Turkmenistan is one of the few countries in the world that does not have poverty estimates. This makes government's and international organizations' narrative about economic and social reforms a nonsense #Turkmenistan dashboards.sdgindex.org/profiles/turkm…

Things have been developing quickly over the past 2-3 weeks in Georgia, but in the last couple of days, they have progressed at an unimaginable speed. The ruling Georgian Dream party has employed various tactics targeting civil society, escalating to an extreme level. 1/6

Important statement by GYLA about the wave of threatening phone calls that people who've been protesting the 'foreign influence' law in 🇬🇪 Georgia + family members are receiving. Callers saying 'we know where you live/r where your kids go to school. civil.ge/archives/604628

A 5th term for Putin. His contempt for a vibrant civil society has grown more visible and dangerous with each term. Russian human rights defenders will need more support than ever during this 5th term.

More significant than Putin's 5th term inauguration was Vladimir Kara-Murza's Pulitzer.

#Azerbaijan drops by 13 points in this year’s RSF World Press Freedom Index
“Authorities are trying to suppress the last of the still-independent media, as well as journalists who reject self-censorship.”

Thrilling to see Vladimir Kara-Murza get a Pulitzer for his piercing commentaries about tyranny in today's Russia. He's paying with his freedom for his candor. In 2023 a Russian court sentenced him to 25 years on absurd treason+ other charges.
hrw.org/news/2023/04/1…

Important thread on how Azerbaijani pro-state media cynically spending time, spilling ink trying to discredit government critics

So Azerbaijan's mouthpiece media has been publishing articles discrediting recently arrested political and civic activists (a separate thread on that is coming up), accusing them of amassing wealth and allegedly on a mission to spread anti-Azerbaijan narratives +

Russian forces appear to have executed at least 15 Ukrainian soldiers as they attempted to surrender, and possibly six more who were surrendering or who had surrendered, since early December 2023.

These incidents should be investigated as war crimes. trib.al/9Yp7Ooz

#OpEd The year-long imprisonment of director Yevgenia Berkovich and playwright Svetlana Petriychuk is emblematic of the Kremlin’s war on free expression, writes Tanya Lokshina.
themoscowtimes.com/2024/05/04/it-…

My oped in The Moscow Times on the outrageous ‘justification of terrorist’ case against Zhenya Berkovich and Svetlana Petriichuk who’ve been behind bars for one whole year today. hrw.org/news/2024/05/0…

Today marks 2 years since Russian theater director Yevgenia Berkovich and playwright Svetlana Petriychuk are jailed in Russia on totally bogus charges. It’s retaliation for Berkovich’s anti-war poems. 🇷🇺should free them, drop charges. New Tanya Lokshina hrw.org/news/2024/05/0…

We call for the release of Igor Losik from prison on #WorldPressFreedomDay . Igor is a journalist from #Belarus working for RFE/RL. He was arrested in June 2020 and sentenced to 15 years in prison for reporting on anti-government protests.

Last week Azerbaijan arrested Anar Mammadli, a rights defender & founding member of a new climate justice civic initiative that urges #Cop29Azerbaijan to promote civic space & environmental justice in Azerbaijan. Free him now! New Human Rights House Foundation statement hrw.org/news/2024/05/0…

More Russian war crimes in #Ukraine ... Russian Forces Executed Surrendering Ukraine Soldiers
hrw.org/news/2024/05/0…

Dozens of people have been arrested in Georgia after protesting the government's appalling “foreign agent” bill, which aims to stigmatize and silence independent groups and media.

Russian forces appear to have executed at least 15 Ukrainian soldiers as they attempted to surrender, and possibly six more who were surrendering or who had surrendered, since early December 2023.

These incidents should be investigated as war crimes. trib.al/B9R2flZ

New Human Rights Watch investigation finds Russian forces appear to have executed least 15 Ukrainian soldiers as they attempted to surrender.

hrw.org/news/2024/05/0…

Since early Dec, footage shows Russian forces gunning down at least 15 Ukrainian soldiers attempting to surrender on battlefield, and possibly six more. Russian drone recording captures voice giving orders to “take no prisoners, shoot everyone.” hrw.org/news/2024/05/0…