Human Rights Watch - World Report 2019: Events of 2018

The staff includes Kenneth Roth, Executive Director; Michele Alexander, Deputy Executive Director, Development and Global Initiatives; Nic Dawes, Deputy Executive Director, Media; Iain Levine, Deputy Executive Director, Program; Chuck Lustig, Deputy Executive Director, Operations; Bruno Stagno Ugarte, Deputy Executive Director, Advocacy; Chris Albin-Lackey, Senior Legal Advisor; Walid Ayoub, Information Technology Director; Pierre Bairin, Media Director; Clive Baldwin, Senior Legal Advisor; Liba Beyer, Director, Global Campaigns; Laura Boardman, Managing Director, Development and Global Initiatives; Philippe Bolopion, Deputy Director for Global Advocacy; Grace Choi, Director, Publications and Information Design; Matthew Collins-Gibson, Managing Director, Leadership Gifts; Emma Daly, Communications Director; Alan Feldstein, Associate General Counsel; Barbara Guglielmo, Director of Finance; Jasmine Herlt, Managing Director, Development and Global Initiatives; Kristine Jensen, Senior Director, Foundations and Program Liaison; Miriam Mahlow, Managing Director, Development and Global Initiatives; Veronica Matushaj, Director, Documentary Video and Photography; Stephen Northfield, Digital Director; Babatunde Olugboji, Deputy Program Director; Dinah PoKempner, General Counsel; Tom Porteous, Deputy Program Director; Aisling Reidy, Senior Legal Advisor; James Ross, Legal and Policy Director; Joseph Saunders, Deputy Program Director; Frances Sinha, Global Human Resources Director; and Minky Worden, Director of Global Initiatives.

Division directors of Human Rights Watch are Brad Adams, Asia; John Biaggi, International Film Festival; Priyanka Motapathy, Emergencies (acting); Richard Dicker, International Justice; Bill Frelick, Refugees; Arvind Ganesan, Business and Human Rights; Liesl Gerntholtz, Womens Rights; Steve Goose, Arms; Nadim Houry, Terrorism and Counterterrorism; Diederik Lohman, Health and Human Rights; Zama Neff, Childrens Rights; Marcos Orellana, Environment and Human Rights; Alison Parker, United States; Shantha Rau Barriga, Disability Rights; Graeme Reid, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Rights; Mausi Segun, Africa; Jos Miguel Vivanco, Americas; Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East and North Africa; and Hugh Williamson, Europe and Central Asia.

Advocacy directors of Human Rights Watch are Maria Laura Canineu, Brazil; Louis Charbonneau, United NationsNew York; Farida Deif, Canada; Kanae Doi, Japan; John Fisher, United NationsGeneva; Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia; Bndicte Jeannerod, Paris; Lotte Leicht, European Union; Sarah Margon, Washington DC; Ben Ward, UK (acting); Wenzel Michalski, Berlin; Mns Molander, Stockholm; and Elaine Pearson, Australia.

Board of Directors members are Hassan Elmasry, Co-Chair; Robert Kissane, Co-Chair; Michael G. Fisch, Vice Chair and Treasurer; Oki Matsumoto, Vice Chair; Amy Rao, Vice Chair; Amy Towers, Vice Chair; Catherine Zennstrm, Vice Chair; Bruce Rabb, Secretary; Akwasi Aidoo; Jorge Castaeda; George Coelho; Natasha Dolby; Kimberly Marteau Emerson; Lawton Fitt; Leslie Gilbert-Lurie; Paul Gray; Caitlin Heising; Karen Herskovitz; Susan Kane; Betsy Karel; David Lakhdhir; Louisa Lee-Reizes; Alicia Miana; Joan R. Platt, Neil Rimer; Shelley Rubin; Ambassador Robin Sanders; Sidney Sheinberg; Bruce Simpson; Joseph Skrzynski AO; Donna Slaight; Siri Stolt-Nielsen; Darian W. Swig; and Marie Warburg.

Emeritus Board Members are Joel Motley, Chair, 2013-2016; James F. Hoge, Jr., Chair, 2010-2013; Jane Olson, Chair 2004-2010; Jonathan F. Fanton, Chair, 1998-2003; Robert L. Bernstein, Founding Chair, 1979-1997; Lisa Anderson; David M. Brown; William D. Carmichael; Michael E. Gellert; Vartan Gregorian; Alice H. Henkin; Stephen L. Kass; Marina Pinto Kaufman; Wendy Keys; Bruce Klatsky; Joanne Leedom-Ackerman; Josh Mailman; Susan Manilow; Samuel K. Murumba; Peter Osnos; Kathleen Peratis; Sigrid Rausing; Victoria Riskin; Kevin Ryan; Orville Schell; Jean-Louis Servan-Schreiber; Gary Sick; Malcolm B. Smith; and John J. Studzinski.

This 29th annual World Report is dedicated to the memory of our beloved colleague David Mepham OBE, UK director, who died of cancer on October 21 at age 50. David was a superb advocate, combining a piercing intellect, an extraordinary eloquence, and a deep personal commitment to the human rights cause. Colleagues around the world recall the depth and scope of his knowledge, his willingness to go the extra mile, and his determination to challenge those in poweralways with unfailing courtesy. Perhaps most of all, we miss his genuine warmth, evident in his deep love for his family, and his steadfast support of colleagues and friends.

Table of Contents

Foreword

World Report 2019 is Human Rights Watchs 29th annual review of human rights practices around the globe. It summarizes key human rights issues in more than 90 countries and territories worldwide, drawing on events from late 2017 through November 2018.

In his keynote essay, Worlds Autocrats Face Rising Resistance, Human Rights Watch Executive Director Kenneth Roth argues that while autocrats and rights abusers often captured headlines in 2018, rights defenders pushed back and gained strength in unexpected ways.