuan and Moluccan activists imprisoned for peacefully voicing political views, and change laws and policies to protect freedom of expression, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today.

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