Afghanistan
(Amnesty International) The new Criminal Regulation recently endorsed by the Taliban leader will further entrench violence and discrimination against women, Amnesty International said in a new legal analysis documenting its wide-ranging and regressive impact on human rights. The “Criminal Procedure Regulation of the Courts”, which lays out punishments and sentencing for a range of vague and overly broad offences, criminalizes domestic violence only in cases where a woman has suffered a broken bone or visible injuries. The decree also prescribes a three-month prison sentence for any woman who regularly visits family members without her husband’s permission and who refuses a court order to return home. The regulation also prescribes harsh punishments for religious non-compliance, more severe punishments for people of lower social status and recognizes slavery. Other provisions authorize the destruction of property as a form of punishment, institutionalize torture and other ill-treatment through corporal punishment, and sanction the death penalty for a greater number of offences. “The regulation makes an already repressive legal system even more draconian. Women and girls are, of course, among the most affected, with provisions that normalize domestic violence and place even greater restrictions on their movement and autonomy,” said Smriti Singh, Amnesty International’s South Asia Director. – Afghanistan: New criminal regulation targets women and minority groups with ever-harsher punishments – Amnesty International
Cameroon
(Ilaria Allegrozzi – Human Rights Watch) On March 3, Belgium’s Federal Prosecutor’s Office announced the arrest of four individuals—three of whom remain in detention—as part of an investigation into alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity by an armed separatist group in Cameroon’s Anglophone regions. The investigation focuses on individuals in Belgium suspected of holding leadership roles in the Ambazonia Defence Forces,the armed wing of the Ambazonia Governing Council, a movement seeking independence for Cameroon’s minority English-speaking regions. While officials have not yet publicly identified the suspects, they confirmed the men are members of the Ambazonia Defence Forces. – Cameroonian Separatist Leaders Arrested in Belgium | Human Rights Watch
Ethiopia
(Amnesty International) Members of Ethiopia’s Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) have subjected women and girls to sexual violence committing rape, gang rape, sexual slavery, summary killings and destruction of civilian property which may amount to war crimes, during the conflict which started in the Oromia region in 2019, Amnesty International said in a new briefing today. The briefing, “No one came to my rescue: Gang rape, sexual slavery and mass displacement of women in Oromia, Ethiopia,” documents the atrocities against civilians particularly women and girls committed by the OLA armed group in Sayo and Anfillo woredas (districts) of Kellem Wallaga zone between 2020 and 2024. “For seven years, under the cover of darkness caused by a communication and media blackout, fighters in the Oromia region have caused immense suffering on civilians. These repeated abuses are not only horrific but may amount to war crimes,” said Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa. “International and African rights monitors cannot continue to look the other way. They must demand that Ethiopian authorities launch immediate, impartial and thorough investigations into the atrocities with the aim of bringing all perpetrators to account and provide access to justice and remedy for victims and survivors.” – Ethiopia: Authorities must investigate sexual violence, summary killings and torture by OLA fighters – Amnesty International
Gender-based discrimination, violence and injustice
(Amnesty International) Governments around the world are rolling back decades of progress on gender equality resulting in increasing attacks on reproductive rights, the silencing of feminist voices, funding cuts for women’s rights organizations, and much more. Ensuring and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls is more important than ever, and will be top of the agenda when UN member states convene for the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women from 9 to 19 March. Here are eight areas in which Amnesty International has been campaigning for gender equality and justice. These wins take different forms – from landmark court rulings and legal reforms to hard-won recognition, accountability and resistance in the face of injustice. – 8 wins against gender-based discrimination, violence and injustice – Amnesty International
Iran and beyond
(Reuters/Al Arabiya) India has allowed an Iranian warship to dock as a humanitarian gesture, Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said on Saturday, after the US sank another Iranian navy vessel off neighboring Sri Lanka. The Lavan docked at India’s southern port of Kochi on Wednesday, the same day the US submarine struck Iranian navy frigate Dena, after an urgent request from Tehran, an Indian government source told Reuters. – India let Iran warship dock the day US sank another off Sri Lanka, officials say
(Al Arabiya) Saudi Arabia’s Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz on Saturday met Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir in Riyadh. The two held talks on the “Iranian attacks on the Kingdom within the framework of the Saudi-Pakistani Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement, focusing on mechanisms to halt these aggressions which undermine regional security and stability,” the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported. – Saudi Defense Minister receives Pakistani Chief of Army Staff
(Al Arabiya) Two ballistic missiles launched toward Prince Sultan air base were intercepted and destroyed, Saudi Press Agency reported early Saturday, citing Spokesperson of the Ministry of Defense Major General Turki al-Maliki. – Saudi Arabia destroys drones, missiles including 2 launched toward Prince Sultan Air Base
(AFP/Al Arabiya) Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Saturday that his country would never surrender to Israel and the United States, as Middle East war entered its second week. Iran’s enemies “must take their wish for the unconditional surrender of the Iranian people to their graves,” Pezeshkian said, in a speech broadcast on state TV. Israel and the United States launched strikes against Iran on Feb. 28 killing the Islamic republic’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei and triggering a regional conflict. – Iran to suspend strikes on neighbors unless attacks come from them
(AFP/Al Arabiya) Hezbollah on Saturday said it confronted Israeli troops that infiltrated an east Lebanon town overnight, with Lebanese authorities reporting at least 16 killed in Israeli strikes on the area. In a statement, Hezbollah said its fighters had “observed the infiltration of four Israeli enemy army helicopters from the Syrian direction.”. After landing and disembarking, the advancing troops “were engaged” by a group of Hezbollah fighters as they reached a cemetery in the town of Nabi Sheet, Hezbollah said. – Hezbollah says confronted Israeli helicopter landing in east Lebanon
(AFP/Al Arabiya) The foreign ministers of the Arab League will hold an emergency meeting on Sunday to discuss Iranian attacks on several of the group’s members, the bloc’s assistant secretary-general told AFP. The meeting, which will be held via videoconference, was requested by Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Jordan and Egypt, Hossam Zaki said. – Arab League to hold emergency meeting over Iranian attacks
(Human Rights Watch) Iranian authorities should immediately end the ongoing internet shutdown and communications restrictions, which place civilians at risk of further harm, Human Rights Watch said (…). The international community should also support internet access for the civilian population. On February 28, 2026, internet traffic dropped significantly, indicating a nationwide blackout following strikes across the country by the United States and Israel. Cloudflare Radar, a network measurement platform that provides real-time information on internet traffic, said that internet traffic in Iran dropped by 98 percent on February 28, signaling a near-complete blackout. State affiliated media have indicated that only pre-approved websites are accessible through the National Information Network. – Iran: Internet Shutdown Violates Rights, Escalates Risks to Civilians | Human Rights Watch
Kyrgyzstan
(Human Rights Watch) Women with disabilities in Kyrgyzstan face alarming rates of harassment, physical and sexual abuse, and economic discrimination, despite legal reforms, Human Rights Watch said today, ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8, 2026. The Kyrgyz government has taken positive steps in the last year to address violence against women with disabilities and to uphold their rights. But the government needs to provide effective protection from harassment and abuse. – Kyrgyzstan: Women, Girls with Disabilities Face Abuse | Human Rights Watch
Nigeria
(Amnesty International) The Nigerian Government must immediately expedite their investigation into gas leaks across the Bille community in the oil-producing Niger Delta region, which are putting the lives of local residents in grave danger, warned Amnesty International. In October 2025, fishermen from Bille, a coastal town in Rivers State, reported seeing bubbling water accompanied by a sulphurous smell in a mangrove swamp and river several kilometres away from the town. Within a week, scores of residents reported the same phenomenon at other sites including inside the town itself, while some said they were able to set fire to the air near where the gas was bubbling. The Bille community is located close to various sites of extensive oil and gas infrastructure, including oil wells and pipelines. “The alarming number of reports of gas leaks across the Bille community is harrowing and the affected area appears to be expanding. The leaks are already contaminating the town’s drinking water, while a number of children at a local school have been forced to relocate after they fell ill and started vomiting,” said Isa Sanusi, Amnesty International Nigeria’s Country Director. “The Nigerian government has a duty to protect Bille residents from human rights abuses, including any which may be caused by private actors, such as oil companies. Oil company infrastructure has previously been found to be impinging on a range of rights including the right to health and to a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment. The government needs to immediately identify the source of the leak and stop it – or take other measures to secure the community from a potentially catastrophic incident.” – Nigeria: Government and oil firms must expedite investigation of gas leaks threatening to destroy Nigerian community – Amnesty International
Russia
(Tanya Lokshina – Human Rights Watch) Last week, a St. Petersburg court in a closed door hearing, designated a leading Russian LGBT rights group, Coming Out, as an “extremist organization.” The ruling delivers another severe blow to a community that has become a key target of the Kremlin’s harmful “traditional values” crusade. Coming Out is the first LGBT rights organization to be formally designated “extremist” since Russia’s Supreme Court in 2023 prohibited the so-called International LGBT Movement, opening the floodgates for arbitrary prosecutions of LGBT individuals or those perceived to be, along with anyone who defends their rights or expresses solidarity with them. – Russia Declares Leading LGBT Rights Group ‘Extremist’ | Human Rights Watch
US
(Matthew Reysio-Cruz – Human Rights Watch) Weaker regulations from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are putting millions at risk of higher exposure to deadly air pollutants, hundreds of former EPA scientists said in a new report. Published on February 27, “Terrible Toxics” found that under President Donald Trump, the EPA has abandoned safeguards necessary to protect communities’ health. The Environmental Protection Network, a nonprofit made up of over 700 former EPA officials, studied how a dozen toxic pollutants are poised to wreak even greater havoc due to recent EPA rollbacks. This includes air pollutants that have been linked to respiratory diseases, reproductive health harms, and early deaths: particulate matter, ozone, benzene, formaldehyde, and vinyl chloride. Human Rights Watch has documented how air pollution often directly harms front line communities, which frequently includes low-income communities of color. – New Report Warns Trump EPA Undermining Health | Human Rights Watch
(Skye Wheeler – Human Rights Watch) Labor rights activists have long used International Women’s Day, March 8, to highlight gender and racial inequities in the world’s biggest economy. This year, the spotlight should fall on the rising number of immigrant women in U.S. detention—many of them workers who keep the country’s care economy running while earning some of its lowest wages. For several years, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was required to report the number of pregnant women in its facilities twice a year to the U.S. Congress, but that mandate lapsed at the end of 2024. The agency has since stopped reporting those figures. Demands from some members of Congress for information about women in detention, including how many have been pregnant and how many babies have been born in detention, have been ignored. – Immigrant Women in ICE Detention Deserve Protection | Human Rights Watch
(Susanné Seong-eun Bergsten – Human Rights Watch) State restrictions on abortion, since the Supreme Court ruled in 2022 that the US constitution does not confer a right to abortion, are creating risks to pregnant people nationwide. Women are dying preventable deaths because abortion care is denied or delayed due to state restrictions. – US Abortion Restrictions Causing Preventable Deaths | Human Rights Watch
(Delano Massey, Russell Contreras – Axios) A new civil rights report argues that lynchings of Black men didn’t end in America — they evolved — and that some deaths today may still be misclassified as suicides or accidents. The big picture: If killings are misclassified, families can lose their paths to justice, and possible patterns of racial violence can remain hidden in plain sight. Driving the news: Mississippi-based civil rights group JULIAN identified 70 “modern-day lynchings” in seven southern states from 2000 to 2025 in a report released last month. – New report says lynching “evolved” in U.S., not ended
Vietnam
(Patricia Gossman – Human Rights Watch) In celebration of International Women’s Day on March 8, the Vietnam Women’s Union launched a nationwide campaign called “long-dress week” (tuan le ao dai) to “promote the beauty of Vietnam’s women.”. Between March 1 and 8, women have been urged to wear “traditional” long dresses at workplaces and public events to spotlight “the image” of Vietnamese femininity. But by prioritizing women’s appearance, the Vietnam Women’s Union is ignoring serious rights issues, including those that women activists have long campaigned for. – Vietnam’s Courageous Women Behind Bars | Human Rights Watch
