To alleviate restrictions on freedom of expression, HRW urged him [Assad] to “stop blocking websites for their content.” In a contemporaneous op-ed article, "
Syria's decade of repression” (The Guardian, 16 July 2010), HRW researcher Nadim Houry concludes with gentle prodding of Assad: “
his legacy will ultimately depend on whether he will act on the promises” of reform he made upon taking office. “Otherwise, he will merely be remembered for extending his father’s...government by repression.
NAUGHTY NAUGHTY NAUGHTY... Syria's big Boo Boo was Censorship? One would think Assad was about as bad as the feminists in Washington State. It's almost like a light prodding by a progressive activist to a liberal government. Because in the world of Human Rights Watch... there might be a reason for censorship, but Syria just needed to be encouraged to do a more progressive thing.
Human Rights Watch has been poorly prepared in dealing with the slaughter of protesters by Assad--and it shows:
Since the Arab Spring awoke at the end of 2010, HRW has quickly expanded to cover developments and violations in Egypt, Libya, and elsewhere. HRW’s lack of preparation, foresight, and capacity is obvious. Indeed, the international media have relied entirely on local activists; as a source of information, HRW is entirely irrelevant.
Human Rights Watch released 51 documents on “Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.” At the same time, HRW released just 12 such documents on Syria. Similarly, while HRW released 3 “single country reports” on Israel, to one short report on Syria. says Daled Amos.
