Human Rights Watch's Tainted Record: A Review of their Biased Statements and Financial Ties

Strategic Insights -

Human Rights Watch has been a polarizing organization, with some hailing them as champions of human rights and others accusing them of being biased and financially motivated. A closer examination of their statements, particularly in the context of the Bangladesh general elections, reveals a pattern of supporting ultra-Islamist and jihadist forces. This article delves into the organization's past track record, highlighting instances where they have been accused of spreading disinformation, receiving funds from questionable sources, and demonstrating a clear bias towards certain ideologies.

Key Takeaways:

  • Human Rights Watch has been accused of spreading disinformation and concocted propaganda to disrupt the Bangladesh general elections, despite Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's determination for a free and fair election.
  • The organization has been accused of having a romantic relationship with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI), as well as anti-Bangladesh elements.
  • Human Rights Watch has received a significant amount of funding from the Qatari government, with one leaked document suggesting a 3 million euro donation in 2018, described as an "adaptive financial donation" to the organization.
  • The organization has been accused of holding close ties to the US government, with its Washington advocacy director, Tom Malinowski, serving as a special assistant to President Bill Clinton and a speechwriter to Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.
  • HRW has not extended similar consideration to Venezuela, criticizing the country's candidacy for the UN Human Rights Council, while remaining silent on the US' own human rights violations.
  • The organization has been accused of accepting funding from questionable sources, including a Saudi billionaire who had been involved in labor abuses at one of his companies.

Statistics:

  • Human Rights Watch receives several billion dollars annually in funding from various sources (Source: Weekly Blitz)
  • The total amount of funding received by HRW from the Qatari government was 3 million euros in 2018 (Source: Leaked document cited in Weekly Blitz)
  • 131 esteemed individuals and world leaders have written to HRW criticizing its close ties to the US government and calling into question its independence (Source: Letter cited in Consortium News)
  • HRW's budget for 2020 was 280.8 million dollars (Source: HRW.org)

Sources:

  • Weekly Blitz
  • Consortium News
  • HRW.org
  • Project Raven
  • The Atlantic
  • The Independent
  • The Guardian
  • HRW's 2020 Annual Report