Human Rights Watch Condemns “Litany of Human Rights Crises”

Human Rights Watch has released its”annual review of human rights around the globe.” Find out why Human Rights Watch described the year as a “litany of human rights crises.”

This month marks the fourth anniversary of one of my volunteer positions. I’m an Amnesty International urgent action volunteer.

Every week or so, they send me a notification about someone, somewhere in the world who’s suffering a human rights violation. They may have been jailed without a trial, or arrested for speaking their mind or facing the death penalty for something that’s not a real crime.

My job, along with thousands of others, is to write to the authorities and appeal to them to restore the victim’s rights. This can include demands for actions like releasing them from jail, dropping charges against them, allowing them access to their own lawyer or giving them the medical treatment they need.

Tens of Thousands of People Trying to Do Their Bit

More often than not, it works, and the victim is able to get on with their life. It’s rewarding when I hear that news, but I’m just one of tens of thousands of people trying to…