Countries
Mali: Basketball Federation Covers Up Sexual Assault of Girls
(June 14, 2021) – Players from Mali’s Under-18 girls’ national basketball team have reported sexual abuse by the head coach, but the Mali Basketball Federation has failed to act on their reports, Human Rights Watch said today. Malian law enforcement should credibly and impartially investigate the allegations and protect those who reported the abuse from retaliation. Amadou Bamba, […]
European soccer association UEFA denies accreditations to at least 6 journalists, citing failed background checks by Russia and Azerbaijan
New York, June 15, 2021 – The Union of European Football Associations should ensure that all journalists can report from its events freely and without political interference from host countries, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Since late May, UEFA, an umbrella organization comprised of 55 national soccer associations across Europe, has denied or […]
Belarus: Drop Charges Against Sports Group Founders
Sports Governing Bodies Should Call for an End to Criminalizing Athlete Rights Defenders (Nyon, Switzerland, 8 June, 2021) — The Belarusian authorities should immediately drop all criminal charges against Aliaksandra Herasimenia and Aliaksandr Apeikin, chair and executive director of the Belarusian Sport Solidarity Foundation (BSSF), the Sport & Rights Alliance said today. On April 6, 2021 […]
Japan: Introduce LGBT Equality Act Before Olympics
116 Groups Urge Prime Minister Suga to Take Action
China: Repression Threatens Winter Olympics
The Chinese government’s heightened repression from Xinjiang to Hong Kong threatens its hosting of the 2022 Winter Olympics, Human Rights Watch said today in a letter to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach. The Beijing Winter Olympics are scheduled to begin on February 4, 2022.
Qatar: Little Progress on Protecting Migrant Workers
Qatari authorities’ efforts to protect migrant workers’ right to accurate and timely wages have largely proven unsuccessful, Human Rights Watch said in a report and an accompanying video released today. Despite a handful of reforms in recent years, withheld and unpaid salaries, as well as other wage abuses, are persistent and widespread across at least 60 employers and companies in Qatar.
