Physicians for Human Rights
Using science and medicine to stop human rights violations
Investigating Attacks on Doctors in Bahrain
Protecting Health Workers
Evidence from Misrata, Libya
Witness to War Crimes
Forensic Science in the Congo
Eliminating Rape in War
Advocating for US Accountability
Preventing Torture
In the News
Donna McKay to Join PHR as Executive Director
PHR today announced that Donna McKay will join the organization as Executive Director in February 2012. She will be based in Cambridge, Mass. A committed human rights activist, Ms. McKay brings more than 20 years of international and domestic nonprofit experience to PHR.
Policy Statement
PHR Remembers Genocide Victims on the International Day of Remembrance of the Holocaust
Today marks the 67th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau–a date designated by the United Nations General Assembly as the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust. This year, the United Nations has chosen to focus on child victims of the Holocaust, which numbered over 1.5 million.
Policy Statement
Release of Political Prisoners in Burma is Positive Step
PHR welcomes the Government of Burma’s release of political prisoners. On Thursday more than 650 prisoners were released, including high-profile prisoners such as pro-democracy leaders Min Ko Naing and Ko Ko Gyi and Saffron Revolution leader U Gambira, according to estimates from PHR’s partner organizations. Releasing hundreds of political prisoner is a significant step forward for Burma, whose leaders have for decades responded to political activism with harsh prison sentences.
Current Work
Trial of Bahraini Medics is Still Flawed, Says PHR
Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) today called the trial of Bahraini medics accused of overthrowing the regime and other felonies “severely flawed.” Despite allegations that the doctors’ confessions were obtained through torture, the prosecutor refused to confirm that he will drop the doctors’ confessions during today’s trial.
Press Release
New Report Provides First In-Depth Forensic Account of Libyan Massacre
Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) today released a report that combines medicine, forensic science, and eyewitness testimony to paint a stark picture of life and death in detention in Tripoli. The report, “32nd Brigade Massacre: Evidence of war crimes and the need to ensure justice and accountability in Libya,” provides a detailed and comprehensive forensic account of the 32nd Brigade massacre under Khamis Qaddafi on August 23, 2011 in Khalat Al Forjan, Tripoli.
2012 PHR National Conference
On March 24 and 25 in Ann Arbor, MI, human rights activists from the fields of medicine, public health, and public policy are convening for "Sustainable Connections & Collaborations for Health & Human Rights", a joint conference of the Physicians for Human Rights National Conference and the Second Annual University of Michigan Sujal Parikh Memorial Symposium for Health & Social Justice. Speakers include PHR Deputy Directors Richard Sollom and Susannah Sirkin, and Drs. Arash and Kamiar Alaei.
Qaddafi's Abattoir (January 24, 2012)
Since the collapse of the Qaddafi government, many mass graves have been discovered throughout Libya, evidence of the brutalities committed during the uprising. The forensic evidence provided by Physicians for Human Rights has helped to provide a clearer understanding of these atrocities.
TD Blog Interview with Kristine Huskey (January 24, 2012)
Kristine Huskey, Director of PHR's Anti-Torture Program is interviewed by The Talking Dog.
The Royal Stall (January 24, 2012)
The Bahraini government's recent refusal to allow Richard Sollom, deputy director of PHR, to enter the country is a sign that the country has not kept its promises. The king has claimed that he is eager for dialogue, but by refusing to allow Sollom and other human rights investigators to enter Bahrain, he has shown that his pledges were empty words.
Bahraini Government’s Use of Tear Gas Claims Several Lives (January 27, 2012)
Over the last month, the Bahraini police have been using tear gas almost every night against protesters in residential areas. Specifically, the police have been targeting the Shi’a neighborhoods of Iker, Sitra, Nuwadrat, and Ma’ameer. While there are international guidelines for the proper use of tear gas, victims of such attacks describe the police using tear gas inappropriately – including firing into homes and other closed spaces. Such inappropriate use can have disastrous consequences. Since the start of the unrest in February 2011, at least 13 civilians have died from exposure to the tear gas, according to Bahraini civil society groups. They note that those who die from tear gas inhalation are usually people who are already vulnerable due to old age or disease, which make the gas’s effects more deadly.
NC Anti-Torture Group Releases Extraordinary Rendition Report (January 25, 2012)
Recently, the NC Stop Torture Now group released a comprehensive report on extraordinary rendition and called upon state officials to stop any such extraordinary rendition flights from operating at the NC Johnston County Airport.
Zimbabwe: 660 People Treated for Typhoid (January 25, 2012)
While the Zimbabwean Constitution Select Committee drafts a new constitution for the country, The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights note that the constitution lacks transparency and, importantly, legitimacy may be a long-awaited opportunity to fairly and freely elect a candidate.
PHR Remembers Genocide Victims on the International Day of Remembrance of the Holocaust (January 2012)
Today marks the 67th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau–a date designated by the United Nations General Assembly as the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust. This year, the United Nations has chosen to focus on child victims of the Holocaust, which numbered over 1.5 million.
Release of Political Prisoners in Burma is Positive Step (January 2012)
PHR welcomes the Government of Burma’s release of political prisoners. On Thursday more than 650 prisoners were released, including high-profile prisoners such as pro-democracy leaders Min Ko Naing and Ko Ko Gyi and Saffron Revolution leader U Gambira, according to estimates from PHR’s partner organizations. Releasing hundreds of political prisoner is a significant step forward for Burma, whose leaders have for decades responded to political activism with harsh prison sentences.
PHR Condemns President Obama’s Signing of National Defense Authorization Act for 2012 (NDAA) (January 2012)
Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) condemned today President Barack Obama’s signing of the National Defense Authorization Act for 2012 (NDAA). On the eve of 2012, President Obama signed the NDAA into law, making military indefinite detention in America permanent. Although the President’s signing statement expressed “serious reservations” about the provisions, the statement applies only to the current administration and does not impact how future administrations interpret the law.
Featured Video
The Principle of Medical Neutrality
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