Human Rights Watch warns that Trump’s second term could escalate human rights abuses globally, citing migrant rights and authoritarianism concerns.
As US President-elect Donald Trump prepares to return to the White House, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has expressed deep concern over the potential erosion of freedoms at home and abroad. Tirana Hassan, Executive Director of the New York-based independent rights organisation, warned on Thursday that Trump’s second term could prove even more damaging than his first.
Speaking during the launch of HRW’s annual “World Report”, which reviews human rights practices in over 100 countries, Hassan criticised the Trump administration’s historical lack of commitment to human rights. “The Trump administration’s first term showed us what they’re capable of,” she said, pointing to policies that undermined migrant rights and set concerning precedents globally.
Particularly alarming, she noted, is Project 2025, a set of conservative policy proposals that includes plans for mass deportations of immigrants. Hassan cautioned that such initiatives could embolden autocratic leaders worldwide to adopt repressive measures, further straining global human rights protections.
While critical of Trump’s incoming administration, Hassan also took aim at outgoing President Joe Biden’s policies, specifically the US provision of arms to Israel during the Gaza conflict. She described this as a “blight” on Biden’s legacy, accusing his administration of failing to protect civilians despite evidence of alleged atrocities.
Israel denies committing atrocities in Gaza. Last month HRW said Israel had committed an act of genocide by depriving Gaza of water, an accusation Israel rejects.
The HRW report highlighted a troubling global landscape in 2024, citing humanitarian crises in Sudan, Ukraine, and Haiti, as well as authoritarian crackdowns in Russia and the African Sahel. However, Hassan pointed to resistance movements in countries like South Korea as evidence that standing against assaults on human rights is still possible.
“2024 was not a proud moment for the outgoing administration,” Hassan said, calling for renewed commitment to safeguarding human rights in the face of rising authoritarianism.
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The Trump team has yet to comment on HRW’s concerns, but Hassan’s warnings underscore the urgency of addressing the growing challenges to global freedoms.
