Press Releases

Statement by Robert Bank, President and CEO of American Jewish World Service (AJWS) on Holding the Ugandan Government and Police Accountable for Human Rights Violations

  Background NEW YORK—On Thursday, August 4, police in Uganda raided a nightclub where an annual LGBTI pride celebration was taking place. In addition to brutalizing participants in the pride event, the police detained leaders of civil society organizations who are engaged in advocacy for the LGBTI community. This attack is part of an overall …

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Statement by Robert Bank, President and CEO of American Jewish World Service (AJWS), on the Death of Elie Wiesel, a Founding Board Member of AJWS

NEW YORK— Nobel Laureate, Holocaust survivor and author, Elie Wiesel, died today at age 87. Wiesel was a tireless advocate for the memory of the six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust, as well as for the human rights of persecuted people worldwide. Doggedly committed to applying the central moral lesson of the Holocaust to …

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U.N. Must Include Gay Men, Trans People, Sex Workers and People Who Inject Drugs in AIDS Conference

U.N. Decision to Exclude Organizations Representing Most At-Risk Populations from the U.N. AIDS Conference Is a “Narrow-Minded Decision that Places Politics and Prejudice above Public Health and Human Rights”; AIDS Epidemic Will Not End Unless Affected Populations Have a Seat at the Table Statement by Robert Bank, Incoming President of American Jewish World Service, in …

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Government of Myanmar Must Recognize the Rohingya People

Rights of Muslim Minority Won’t Be Honored if its Existence is Denied Statement by Robert Bank, Incoming President of American Jewish World Service: “As members of an ethnic minority whose own right to exist has been questioned throughout history, we call on the newly elected government of Myanmar to recognize the existence of its own …

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Witness to Berta Cáceres’ Murder Allowed to Return Home After Month-Long Detainment by Honduran Government

Leading Jewish international human rights organization continues to urge Honduran government to accept an independent, international investigation into Berta Cáceres’ assassination and protect all human rights defenders in the country New York, NY – American Jewish World Service (AJWS), the leading Jewish international development and human rights organization, applauds the release of environmental activist Gustavo …

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