Human Rights Watch, a United States-based international non-government organisation that conducts research and advocacy on human rights, has been criticised in the form of commentaries from various organisations, journalists, and bloggers. Image File history File links Unbalanced_scales. ... Shortcut: WP:NPOVD Articles that have been linked to this page are the subject of an NPOV dispute (NPOV stands for Neutral Point Of View; see below). ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links Information. ... Shortcut: WP:-( Vandalism is indisputable bad-faith addition, deletion, or change to content, made in a deliberate attempt to compromise the integrity of the encyclopedia. ... Self-publishing is the publishing of books or other media by those who have written them. ... In historical scholarship, a primary source is a document, or other source of information that was created at or near the time being studied, by an authoritative source, usually one with direct personal knowledge of the events being described. ... Human Rights Watch Banner Human Rights Watch is a United States-based international non-government organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. ... A non-governmental organization (NGO) is an organization which is not a part of a government. ... Human rights are rights which some hold to be inalienable and belonging to all humans. ...

Allegations of entwinement with the National Endowment for Democracy

Writing on August 3, 2007, Michael Barker, a doctoral candidate at Griffith University, asserts that: The National Endowment for Democracy, or NED, is a U.S. non-profit organization that was founded in 1983, to promote democracy by providing cash grants funded primarily through an annual allocation from the U.S. Congress. ... is the 215th day of the year (216th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... Griffith University is an Australian public university with five campuses in Queensland between Brisbane and the Gold Coast. ...

"the activities of HRW’s Americas advisors are closely entwined with those being pursued by various ‘democracy promoting’ elites. In fact, the numerous overlaps that exist between HRW’s Americas advisory board and the ‘democracy promoting’ establishment are so extensive that in many cases you would be hard pressed to tell the difference between the two groups. This raises a number of serious issues, as if HRW were really genuinely concerned with the promotion of democracy and human rights, then knowledge of their links to anti-democratic organizations – which they must certainly be aware of by now – should surely give them cause to rethink their choice of advisors at the very least. However, given HRW’s elitist origins (fully outlined in the introduction) it seems more likely that such ‘democratic’ ties are actually an integral part of their modus operandi. Indeed, HRW’s intimate relations with ‘democracy promoters’ like the NED and USIP may be merely seen as a reflection of the high degree of influence liberal elites and liberal foundations have over the running and funding of HRW."^[1] The National Endowment for Democracy, or NED, is a U.S. non-profit organization that was founded in 1983, to promote democracy by providing cash grants funded primarily through an annual allocation from the U.S. Congress. ... Proposed new USIP headquarters, construction to begin 2007. ...

Allegations of anti-Hellenism

Greek organisations have accused Human Rights Watch of making, in their 1995 report on the ethnic Macedonians in Greece, "appalling propagandistic assault on Hellenism"^[2] Human Rights Watch Banner Human Rights Watch is a United States-based international non-government organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. ... Languages Macedonian Religions predominantly Macedonian Orthodox, but also some Muslim, Protestant, Serbian Orthodox,and others The Macedonians[18] (Macedonian: , Тransliteration: ) also referred to as Macedonian Slavs[19] are a South Slavic ethnic group who are primarily associated with the Republic of Macedonia. ...

Allegations of bias against democracy in Latin America

Human Rights Watch has been criticised for not condemning the situation in Haiti strongly enough.^[3]. ZMag has stated that Human Rights Watch "has assisted the US in its efforts to crush democracy in Latin America."^[4] ZNet, of Z Communications, founded in 1995, is a large website updated many times daily to convey information and provide community, generally focusing on politics from a left-wing perspective. ... Human Rights Watch Banner Human Rights Watch is a United States-based international non-government organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. ...

Allegations of anti-non-violent resistance bias

Human Rights Watch has been criticised for condemning the use of human shields. ^[5] Human shield is a military and political term describing the presence of civilians in or around combat targets to deter an enemy from attacking those targets. ...

Allegations of Western and pro-homosexual bias

According to a report in the Egyptian press, "the government often accuses human rights groups [including Human Rights Watch] of importing a Western agenda that offends local religious and cultural values."^[6] This was in response to a report produced by Human Rights Watch on the perceived torture of homosexuals in Egypt.^[7] Human Rights Watch Banner Human Rights Watch is a United States-based international non-government organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. ... Since its coinage, the word homosexuality has acquired multiple meanings. ...

Edward S. Herman, David Peterson, and George Szamuely argue that despite constructive efforts, Human Rights Watch "has at critical times and in critical theaters thrown its support behind the U.S. government's agenda, sometimes even serving as a virtual public relations arm of the foreign policy establishment". They charge HRW "accepts the NATO-friendly view that civilian deaths from high-tech warfare such as in aerial bombings and missile strikes are not prima facie “deliberate” as are face-to-face and low-tech killings of civilians". They further charge that "HRW facilitates the supreme international crime [wars of agression]" by "virtue of biases which regularly underrate U.S. and allied human rights violations and inflate those of their targets.^[8] Edward S. Herman is an economist and media analyst with a specialty in corporate and regulatory issues as well as political economy and the media. ... George Szamuely is a frequent columnist for Takis Top Drawers section of the New York Press. ... NATO 2002 Summit in Prague. ...

David Peterson asserts that Human Rights Watch "was training its 'human rights' binoculars at the Sandinistas far more earnestly than at the foreign power seeking their overthrow by sponsoring armed guerrilla and terrorist campaigns against them" during the 1980's in Nicaragua. ^[9] Sandinista! is also the name of a popular music album by The Clash. ... Guerilla may refer to Guerrilla warfare. ... This article is becoming very long. ...

Allegations of anti-Israel bias

Human Rights Watch has been criticized as having an anti-Israel bias by the Anti-Defamation League, Gerald Steinberg, NGO Monitor and Isi Leibler. Human Rights Watch has further been criticized as ignoring anti-Semitic behavior as an issue of importance over other human rights issues by Ana Palacio. Shimon Peres, Anne Bayefsky, and Abraham Cooper also criticized the 2001 World Conference against Racism, which Human Rights Watch attended but moved to distance itself from. Anti-Zionism is opposition to Zionism, the movement for a homeland for the Jewish people in the Land of Israel. ... The Anti-Defamation League (or ADL) is an advocacy group founded by Bnai Brith in the United States whose stated aim is to stop, by appeals to reason and conscience and, if necessary, by appeals to law, the defamation of the Jewish people. ... NGO Monitor (Non-governmental organization monitor) is an Israeli non-governmental organization with the stated aim of monitoring other non-governmental organizations operating in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza. ... The Eternal Jew: 1937 German poster. ... Human rights are rights which some hold to be inalienable and belonging to all humans. ... Ana Palacio Ana Palacio (born 1948) was the Minister for Foreign Affairs in the Peoples Party (PP) government of José María Aznar from July 2002-March 2004. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Professor Anne Bayefsky is a preeminent human rights scholar and activist. ... Crib and Rosa, 1817 Abraham Cooper (1787-1868), English animal and battle painter, the son of a tobacconist, was born in London. ... The World Conference against Racism (WCAR) are international events organized by the UNESCO in order to struggle against racism ideologies and behaviours. ...

Specific Allegations

Gerard Steinberg, director of NGO Monitor, had earlier argued “During the height of the terror attacks against Israel, Human Rights Watch focused one-third of its entire Middle East effort on condemnations directed at Israel.” Steinberg asserted, “The most infuriating instance of Human Rights Watch’s bias came in 2004, when Roth went to...Jerusalem to promote 'Razing Rafah', a one sided denunciation of Israeli policy. Its contents were based primarily on unsubstantiated reports of Palestinians, selected journalists, and so-called experts on tunneling.” ^{[10][this source's reliability may need verification]} NGO Monitor (Non-governmental organization monitor) is an Israeli non-governmental organization with the stated aim of monitoring other non-governmental organizations operating in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza. ...

In 2005 Isi Leibler, author of The Case for Israel, wrote an editorial archived at Campus Watch. In his archived editorial, Leibler asserted that Human Rights Watch is among the groups that “have long track records of bias and employing double standards in relation to Israel.”^{[11][this source's reliability may need verification]} Campus Watch is a project of the Middle East Forum, an American pro-Israel think tank. ...

In a 2005 address to the Anti-Defamation League, Ana Palacio, a former Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs in the centre-right People's Party (PP), asserted that Human Rights Watch ignored anti-Semitism as an issue of importance over other human rights issues, such as gay or refugee rights. In this address she stated, “Disinterested NGOs like Human Rights Watch or Amnesty International pay little attention to anti-Semitism.”^[12] The Anti-Defamation League (or ADL) is an advocacy group founded by Bnai Brith in the United States whose stated aim is to stop, by appeals to reason and conscience and, if necessary, by appeals to law, the defamation of the Jewish people. ... Ana Palacio Ana Palacio (born 1948) was the Minister for Foreign Affairs in the Peoples Party (PP) government of José María Aznar from July 2002-March 2004. ... A minister or a secretary is a politician who heads a government ministry or department (e. ... The centre-right is a political term commonly used to describe or denote political parties or organizations (such as think tanks) that stretch from the centre to the right on the left-right spectrum, excluding far right stances. ... The Peoples Party (Spanish: Partido Popular, PP) is the largest right-wing political party in Spain. ... The Eternal Jew: 1937 German poster. ... Human rights are rights which some hold to be inalienable and belonging to all humans. ... GAY can mean: Gay, a term referring to homosexual men or women The IATA code for Gaya Airport Category: ...

Human Rights Watch was criticized for an investigation conducted in Srifa, Lebanon during the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah War. Regarding Srifa, Human Rights Watch said they "saw no evidence that there had been Hizbullah military activity around the areas targeted by the IDF during or just prior to the attack: no spent ammunition, abandoned weapons or military equipment, trenches, or dead or wounded fighters." A New York Times news report by Hassan M. Fattah published a day after bombardment wrote: "Mr. Kamaleldin, the Sreifa official, estimated that up to two-thirds of the town’s homes and buildings were demolished, leaving more than 43 people buried in the rubble. A majority of them were fighters belonging to Hezbollah and the allied Amal Party, residents said."^[13][1][2][3][4][5][6]^{[this source's reliability may need verification]} Combatants Hezbollah Amal LCP  Israel Commanders Hassan Nasrallah (Secretary General of Hezbollah) Imad Mughniyeh (Commander of Hezbollahs armed wing) [5] Dan Halutz (CoS) Moshe Kaplinsky[14] Udi Adam (Regional) Strength 600-1,000 active fighters 3,000-10,000 reservists[6] 30,000 ground troops (plus IAF & ISC) [15... The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ...

2001 World Conference against Racism

Anne Bayefsky, a Professor at York University and editor of Eye on the UN, argued that Human Rights Watch allowed anti-Israel and anti-Semitic incidents to occur, based on her participation in the 2001 World Conference against Racism. Bayefsky also wrote, “When it comes to anti-Semitism and anti-Israel bias, Human Rights Watch still has a lot of explaining to do, notwithstanding Executive Director Ken Roth's umbrage at criticism.” Bayefsky commented, “As we arrived at our meeting the chief Durban representative of Human Rights Watch, advocacy director Reed Brody, publicly announced that as a representative of a Jewish group I was unwelcome and could not attend.”^[14] Abraham Cooper, Associate Dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center and another participant at the conference, wrote “Contrary to the May 27 letter by the executive directors of Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International U.S.A., Anne Bayefsky...was correct to criticize those two groups for their roles at the [Durban] conference”. Cooper added regarding the forum document, “The concerns of one group of victims -- the Jewish people -- were left off that document, with the silent acquiescence of Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.” He also recounted, “Like many other Jewish delegates at the conference, I was subjected to physical intimidation and threats.”^[15] Professor Anne Bayefsky is a preeminent human rights scholar and activist. ... The meaning of the word professor (Latin: one who claims publicly to be an expert) varies. ... York University (French: Université York), located in Toronto, Ontario, is Canadas third-largest university and has produced several of the countrys top leaders in the fields of law, politics, business, space sciences, and fine arts. ... Anti-Zionism is opposition to Zionism, the movement for a homeland for the Jewish people in the Land of Israel. ... The Eternal Jew: 1937 German poster. ... The World Conference against Racism (WCAR) are international events organized by the UNESCO in order to struggle against racism ideologies and behaviours. ... The Simon Wiesenthal Center The Simon Wiesenthal Center is an international Jewish organization that declares itself to be a human rights group dedicated to preserving the memory of the Holocaust by fostering tolerance and understanding through community involvement, educational outreach and social action. ... Forum is a United States constitutional law term that describes a government-owned property which is open to public expression and assembly. ... For the similarly-named Surrealist journal, see Documents (journal). ...

In 2001, regarding the World Conference against Racism, which Human Rights Watch moved to distance itself from, CNN cited Shimon Peres, an Israeli politician, as saying, “[The World Conference against Racism] is an outburst of hate, of anti-Semitism, anti-Zionism without any consideration.”^[16] The World Conference against Racism (WCAR) are international events organized by the UNESCO in order to struggle against racism ideologies and behaviours. ... The Cable News Network, commonly known as CNN, is a major cable television network founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... The Politics series Politics Portal This box:      A politician is an individual who is a formally recognized and active member of a government, or a person who influences the way a society is governed through an understanding of political power and group dynamics. ...

Battle of Jenin

See also: Battle of Jenin 2002#Human Rights Watch report

In 2002 the Anti-Defamation League, in response to coverage of the Battle of Jenin, asserted that Human Rights Watch “pre-judged Israel's behavior.” The Anti-Defamation League further commented, “Human Rights Watch charged Israel with violations of international law and war crimes. Neither discussed the international law violations involved in arming a refugee camp, or demanded the United Nations be held in any way accountable for its lack of oversight in the camp. While Human Rights Watch acknowledged in a May 3 report that there was no evidence of a massacre and that Palestinian gunmen had contributed to endangering Palestinian civilians, they continued to emphasize that there was prima facie evidence Israel committed war crimes.”^[17] The Battle of Jenin took place in April 2002 in Jenins Palestinian refugee camp as part of Operation Defensive Shield, a large-scale military operation conducted by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), the largest conducted in the West Bank since the 1967 Six-Day War. ... The Anti-Defamation League (or ADL) is an advocacy group founded by Bnai Brith in the United States whose stated aim is to stop, by appeals to reason and conscience and, if necessary, by appeals to law, the defamation of the Jewish people. ... The Battle of Jenin took place in April 2002 in Jenins Palestinian refugee camp as part of Operation Defensive Shield, a large-scale military operation conducted by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), the largest conducted in the West Bank since the 1967 Six-Day War. ... Combatants  Israel IDF Fatah (Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, Tanzim) Hamas Image:Flag of PIJ.gif Islamic Jihad Commanders Yedidia Yehuda [4] Mahmoud Tawallbe† Strength 1,000 200-250 Casualties 23 soldiers killed 52 killed (38 armed men, 14 civilians according to IDF; 30 militants, 22 civilians according to HRW) 685... The Anti-Defamation League (or ADL) is an advocacy group founded by Bnai Brith in the United States whose stated aim is to stop, by appeals to reason and conscience and, if necessary, by appeals to law, the defamation of the Jewish people. ... Look up prima facie in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Response

Kenneth Roth, the executive director of Human Rights Watch, published a response to criticism from Israel's supporters on April 1, 2004 in the Jerusalem Post, titled "The Truth Hurts" ^[18]. Roth defends Human Rights Watch's allegations that Israel breaks humanitarian law, referring to "assassinating suspects when they could be arrested, punishing families for the acts of one of their members, employing abusive interrogation techniques, imposing punitive restrictions on the Palestinian population that go well beyond security requirements, building a security barrier not on the Green Line but with deep incursions into the West Bank to protect settlements that themselves violate the Geneva Conventions".

Roth responds to Gerald Steinberg's accusation that Human Rights Watch "was present in Durban when the NGO community hijacked a UN conference on racism to promote its own racist anti-Zionist agenda", pointing out that "Human Rights Watch publicly disassociated itself from the NGO's manifesto because of its unfounded attacks on Israel". Roth denies Steinberg's allegations of only one exception to '"consistent silence" in the face of Palestinian suicide bombing', pointing to 11 condemnations available to see on Human Rights Watch's website, and similarly denies his charge of "protecting Middle Eastern tyrants".

Aryeh Neier, a founder of Human Rights Watch and former Adjunct Professor of Law at New York University, writing in the New York Review of Books, defends Roth and Human Rights Watch from charges of anti-Semitic and anti-Israel bias. "Unfortunately, the criticisms are based on misunderstandings and distortions of international humanitarian law. They contribute to an atmosphere that makes rational discussion in the United States of Israel's policies and practices increasingly difficult." ^[19] The New York Review of Books (or NYRB) is a biweekly magazine on literature, culture, and current affairs published in New York which takes as its point of departure that the discussion of important books is itself an indispensable literary activity. ...

One of the arguments of those who are critical of Human Rights Watch's reporting on the Middle East is that the organization devotes too much attention to alleged abuses by Israelis. A corollary is that it pays insufficient attention to violations of human rights by Israel's antagonists in the region. Yet a glance at the back pages of the "World Report" published annually by Human Rights Watch where it lists all its publications suggests that these criticisms are not well founded. Typically, Human Rights Watch publishes more than a hundred reports each year. In all, it issued more than 350 reports in 2003, 2004, and 2005 on the seventy or so countries that it monitors. Of these, just five dealt with Israel and the Palestinian occupied territories while another sixty reports dealt with various Arab countries and Iran. The largest number of reports concerned abuses in Iraq, Sudan, and Egypt, but reports were also published on Iran, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, and Jordan. ^[20]

Philip Weiss, an investigative journalist writing in The Nation, quotes a number of Human Rights Watch officials and board members responding to attacks on it by the New York Sun and others ^[21]. Philip Weiss is an investigative journalist who writes for The New York Observer, The Nation[1] and The American Conservative[2] and in the past has written for the National Review[3], Washington Monthly[4], New York Times Magazine[5], Esquire[5], Harpers Magazine[5], and Jewish World Review... The Nation (ISSN 0027-8378) is a weekly [1] U.S. periodical devoted to politics and culture, self-described as the flagship of the left. [2] Founded on July 6, 1865 as an Abolitionist publication, it is the oldest continuously published weekly magazine in the United States. ... The modern New York Sun is a daily newspaper published in New York City. ...

Weiss quotes Human Rights Watch emergency director Peter Bouckaert: "We always get attacked for our findings by the government involved. What makes this case different is, it's not the government, it's the external lobby. We have a difficult but positive dialogue with the Israeli government and the IDF. They don't dismiss us as morally repugnant or irrelevant. They take our findings seriously. The attacks are not about the facts, they're about insulating Israel from any type of criticism."

Weiss also quotes Sarah Leah Whitson, executive director of Human Rights Watch's Middle East and North Africa division. "There's a deep schizophrenia in some of the Jewish community, and people who are at the forefront of every single rights issue, from racial justice in the United States to the ethnic cleansing in Darfur--on Israel, it crumbles, and there is all this hand-wringing. And everyone [who is critical] is successfully marginalized."

Weiss also points to criticism of Human Rights Watch for being too soft on Israel.

Allegations of bias against India

Yatindra Bhatnagar, chief editor of "International Opinion", has criticized Human Rights Watch representatives and those of related organizations of having an anti-India bias with regards to their reports of communal riots in India between Hindus and Muslims, particularly in reference to the 2002 Gujarat violence. He writes that, instead of trying to heal the wounds of such incidents, organizations like Human Rights Watch focus disproportionately on blaming Hindus exclusively for the incident and trying to deflect attention from the violence perpetrated by Islamists in the Godhra Train Burning that precipitated the riots. In particular, he criticizes Human Rights Watch representative Smita Narula and her colleagues for providing a "blatantly one-sided" account of events and dismissing his concerns to that effect. ^[22] The skyline of Ahmedabad filled with smoke as buildings and shops are set on fire by rioting mobs. ... Islamism is a political ideology derived from the conservative religious views of Muslim fundamentalism. ... The Godhra Train Burning Incident occurred in the town Godhra in the Indian state of Gujarat at 0630 hrs on 27 February 2002. ...

In addition, the reports on the Gujarat riots compiled by Human Rights Watch have been criticized by Arvin Bahl, a guest contributor to the "South Asia Analysis Group", as "one-sided" and "biased". He claims that the reports generally "are based on half-truths, distortions and sometimes outright falsehoods". He points out that Human Rights Watch's claims about the Bharatiya Janata Party advocating a Hindu Nation as its core ideology are false. He further says that his analysis of the reports accuse the Gujarat government for planning the riots but do not provide any evidence to back those assertions. He also criticizes Human Rights Watch's labeling of the attacks on Hindus by Muslims during the riots as "retaliatory". In his analysis he states that while he does not deny that Hindu extremists were responsible for the riots, he "objectively analyze[s] the complexity of communal conflict in India and avoid[s] the generalizations associated with Human Rights Watch reports."^[23] The Bharatiya Janata Party [BJP] (Hindi: , English: ), created in 1980, is a major Indian political party. ...

References

The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ...

See also

• Human Rights Watch
• Amnesty International
• Human rights groups and the Middle East

Human Rights Watch Banner Human Rights Watch is a United States-based international non-government organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. ... Amnesty International (commonly known as Amnesty or AI) is a pressure group that promotes human rights. ... Human rights groups frequently run into controversy when reporting on an emotionally charged issue such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. ...

External links

• Jonathan Cook: How Human Rights Watch lost its way in Lebanon
  • Response from the Executive Director of the Middle East & North Africa Division of Human Rights Watch;
  • Cook's Response
• Human Rights Watch receives unprecedented public criticism for its attacks on Israeli actions in Lebanon NGO Monitor
• The HRW Report on Gujarat: Another Assassination - by Aseem R. Shukla
• Haiti and Human Rights Watch (Joe Emersberger, ZNet)
• Jonathan Cook: Palestinians are being denied the right of non-violent resistance Would Human Rights Watch have attacked Martin Luther King, too? (CounterPunch, 30 November 2006)
• A Shocking Statement: HRW condemns Palestinians' use of nonviolence to protect homes from destruction (Norman G. Finkelstein)
  • Reader letters w/responses from Sarah Leah Whitson, HRW Middle East director
• Edward S. Herman, David Peterson, George Szamuely: Human Rights Watch in service to the war party Including a review of “Weighing the evidence: Lessons from the Slobodan Milošević trial” (ZNet, 25 February 2007)
• Michael Barker, "Hijacking Human Rights: A Critical Examination of Human Rights Watch’s Americas Branch and their Links to the ‘Democracy’ Establishment", Znet, August 3, 2007.