As a second wave mounts, migrants around the world are being persecuted.
26 August 2020
A refugee camp in Yemen | Peter Biro, EU
Saudi border guards killed dozens of Ethiopian refugees in April. But only now are details emerging.
As the pandemic struck in Yemen, Houthi groups forced thousands of Ethiopian migrants to the country’s northern border, claiming the virus as justification. They killed dozens in the process.
As the survivors arrived at the border, Saudi guards killed dozens more. Others fled into the mountains, spending days without food or water. Hundreds were then allowed into Saudi Arabia, only to be detained in conditions that Human Rights Watch described as “appalling”.
Around the world, the pandemic is being used to attack democracy, human rights and civil liberties – and, in some cases, human life itself. In this DemocracyWatch newsletter openDemocracy and SourceMaterial gather together cases from around the world. Please do share it with friends. Those with power across the world need to know they are being watched.
Stay safe,
Adam