The latest Human Rights Watch (HRW) report has shed light on significant democratic movements across the globe and highlighted pressing human rights concerns. The report commended Bangladesh for exhibiting "meaningful democratic resilience" as anticorruption student protests successfully toppled the government. Meanwhile, in Georgia, citizens took to the streets protesting the governing party's decision to halt the EU accession process.
In a critical review of U.S. foreign policy, HRW accused President Joe Biden of a "double standard" on human rights. Despite allegations of war crimes committed by Israel in Gaza, the Biden administration provided Israel with $17.9 billion in security aid and sanctioned over 100 arms sales. Furthermore, the U.S. withheld funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), exacerbating Gaza's humanitarian crisis under an Israeli siege.
HRW noted that many of last year's 70 national elections were marred by "racism, hate, and discrimination," with polls in both the United States and European Union following this troubling trend. However, there were positive signs of democratic engagement in diverse regions. In Venezuela, citizens protested for fair vote counting against a backdrop of "brutal repression" from Nicolas Maduro's government. Similarly, Kenyan demonstrators demanded an end to corruption and mismanagement under President William Ruto.
The report also speculated on potential future human rights issues under U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, warning that a second term could "inflict even greater human rights damage." This concern underscores a broader theme in the report regarding the "often-disregarded reality" that liberal democracies like the U.S. are "not always reliable champions of human rights."
"These resistance movements highlight a crucial reality: the fight for rights is often driven by ordinary people, fed up with injustice and corruption" – HRW
The report highlighted South Korea's political turmoil, where President Yoon Suk-yeol's attempt to impose martial law was met with massive protests, leading lawmakers to impeach and suspend him. In Syria, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham's overthrow of Bashar al-Assad showcased "the limits of autocratic power."
