April 5, 2020

This Week in Human Rights News

 
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Covid-19 Tests

Source: Al Jazeera

  • Two French doctors have been accused of racism for suggesting that a potential vaccine for coronavirus should first be tested on people in Africa. The comments were made on Wednesday during a discussion about Covid-19 trials set to be launched in Europe and Australia to see if the BCG tuberculosis vaccine could be used to treat the virus.

  • "It may be provocative. Should we not do this study in Africa where there are no masks, no treatment or intensive care, a little bit like it's been done for certain AIDS studies, where among prostitutes, we try things, because we know that they are highly exposed and don't protect themselves?" said Jean-Paul Mira, head of the intensive care unit at the Cochin Hospital in Paris.

  • The doctors received backlash on social media soon after. The anti-racism group SOS Racisme called out the racist remarks, saying, "No, Africans aren't guinea pigs", adding that comparison with AIDS and prostitutes was "problematic" and "unwelcome.”

 

Covid-19 & Kashmir

Source: Al Jazeera

  • With Covid-19 spreading fast in Kashmir, authorities have further tightened restrictions on the movement and assembly of people.

  • Police and paramilitary CRPF personnel have sealed off the main roads in the valley and erected barriers at several places.

  • As India imposes a nationwide lockdown, one area has already been under heavy restrictions.There has been a curfew and communications blackout in Indian-administered Kashmir since the government revoked the region's autonomy last year.

  • Thousands of people have been arrested and held without charge or trial, and human rights groups say they must be released amid the current coronavirus pandemic.

  • Human rights groups say detentions without charge or trial violate both Indian and international law, and with many courts now closed, the public health emergency should not be used to bypass accountability.

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Greece-Turkey Border

Source: Al Jazeera

  • Two migrants were shot dead last month as they tried to enter Greece from Turkey after Ankara "recklessly encouraged" thousands of migrants to cross the border to Europe, Amnesty International said on Friday.

  • A third migrant is missing and presumed dead after Greek soldiers fired shots towards her as she attempted to cross a river into Greece, the rights group said.

  • Amnesty's Turkey research director Andrew Gardner said it was not confirmed who fired the shots that killed the migrants but they were hit in areas where Greek security personnel were present, and he urged Greek authorities to find those responsible.

  • Amnesty said Greek efforts to repress the migrants' movements included the use of live ammunition.

  • Greece dismissed Amnesty's account.

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