The Human Rights Foundation promotes and defends human rights in Aotearoa New Zealand and abroad, through research-based education and advocacy.
US Apache helicopters captured footage of Afghan targets being shot at during a New Zealand SAS raid. The video footage released on Friday is part of a tranche of previously classified material released by the Hit & Run author Nicky Hager on Friday. A Government inquiry is inspecting claims made in the book Hit & Runthat New Zealand SAS soldiers killed six civilians
A revelation that insurgent commanders were present in villages raided by SAS troopers changes nothing, Hit & Run co-author Nicky Hager says. The confirmation from the Taliban commanders, published by Stuff and Hit & Run co-author Jon Stephenson on Wednesday, contradicts an account from Afghan villagers that no insurgents were present during the Operation Burnham raids. But both Hager and villagers’ lawyer say the new
Today, we have launched an appeal to raise funds to support the people who live in Naik and Khak Khudday Dad in Afghanistan – the alleged victims of New Zealand soldiers in Operation Burnham. DONATE NOW In August 2010, during raids by the New Zealand Defence Force and its allies on the villages of Naik
Concerns have been raised about a “power imbalance” between government agencies and community groups involved in a top-level inquiry into the Christchurch mosque shootings. The Islamic Women’s Council is meeting with the Royal Commission to discuss what it deems a lack of support through the process. The commission began hearing evidence on May 13 – including from government departments and
A human rights lawyer says the government has continuously let the Muslim community down and she doesn’t see that changing even with the Royal Commission into the mosque shootings. A public discussion in Auckland’s suburb of Ōtara yesterday saw academics, a lawyer and representatives of the Muslim community come together to discuss security issues after
Journalist Nicky Hager has launched a scathing attack on the Defence Force during a presentation to the Operation Burnham Inquiry, accusing it of not telling the full truth about its operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. The Inquiry, which is investigating allegations that six civilians were killed in Afghanistan during a New Zealand-led raid in 2010,
Reportedly most (and possibly all) of the Royal Commission investigation into the Christchurch mosque shootings will be closed to the general public and to the media. Oh sure, come delivery date in December there will be some kind of “public-facing” document containing conclusions and rationales, but there will have been no interim way of scrutinizing the
A group of mosque attack victims are angry Victim Support did not ask them how they wanted the millions of dollars it collected on their behalf to be distributed. Christchurch lawyer Andrew Oh is working pro bono to help the group of about 64 bereaved, seriously injured or traumatised victims get their voices heard. Read more at Stuff
The police watchdog says a police officer who drove more than 80kmh over the speed limit in pursuit of a fleeing driver should have been charged. In a statement, the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) said a criminal investigation should have been undertaken, as the officer could have been convicted for dangerous driving. The IPCA oversaw a police investigation
The United Nations Secretary General has given a nod to indigenous rangatahi in their fight for climate justice. Yesterday morning, rangatahi Māori activists made their way to Auckland Museum’s event centre for an unusual meeting. Te Ara Whatu, Aotearoa’s first indigenous youth delegation to the United Nations, joined climate minister James Shaw and other climate activists in
