Kuwait has set a minimum wage for its hundreds of thousands of mostly Asian domestic staff, the first country in the Gulf to do so, local media reported today.&nbsp; 
 
A decree issued by Interior Minister Sheikh Mohammad Khaled Al-Sabah set the minimum wage at 60 dinars ($200) a month and also granted domestic staff a raft of other rights, Al-Anbaa newspaper reported. 
 
Kuwait is the first country in the Gulf to regulate the work conditions of domestic staff and Human Rights Watch and other rights groups have urged others to follow suit to tackle widespread abuses. 
 
The decree, which implements landmark legislation adopted by parliament last year, also requires employers to pay overtime for any extra hours worked. 
 
It grants domestic workers the right to a weekly day off, 30 days of annual paid leave, a 12-hour working day with rest, and an end-of-service benefit of one month a year at the end of contract. 
 
The estimated 600,000 maids in Kuwait are among at least 2.4 million working across the Gulf. They are not covered by ordinary labour legislation. 
 
Human Rights Watch and other groups have documented widespread abuses, including non-payment of wages, long working hours with no rest days, physical and sexual assault, and no clear channels for redress. 
 
In its 2016 Trafficking in Persons report, the US State Department upgraded Kuwait from tier 3, the worst level, to tier 2 while keeping it on watch list, citing an improvement in its treatment of migrant workers. 
 
(AFP)&nbsp;

Human Rights Watch and other rights groups have urged other countries in Gulf to follow suit to tackle widespread abuses

Kuwait has set a minimum wage for its hundreds of thousands of mostly Asian domestic staff, the first country in the Gulf to do so, local media reported today. A decree issued by Interior Minister Sheikh Mohammad Khaled Al-Sabah set the minimum wage at 60 dinars ($200) a month and also granted domestic staff a raft of other rights, Al-Anbaa newspaper reported. Kuwait is the first country in the Gulf to regulate the work conditions of domestic staff and Human Rights Watch and other rights groups have urged others to follow suit to tackle widespread abuses. The decree, which implements landmark legislation adopted by parliament last year, also requires employers to pay overtime for any extra hours worked. It grants domestic workers the right to a weekly day off, 30 days of annual paid leave, a 12-hour working day with rest, and an end-of-service benefit of one month a year at the end of contract. The estimated 600,000 maids in Kuwait are among at least 2.4 million working across the Gulf. They are not covered by ordinary labour legislation. Human Rights Watch and other groups have documented widespread abuses, including non-payment of wages, long working hours with no rest days, physical and sexual assault, and no clear channels for redress. In its 2016 Trafficking in Persons report, the US State Department upgraded Kuwait from tier 3, the worst level, to tier 2 while keeping it on watch list, citing an improvement in its treatment of migrant workers. (AFP)

Kuwait becomes first country in Gulf to set minimum wages for domestic staff: Local media

India should conduct an impartial probe into the use of lethal force by police during the violent protests following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in Kashmir and ensure that basic human rights are protected, a leading human rights body has said. 
 
&quot;A major grievance of those protesting in Kashmir is the failure of authorities to respect basic human rights,&quot; Human Rights Watch (HRW) South Asia director Meenakshi Ganguly said in a statement. 
 
&quot;Ensuring that rights are protected and prosecuting those responsible for abuses would be an important first step,&quot; she said. 
 
HRW said Indian authorities should credibly and impartially investigate police use of lethal force during the violent protests in Jammu &amp; Kashmir that ensued since the killing of Hizb&nbsp;militant Wani last week. 
 
&quot;Rock-throwing at demonstrations is serious but does not provide police a free pass to use force against protesters,&quot; Ganguly said in a statement. 
 
&quot;The Indian authorities need to send a clear message that lethal force is only an option when a life is at imminent risk, and those misusing force will be held accountable,&quot; she said. 
 
Ganguly also called on protest organisers to take steps to deter supporters from engaging in violence, including attacks on law enforcement officers. 
 
The HRW said in a statement while law enforcement officials have a duty to protect lives and property, they should use non-violent means as far as possible and use lethal force only when absolutely necessary to save lives. 
 
The authorities should not only investigate the use of firearms that resulted in death and injury, but also the use of pellet guns, which can cause serious injury when fired at close range or at an individual&#39;s eyes, it said. 
 
The findings of the investigation should be public and result in appropriate disciplinary action or prosecution. 
 
(PTI)

Human Rights Watch wants investigation into use of pellet guns which can cause serious injury when fired at close range

India should conduct an impartial probe into the use of lethal force by police during the violent protests following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in Kashmir and ensure that basic human rights are protected, a leading human rights body has said. "A major grievance of those protesting in Kashmir is the failure of authorities to respect basic human rights," Human Rights Watch (HRW) South Asia director Meenakshi Ganguly said in a statement. "Ensuring that rights are protected and prosecuting those responsible for abuses would be an important first step," she said. HRW said Indian authorities should credibly and impartially investigate police use of lethal force during the violent protests in Jammu & Kashmir that ensued since the killing of Hizb militant Wani last week. "Rock-throwing at demonstrations is serious but does not provide police a free pass to use force against protesters," Ganguly said in a statement. "The Indian authorities need to send a clear message that lethal force is only an option when a life is at imminent risk, and those misusing force will be held accountable," she said. Ganguly also called on protest organisers to take steps to deter supporters from engaging in violence, including attacks on law enforcement officers. The HRW said in a statement while law enforcement officials have a duty to protect lives and property, they should use non-violent means as far as possible and use lethal force only when absolutely necessary to save lives. The authorities should not only investigate the use of firearms that resulted in death and injury, but also the use of pellet guns, which can cause serious injury when fired at close range or at an individual's eyes, it said. The findings of the investigation should be public and result in appropriate disciplinary action or prosecution. (PTI)

Probe use of lethal force in Kashmir: Rights group to India

Two leading human rights groups urged UN member-states today to suspend Saudi Arabia from the UN Human Rights Council over the killing of civilians in Yemen and repression at home. 
 
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch (HRW) said they would begin lobbying the UN General Assembly to hold a vote on suspending Saudi Arabia from the Geneva-based council, even though they admitted this was a long shot. 
 
&quot;Over the past few months, Saudi Arabia has gone beyond the pale and does not deserve anymore to sit on the Human Rights Council,&quot; said HRW deputy director Philippe Bolopion. 
 
Human Rights Watch accused Riyadh of targeting civilians in the war in Yemen, using cluster bombs banned by international conventions and laying siege to ports to prevent basic goods from reaching Yemen. 
 
The joint appeal again put the spotlight on Saudi Arabia, which has been leading an Arab coalition carrying out air strikes against Huthi rebels and their allies who seized much of Yemen. 
 
The coalition is supporting Yemen&#39;s President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi in a war that the UN says has killed more than 6,400 people, about half of them civilians since March 2015. 
 
&quot;Saudi Arabia is in a league of its own,&quot; Bolopion told a news conference, adding that the kingdom is &quot;getting away with murder in a way that no other country has been able to do.&quot; 
 
The rights groups charged that Saudi Arabia had used its position as a council member to block an independent international investigation of war crimes in Yemen. 
 
Riyadh pressured UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to remove the coalition from a blacklist of child rights violators by threatening to withdraw funding to UN aid programs. 
 
Saudi Arabia has denied using pressure tactics and insists the coalition is not deliberately targeting civilians in Yemen. 
Saudi foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir dismissed the accusations as &quot;outrageous.&quot; 
 
&quot;The coalition is very cautious in selecting targets. We do not harm civilians,&quot; the minister told reporters in Paris.Amnesty International said the Saudi government had brutally cracked down on dissent at home and resorts to executions for offenses that under international law are not punishable by the death penalty. 
 
Since 2013, all prominent human rights defenders in Saudi Arabia have been either thrown into prison, threatened into silence or have fled the country, said Richard Bennett, Amnesty`s UN director. 
 
Saudi Arabia was elected by the assembly in 2013 to sit on the 47-member council and a two-thirds majority would be needed to remove it from the body, which the rights groups and UN diplomats admitted would be unlikely. 
 
Libya is the only country ever to suspended from the council by a vote held in 2011 to protest Moamer Kadhafi`s violent crackdown on protesters. 
 
The rights groups said Saudi Arabia had managed to get away with such violations because of support from the United States and Britain. 
 
HRW&#39;s director for the Middle East, Sarah Leah Whitson, said the United States and Britain had &quot;crossed the threshold to be part of this war&quot; in Yemen by supplying weapons and supporting operations. 
 
The rights group is asking the Pentagon to provide information on how it is supporting the coalition with the choice of targets, said Whitson. 
 
This form of military assistance would make the United States complicit in war crimes, she said. 
 
(AFP)

The groups accuse Riyadh of targeting civilians in the Yemen war & laying seige to the country's ports, blocking basic goods from getting in

Two leading human rights groups urged UN member-states today to suspend Saudi Arabia from the UN Human Rights Council over the killing of civilians in Yemen and repression at home. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch (HRW) said they would begin lobbying the UN General Assembly to hold a vote on suspending Saudi Arabia from the Geneva-based council, even though they admitted this was a long shot. "Over the past few months, Saudi Arabia has gone beyond the pale and does not deserve anymore to sit on the Human Rights Council," said HRW deputy director Philippe Bolopion. Human Rights Watch accused Riyadh of targeting civilians in the war in Yemen, using cluster bombs banned by international conventions and laying siege to ports to prevent basic goods from reaching Yemen. The joint appeal again put the spotlight on Saudi Arabia, which has been leading an Arab coalition carrying out air strikes against Huthi rebels and their allies who seized much of Yemen. The coalition is supporting Yemen's President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi in a war that the UN says has killed more than 6,400 people, about half of them civilians since March 2015. "Saudi Arabia is in a league of its own," Bolopion told a news conference, adding that the kingdom is "getting away with murder in a way that no other country has been able to do." The rights groups charged that Saudi Arabia had used its position as a council member to block an independent international investigation of war crimes in Yemen. Riyadh pressured UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to remove the coalition from a blacklist of child rights violators by threatening to withdraw funding to UN aid programs. Saudi Arabia has denied using pressure tactics and insists the coalition is not deliberately targeting civilians in Yemen. Saudi foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir dismissed the accusations as "outrageous." "The coalition is very cautious in selecting targets. We do not harm civilians," the minister told reporters in Paris.Amnesty International said the Saudi government had brutally cracked down on dissent at home and resorts to executions for offenses that under international law are not punishable by the death penalty. Since 2013, all prominent human rights defenders in Saudi Arabia have been either thrown into prison, threatened into silence or have fled the country, said Richard Bennett, Amnesty`s UN director. Saudi Arabia was elected by the assembly in 2013 to sit on the 47-member council and a two-thirds majority would be needed to remove it from the body, which the rights groups and UN diplomats admitted would be unlikely. Libya is the only country ever to suspended from the council by a vote held in 2011 to protest Moamer Kadhafi`s violent crackdown on protesters. The rights groups said Saudi Arabia had managed to get away with such violations because of support from the United States and Britain. HRW's director for the Middle East, Sarah Leah Whitson, said the United States and Britain had "crossed the threshold to be part of this war" in Yemen by supplying weapons and supporting operations. The rights group is asking the Pentagon to provide information on how it is supporting the coalition with the choice of targets, said Whitson. This form of military assistance would make the United States complicit in war crimes, she said. (AFP)

Amnesty, Human Rights Watch want Saudi Arabia off UN Human Rights Council

Gambian authorities have acknowledged that prominent opposition activist Solo Sandeng died after his arrest in April, Human Rights Watch and the slain campaigner&#39;s lawyer said on Friday. 
 
UN chief Ban Ki-moon had demanded an investigation into the reported death of Sandeng, a senior figure in the main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP). 
 
He was detained after taking part in a rare demonstration calling for the resignation of President Yahya Jammeh. 
 
His death - which Amnesty International says came after he was tortured - sparked further protests and arrests. 
 
Human Rights Watch (HRW) told AFP that UDP sources and the party chief&#39;s lawyers confirmed the government had officially acknowledged the death in court. 
 
A lawyer for Sandeng&#39;s family confirmed the move, adding that it came in an affidavit as they seek to secure the return of his body. 
 
&quot;Even if he is dead, his body should be produced by the state,&quot; the lawyer said. 
 
In a copy of the affidavit seen by AFP, intelligence chief Saihou Omar Jeng acknowledges that Sandeng &quot;unfortunately lost his life&quot; during the &quot;process of arrest and detention&quot;. 
 
&quot;The government has accordingly set in motion an inquiry surrounding his death,&quot; it adds. 
 
Jim Wormington, West Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch, said this explanation was not good enough. 
 
&quot;The Gambian government&#39;s recognition that Solo Sandeng died during his arrest and detention is a first step in ensuring accountability for those responsible,&quot; he told AFP. 
 
&quot;But the government&#39;s explanation of the circumstances of Sandeng&#39;s death have so far been wholly inadequate.&quot; 
 
Jammeh, who came to power in a 1994 coup, rules the Gambia with an iron fist. 
 
His regime is regularly accused by rights groups of making opponents forcibly disappear. 
 
Last month he blasted the UN and Amnesty International for demanding an investigation into Sandeng&#39;s death, saying they could &quot;go to hell&quot;. 
(AFP)

Sandang's family seek return of his body, Human Rights Watch researcher says government's explanation is not good enough

Gambian authorities have acknowledged that prominent opposition activist Solo Sandeng died after his arrest in April, Human Rights Watch and the slain campaigner's lawyer said on Friday. UN chief Ban Ki-moon had demanded an investigation into the reported death of Sandeng, a senior figure in the main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP). He was detained after taking part in a rare demonstration calling for the resignation of President Yahya Jammeh. His death - which Amnesty International says came after he was tortured - sparked further protests and arrests. Human Rights Watch (HRW) told AFP that UDP sources and the party chief's lawyers confirmed the government had officially acknowledged the death in court. A lawyer for Sandeng's family confirmed the move, adding that it came in an affidavit as they seek to secure the return of his body. "Even if he is dead, his body should be produced by the state," the lawyer said. In a copy of the affidavit seen by AFP, intelligence chief Saihou Omar Jeng acknowledges that Sandeng "unfortunately lost his life" during the "process of arrest and detention". "The government has accordingly set in motion an inquiry surrounding his death," it adds. Jim Wormington, West Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch, said this explanation was not good enough. "The Gambian government's recognition that Solo Sandeng died during his arrest and detention is a first step in ensuring accountability for those responsible," he told AFP. "But the government's explanation of the circumstances of Sandeng's death have so far been wholly inadequate." Jammeh, who came to power in a 1994 coup, rules the Gambia with an iron fist. His regime is regularly accused by rights groups of making opponents forcibly disappear. Last month he blasted the UN and Amnesty International for demanding an investigation into Sandeng's death, saying they could "go to hell". (AFP)

Gambia admits activist Solo Sandeng died in detention