Changes

<ref>HRW has a full-time staff of 190 employees worldwide and a budget of approximately $22 million per year. [http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/groupProfile.asp?grpid=6258 Discover the Networks] </ref>

HRW mainly criticizes the [[United States]]<ref>Discover the Networks-A guide to the liberal Left,http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/groupProfile.asp?grpid=6258</ref> and [[Israel]].<ref> “Human Rights Watch shows a disturbing disparity in its treatment of Israel and China.” Gerald M. Steinberg(head of the Program on Conflict Management at Bar Ilan University and is the editor of NGO Monitor.) May 2006 http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=YzdkNDA3NTY4ZmMwMzFmNWYwYTBkMWU4MzFiMTMxNGM </ref>

As [[conservative]] author and [[human rights]] activist [[David Horowitz]] stated, Human Rights Watch is a "reflexive Israel-basher … who, in his zest to pillory Israel at every turn, is little more than an ally of the barbarians".<ref> Rosa Brooks on Criticism of Human Rights Watch, Kevin Jon Heller, http://www.opiniojuris.org/posts/1157149379.shtml</ref>

[[Alan M. Dershowitz]], <ref>Alan Dershowitz bio,http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alan-dershowitz/#blogger_bio</ref> professor of law at Harvard Law School and one of the most distinguished defenders of individual rights, wrote regarding HRW, {{Cquote|"Who will guard the guardians?" asked Roman satirist Juvenal. Now we must ask, who is watching Human Rights Watch, one of the world's best-financed and most influential human rights organizations? It turns out that they cook the books about facts, cheat on interviews, and put out pre-determined conclusions that are driven more by their ideology than by evidence. These are serious accusations, and they are demonstrably true……... Human Rights Watch no longer deserves the support of real human rights advocates. Nor should its so-called reporting be credited by objective news organizations.” <ref>Alan Dershowitz,[ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alan-dershowitz/the-human-rights-watch-_b_27701.html “The "Human Rights Watch" Watch, Installment 1”] </ref>" }}

Human Rights Watch (HRW) was founded under the name, “Helsinki Watch.” Its original goal was to monitor the [[Soviet]]'s adherence to human rights provisions in the [[Helsinki Accords]]. In 1980, the organization started to develop a number of “Watch” committees in [[America]], [[Asia]], and [[Africa]]. <ref> Discover the Networks, http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/groupProfile.asp?grpid=6258</ref>

Jeri Laber, one of the founders of HRW, stated, "Americas Watch reports … were eagerly read in the United States by people who deplored the Reagan policies." <ref> Discover the Networks, http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/groupProfile.asp?grpid=6258</ref> Critics claimed that Human Rights Watch painted a bad picture of the freedom fighters in Latin America, while glossing over the abuses of their communist governments. In 1980, [[Turkey]] began a major [[military]] campaign against a [[Kurdish]] terrorist group, the [[PKK]]. HRW documented the violations caused by the Turkish forces in their efforts, highlighting the abuses in the justice system, and use of [[torture]] by the government. In 1994 HRW’s “African Watch” covered the [[genocide]] in [[Rwanda]].,<ref> Human Rights Watch, “Rawanda”,1994, http://www.hrw.org/reports/1995/WR95/AFRICA-08.htm#P397_139563</ref> , Their work documenting the atrocities in the region later won them praise from Karel Kovanda, the [[Czech Republic]]'s ambassador to the [[United Nations]], who stated in 2004, “I already knew the track record of Human Rights Watch in its work in my own country. I had every reason to believe that the organization was equally meticulous and well-informed on Rwanda.”<ref> Karel Kovanda, Czech ambassador to the [[United Nations]], 2004,http://hrw.org/about/what_they_say.html </ref>

In 1998, Human Rights Watch united all of its “Watch” groups under the United States based HRW in 1988. They led the effort of non-governmental organizations in pressuring the United States to enter [[Kosovo]] to stop the 'genocide'. When [[NATO]] and the United States began their operation, HRW was one of the most critical organizations of its handling. They frequently wrote articles on the abuses carried out by the United States in their use of [[Cluster Bombs]]. <ref> HRW, “NATO's Use of Cluster Munitions in Yugoslavia”, 1999, http://www.hrw.org/campaigns/kosovo98/cluster.shtml </ref>After [[9-11|September 11, 2001]] terrorist attacks on the United States, HRW called for the United States to settle the terrorist attacks as a legal matter, rather then using military force to wipe out the [[Taliban]]. <ref> Discover the Networks, http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/groupProfile.asp?grpid=6258</ref> HRW endorsed the [[Civil Liberties Restoration Act of 2004]] ,<ref>Summary: Civil Liberties Restoration Act of 2004by The Rights Working Group, http://www.bordc.org/threats/legislation/clrasummary.php</ref>,a bill that would take away vital tools that the United States enacted after the September 11th attacks. HRW has been critical of both of the United States recent operations in [[Iraq]] and [[Afghanistan]]. A HRW report alleged that there was, “excessive use of force by U.S. troops.” They state that they were, "deeply concerned about the consistent reports we are getting about women, children and unarmed civilians being killed." Even though they admitted that they did not have complete reports from the ground in Iraq. <ref> Discover the Networks, http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/groupProfile.asp?grpid=6258</ref>

In 2006, HRW greatly criticized [[Israel]]’s defense against the terrorist group [[Hezbollah]]. They created a report entitled, “Israel's Indiscriminate Attacks Against Civilians in Lebanon.” <ref> “Israel's Indiscriminate Attacks Against Civilians in Lebanon.” Human Rights Watch, August 2006, http://hrw.org/reports/2006/lebanon0806/lebanon0806web.pdf</ref>Critics also stated that HRW also defended the terrorist organization. In a 2006 report they stated that there was no evidence of Hezbollah’s use of civilians as human shields, this was obviously not true. <ref>Alan Dershowitz,[ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alan-dershowitz/the-human-rights-watch-_b_27701.html “The "Human Rights Watch" Watch, Installment 1”] </ref>HRW started campaigning for the United States to intervene in Darfur, Sudan, to end the atrocities committed in the region. Over its years, HRW has been embraced by the left, well being deplored by conservatives and supporters of Israel. HRW wrote president, [[George Bush]], and asked him to release prisoners that he was holding in “secret prisons”, they also called on him to stop the use of [[Guantanamo Bay]] as a U.S. [[prison]] for captured [[terrorist]]. The organization’s director, Kenneth Roth, claimed that the United States has lost its credibility on human rights. "The trend is bleak, but not irreversible," <ref> Kenneth Roth, Washington Post, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/11/AR2007011101658.html</ref> Roth stated in a report in 2007. The organizations credibility has been brought into serious question.

==Founders==

|Neier worked 15 years at the liberal [[American Civil Liberties Union]] (ACLU). He currently serves as President of the [[Open Society Institute (OSI)]], a foundation funded by liberal [[George Soros]], who was also OSI’s founder. <ref> “Open Society Institute”, Discover the Networks, http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/funderprofile.asp?fndid=5181&category=79</ref> Neier was co-founder of [[Students for a Democratic Society]] in 1959 while he was acting Director of the [[League for Industrial Democracy]].<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z5_hgLHYUiwC&pg=PR20|last1=Neier|first1=Aryeh|title=Taking Liberties: Four Decades in the Struggle for Rights|date=2003|publisher=Public Affairs/Perseus Books |location=Cambridge, MA|isbn=1586482912|pages=Introduction:xx|quote=As director of LID, I decided to try to invigorate its student division. One step in that direction was to rename it.}}</ref>

|As a former graduate of their school of [[journalism]], Scheell now stands as Dean of the [[University of California]], Berkley. Schell is a liberal and claims to be a "Discontented [[Democrat]]." <ref> Discover the Networks, http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/groupProfile.asp?grpid=6258</ref>

==Political Position==

Evan though HRW claims that it is a “non-partisan” human rights group, many of the views held by HRW reflect those of [[American]] [[liberal]]s. They believe that [[abortion]] is “first and foremost a human right<ref> Discover the Networks, http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/groupProfile.asp?grpid=6258</ref> " and support gay marriage. The organization is also a opponent "in all circumstances" of the [[death penalty]], stating that the death penalty is "a form of punishment that is unique in its barbarity and finality<ref> Discover the Networks, http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/groupProfile.asp?grpid=6258</ref>

===Location=== In 1998, Human Rights Watch united the international organization in United States. They based their main organization headquarters on 350 Fifth Avenue St, New York. HRW has anchored offices in major United States cities, including, [[Chicago]], [[New York]], [[Washington D.C.]], [[Los Angeles]], and [[San Francisco]].<ref>Locations of Human Rights Watch, http://www.hrw.org/contact.html </ref>. They also created offices internationally in [[Brussels]], [[Geneva]], [[Berlin]], [[Toronto]], and [[London]]. The organization has been criticized for having a lack of [[diversity]] in headquarter locations. <ref> “Who’s Behind Human Rights Watch,”(2004), http://web.inter.nl.net/users/Paul.Treanor/HRW.html</ref> When on a assignment the "fact finding group" will, in some cases, make temporary headquarters in the conflict zone.

===Leadership=== Human Rights Watch consists of a Board of Directors and chairmen from five continents, along with three other boards which cover specific issues.<ref> Human Rights Watch Board and Committee’s, http://www.hrw.org/about/info/board.html </ref>. Each board consists of chairmen and co-chairmen, with exception of the board on “Terrorism and Counterterrorism.” The smallest board, “Terrorism and Counterterrorism,” consist of eight members, while the largest board consists of over forty members. Although the organization composed of 190 full time employees’, they also hire part time employee’s, bringing the number to 255 working employee's working for the organization.<ref>Human Rights Watch, “Frequently Asked Questions” http://www.hrw.org/about/faq/</ref>. HRW also has a ‘Counsel’, which can be joined by giving donations to the organization (usually $5,000), the counsel remains primarily symbolic. While this list of counsel members used to be confidential; it is now since open to the public.<ref> “Who’s Behind Human Rights Watch,”(2004), http://web.inter.nl.net/users/Paul.Treanor/HRW.html</ref>. The organizations main leadership role is held by the executive director. This position has been held, since 1993, by Kenneth Roth, a graduate of [[Yale Law School]], [[Brown University]], and former prosecutor.<ref> HRW website, Kenneth Roth, http://www.hrw.org/about/bios/kroth.htm </ref>.[[Bill O'Reilly]] called Roth, the “stand up man” for the organization, his job includes talking to the media and overseeing the organizations operations. <ref>O’Reilly Factor, 2004, http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,138990,00.html</ref>

HRW is a non-governmentally organization ([[NGO]]), which receives its funding from private donors and foundations. The organization claims that they do not accept money from government institutions. Its annual budget is 22 million, ten million behind [[Amnesty International]], another human rights monitoring group. In January of 2005, the Oakland-based Golden West Financial Corporation gave a grant of 15 million dollars over a five years period to the organization.,<ref> Foundation Center, 2005, http://foundationcenter.org/sanfrancisco/gitn/sf_gitn_010105.html</ref>, this was the largest contribution to the organization in its twenty-seven year history. Other contributors to the organization include; Ahmanson Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, Ford Foundation, Columbia Foundation, William and Floea Hewlett Foundation, John D. & Catherin T. MacArthur Foundation, Nathan Cummings foundation, Joyce Foundation, JEHT Foundation, J.M. Kaplan Fund, the Open Society Institute, the Davie and Lucile Packard Foundation, Righteous Persons Foundation, Rockefeller Brothers Fud, Scherman Foundation, and the Rockefellers Foundation.<ref> Discover the Networks, http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/groupProfile.asp?grpid=6258</ref> . HRW financial statements are made public on the organizations website.<ref> Financial Statements for Human Rights Watch, 2004- http://www.hrw.org/annual-report/finStmt2004.pdf, 2005- http://www.hrw.org/annual-report/finStmt2005.pdf, 2006- http://www.hrw.org/annual-report/finStmt2006.pdf </ref>.

. The site also gives HRW the ability to report up to the minute happenings when the situation calls for it. HRW has been criticized for having most of its reports and website in English only .<ref> “Who’s Behind Human Rights Watch,”(2004), http://web.inter.nl.net/users/Paul.Treanor/HRW.html</ref>.

==Criticism==

===Anti-Israel=== The Israeli conflict with the Palestinians and [[Hezbollah]] has brought about serious questions of HRW objectivity. During the span of four years, from October 2000 to April 2004, HWR wrote one-hundred and three reports, the vast majority of these reports condemned Israel.<ref>“NGOs Make War on Israel” Gerald M. SteinbergMiddle East Quarterly Summer 2004, http://www.meforum.org/article/633</ref>. During the same time the organization only wrote thirty highlighting the Palestinian terror attack.

In 2006, HRW released a 50 page report, "Fatal Strikes: Israel's Indiscriminate Attacks Against Civilians in [[Lebanon]]," which covered civilians deaths they claimed were caused by Israel in their conflict with the terrorist group [[Hezbollah]]. Israel stated that the many of the deaths were caused by Hezbollah’s use of civilian areas and human shields. HRW stated that there was no evidence that Hezbollah used human shields, but this notion was widely known as untrue. While focusing on Israel’s “indiscriminate bombing”, HRW failed to report significantly on Hezbollah’s launching of 2,000 rockets at civilian areas. HRW criticized Israel’s building of a fence in the [[West Bank]], calling it part of an "illegal" land grab.<ref>NGO Monitor, 2005, http://www.ngo-monitor.org/archives/news/HRWLetter-NYSun.htm</ref>. [[Anthony Weiner]], a Democrat Congressman, was shocked at the idiosyncrasy of the charges, he stated, "Given that the security fence has inarguably reduced [[terrorism]] and death by would-be Palestinian bombers, it seems any organization truly concerned about human rights should be supporting [[Israel]]'s right to construct it”.<ref>NGO Monitor, 2005, http://www.ngo-monitor.org/archives/news/HRWLetter-NYSun.htm</ref>. Even a liberal newsmagazine, [[The New Republic]], could not resist the slant of HRW coverage<ref> Rosa Brooks on Criticism of Human Rights Watch, Kevin Jon Heller, http://www.opiniojuris.org/posts/1157149379.shtml</ref>

Robert Bernstein is the founder and former chairman of Human Rights Watch. Bernstein is attacking the organization for “issuing reports on the Israeli-Arab conflict that are helping those who wish to turn Israel into a pariah state.” In addition, he pointed out that HRW has condemned Israel more than any other country. <ref>[http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/133954 ‘Human Rights Watch’ Founder Denounces His Group as Anti-Israel, Arutz Sheva, October 20, 2009 ]</ref>

===Hypocrisy=== Human Rights Watch has called on the [[United States]] to stop workplace discrimination on nationality and class inside the United States and other countries, but the organization does not even follow that standard, nearly hiring all of their employee's from American and English nationalities.<ref>http://www.antiwar.com/rep/treanor1.html</ref>. The Committee members for HRW also include only decisions makers from the upper-class, none from the middle-income class. Nearly all of the organizations articles and reports are produced in English, HRW claims that they are not produced in more languages because of the cost of translation. They have asked for volunteers to translate reports and documents. The organization has held double standard in its dealings in the [[Middle East]]. President of the Zionist Organization of America, Morton Klein, stated, "For Human Rights Watch to call on Israel and Jews not to live in Judea and Samaria is simply racist. Why is it that Arabs can live in Israel, and Arabs can live in the West Bank, and Jews cannot live in the West Bank?” .<ref>NGO Monitor, 2005,http://www.ngo-monitor.org/archives/news/HRWLetter-NYSun.htm</ref>.

In a 2006, HRW fights for Congress to enact reforms to U.S. immigration law to guarantee respect for the human rights and labor rights of non-citizens. These reforms should include measures that end discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and HIV-positive individuals. <ref>[http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2006/05/02/usdom13290.htm U.S. Immigration Law Inhumane to Same-Sex Couples] HRW, MAY 2, 2006</ref>

HRC complains that terrorists need the rights of the federal court process because the U.S. military tribunals are unfair. Jennifer Daskal of Human Rights Watch wants the focus to be on terrorists 'alleged' crimes. <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,463405,00.html Sept. 11 Defendants Want to Plead Guilty] Fox News, December 8, 2008</ref> A belief that terrorists who are caught on a battlefield have U.S. citizen rights, truly a liberal belief. Also, they advocate closing down Guantanamo detention facilities and the transfer of prisoners to the U.S. mainland.

==See Alsoalso==

==External Linkslinks==