Executive Summary On June 4, 2020, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) used force against protestors of police violence, arresting 263 people in the Mott Haven neighborhood of the South Bronx. Mott Haven is a predominantly Black and Latinx community that historically has experienced high rates of poverty and homelessness. Since March 2020, the […]

Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) is deeply alarmed by reports of wide-ranging and severe human rights violations committed by Turkish forces in Syria, a devastating escalation in an eight-year conflict defined by the egregious corrosion of international human rights and humanitarian norms. According to reports from humanitarian organizations and news media, Turkish or Turkish-aligned forces […]

The fact sheets below describe the physical effects of chemical weapons agents (CWAs) and provide guidelines for medical professionals to correctly diagnose, treat, and document evidence of exposure to CWAs. Compiled from publicly available sources and vetted by experts in the field, the fact sheets are designed to synthesize and clearly communicate the pragmatic science […]

For the past seven years, the Syrian conflict has proven to be one of the most complex and brutal wars in recent history. Since 2011, the death toll has been immense and the amount of civilian suffering unimaginable. What makes this conflict especially horrifying is the infliction of constant and widespread human rights violations documented […]

Civilian areas in Khan Shaykhun were targeted with poisonous gases this morning. Initial rprts of 50 killed incl wmn & chldrn, 300+ injured. pic.twitter.com/ZQ6MAgsqNO — The White Helmets (@SyriaCivilDef) April 4, 2017 At a hospital in the Syrian town of Khan Sheikhoun, Dr. Zakariya had just started an early morning shift when dozens of patients […]

This article includes graphic scenes of injury and death. As soon as he arrived on the scene, Bashar – a first responder with the Syrian Civil Defense or White Helmets – knew that this attack was unlike anything he had ever encountered. “Normally when we go to a strike location, there are body parts scattered […]

This post originally appeared in The Huffington Post. It’s been just three weeks since the UN Security Council adopted its latest resolution on the conflict in Syria, re-authorizing cross-border delivery routes for humanitarian aid and promising – once again – to take “further measures” if the parties to the conflict do not comply with international […]

Recent medical reports of chlorine gas attacks in Syria reveal a disturbing trend in the use of chemical warfare against civilians. At least 25 people reportedly suffered chemical exposure during attacks in Idlib just last week, and six people were killed – and dozens of others were wounded – in an attack on Sarmin village […]

As atrocities committed by the self-declared Islamic State (IS), also called ISIS or ISIL, dominate media headlines, we must not forget the civilians who have been suffering since long before IS gained a stronghold in parts of Syria and Iraq. We must remember the people whose lives James Foley, Steven Sotloff, and David Haines were […]

This post originally appeared in The Huffington Post. I had mixed emotions about the latest "good news" on humanitarian aid in Syria. The U.N. Security Council has passed a long overdue resolution that — if implemented — will save the lives of Syrians trapped in desperate circumstances by the war. That is a big if, […]

Full names have not been used in this post in order to protect individuals’ security. Dr. H has treated bombing casualties, chemical weapons survivors, and victims with bullet wounds – all standard cases in his field hospital in one of the opposition-controlled areas of Syria. Addressing these kinds of traumas day in and day out […]

As members of the Syrian government, opposition forces, and international actors gather for Geneva II – the latest round of peace negotiations – it is crucial that all parties prioritize the end of systematic violations on medical care and targeted blockades of civilian communities. Attacks on the health community in Syria have been so widespread […]

“I’m upset – feeling guilty for leaving colleagues working in extreme circumstances in Syria. But I will document the violations. That is my contribution.” – Syrian refugee doctor Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) is very fortunate to have the opportunity to meet and work with incredibly brave and talented health professionals, lawyers, and human rights […]

The health crisis in Syria has reached alarming proportions, threatening not only the Syrian population, but also its neighbors, and requires an immediate international response. While the international response to the Syria crisis has been effectively galvanized around the chemical weapon attacks and subsequent international inspections and destruction of stockpiles, a parallel potential crime against […]

The historic deal brokered by the United States and Russia facilitating Syria’s compliance with international chemical weapons norms has drawn wide attention from the international community. And while the work of the joint mission of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the United Nations (OPCW-UN) is critical to enhancing global security, dismantling […]

Three medical workers in Syria were injured in June when a bomb was deliberately dropped on their hospital, destroying its intensive care unit. Soon after, another hospital became a target – government forces raided the facility, destroyed the equipment, and harassed medical staff solely for doing their job of treating the wounded. Ambulance drivers delivering […]

In the late 1980’s Iraq’s army attacked Kurdish villages with poison gas. PHR documented the injuries and deaths of Kurdish civilians from these attacks, finding that Iraqi aircraft used bombs containing mustard gas and other lethal chemical agents.

Between July 11 and July 18, 1987, five public health specialists, organized by PHR, visited Seoul, South Korea, to study the effects of an unprecedented use of tear gas in that country against civilians in June and into July, 1987. This report details their findings. Download the full report here.