• Issues
• Torture
• Mass Atrocities
  • War Crimes in Libya
  • Crimes Against Humanity in Burma
  • Refugee Crisis in Bangladesh
  • War Crime in Afghanistan
  • Transitional Justice in Afghanistan
  • Health Crisis in Zimbabwe
  • Genocide in Darfur
• Rape in War
• Persecution of Health Workers

Mass Atrocities

Mass atrocities — including certain war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide — are human rights violations directed against a population. PHR has prepared evidence of war crimes and testified at various international bodies, including tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, and the Special Court of Sierra Leone. Based on our investigations, we are working to prevent, stop, and provide accountability for mass atrocities in the following areas.

War Crimes in Libya

When Libyans first took to the streets to protest Colonel Muammar Qaddafi’s autocratic rule in February 2011, Qaddafi's response was quick and brutal: attack protesters and target civilians in a deliberate campaign to quash dissent across the country. PHR documented some of the conflict's most severe human rights violations that must be addressed as a new civilian government emerges.

Crimes Against Humanity in Burma

PHR’s research in Burma’s Chin State revealed extraordinary levels of state and military violence against civilian populations. The abuses included forced labor, religious persecution, beatings, killing, disappearances, torture, rape, and widespread pillaging.

Refugee Crisis in Bangladesh

Stateless refugees from Burma face death from starvation and disease in makeshift camps because the government of Bangladesh denies them access to humanitarian aid. PHR has called for a comprehensive regional response to the Bangladesh government's failure to protect and care for the refugees, as well as to the human rights violations in Burma that have caused some 300,000 Muslim minority Rohingya to flee that country.

War Crimes in Afghanistan

As many as 2,000 Taliban prisoners are believed to have been killed by US-allied Afghan troops and buried in a mass grave in the northern desert of Dasht-e-Leili. PHR investigators discovered the mass grave in 2002. Since then, we have called for a full investigation of the alleged massacre.

Transitional Justice in Afghanistan

In Afghanistan, over 100 mass grave sites allegedly contain many of Afghanistan’s estimated 1.5 million dead. PHR is helping to develop local forensic capabilities so the people of Afghanistan can address past abuses and begin the process of transitional justice, turning from violence to peace.

Health Crisis in Zimbabwe

In 2008, PHR witnessed the utter collapse of Zimbabwe's health system, resulting in the death of some 4,000 from cholera. Today, Zimbabwe remains a country battered and torn by political strife, infrastructure collapse, and grave human rights abuses. PHR continues to call for the correction of the health and human rights situation in the country.

Genocide in Darfur

Hundreds of thousands of people have died in the ongoing genocide in Darfur, Sudan. Following our three investigations into the crisis, PHR has mobilized health professionals, students, and members of the general public to press for urgently needed security in Darfur and compensation and restitution for survivors.

• News
• Blog
• Research

Burma army burns Kachin rice harvest (February 21, 2012)

More than 1,500 Kg of rice recently harvested by farmers in war-torn Kachin state were set ablaze by government troops last week, eyewitnesses report.

Zimbabwe suspends NGOs as possible election looms (February 15, 2012)

Zimbabwe has suspended 29 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in one of its provinces, state media reported on Wednesday, raising worries of a crackdown similar to one that preceded elections in 2008.

Suspected typhoid outbreak shuts Zimbabwe courts (February 11, 2012)

Zimbabwe has shut down the capital's main courthouse after a suspected outbreak of typhoid affected magistrates and court officials. The aging infrastructure in Zimbabwe has contributed to the spread of the disease, which is transmitted through contaminated water.

Myanmar: Health Concerns for Kachin IDPs (January 31, 2012)

Internally displaced persons in Burma's Kachin state are suffering without adequate supplies or sanitation, according to aid workers. Bill Davies of PHR stressed the need for stronger assistance for the displaced, particularly as camps face the threat of contagious disease.

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Zimbabwe - NGO’s banned in Masvingo Province (February 22, 2012)

Last week, The Governor of the Masvingo Province in Zimbabwe banned 29 NGO’s providing humanitarian relief and security in the region. The banned organizations – which include both local groups like Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights and Care International have provided basic services and support to mitigate a worsening humanitarian situation in the country.

An Imprisoned Doctor Describes Medical Conditions in a Burmese Prison (February 21, 2012)

According to an interview with a former political prisoner and medical doctor, infectious diseases are rampant in Burmese prisons, and many patients display injuries consistent with torture.

Dissident Burmese Monk Faces New Charges (February 21, 2012)

Yesterday, Burmese state media announced that Ashin Gambira, a Buddhist monk and recently released political prisoner, will once again face criminal charges in a Burmese court.

Abuses Continue Against Rohingya (February 14, 2012)

The Rohingya, an ethnic minority in Burma, continue to face a variety of human rights abuses, including forced labor, rape, and extortion.

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International Community Must Find Unified Response to Crisis in Syria (February 2012)

As the bloodshed in Syria—which local organizations report has killed over 8,000 people so far—reaches new proportions daily, international actors have been unable to find an effective response to the crimes against humanity committed by the Assad regime.

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.

The Use of Tear Gas in the Republic of Korea (July 1987)

Between July 11 and July 18, 1987, five public health specialists, organized by PHR, visited Seoul, South Korea, to study the effects of an unprecedented use of tear gas in that country against civilians in June and into July, 1987. This report details their findings.

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.

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Featured Expert

Richard Sollom, MA, MPH

Richard oversees PHR programs on health, emergency response, armed conflict, asylum, and UN advocacy initiatives. During his time at PHR, he has led health and human rights investigations in Bahrain, Bangkok, Bangladesh, Burma, and Zimbabwe. Read More »