News

Controversial ‘witch hunter’ Helen Ukpabio comes to London

Channel 4 coverage of Ukpabio’s visit to London and WHRIN’s call for her to be deported. See here 

Violence Against Children Accused of Witchcraft – Statement by the Special Representative of the Secretary General on Violence Against Children

Violence Against Children Accused of Witchcraft, Statement by the Special Representative of the Secretary General on Violence Against Children – Marta Santos Pais –   Geneva, 10 March 2014. See full statement here

WHRIN Launches Report to UN – 21st Century Witchcraft Accusations and Persecution

Geneva, March 10th  2014 – WHRIN launches what may be the first ever report into the global scale of witchcraft accusations and persecution, muti killings and human sacrifice at the 25th session of the UN Human Rights Council. See full report here
Read more →

India: Odisha passes anti-witch hunting Bill

Bhubaneswar: In a bid to protect women from being branded witch through the prevailing hunting and other similar practices, the Assembly today unanimously passed the Odisha Prevention of Witch-Hunting Bill, 2013 with provisions of imprisonment up to seven years and penalty for offenders. Read more here 

Nigeria: Graphic photos: 6-man gang arrested for ritual murders in Imo state

The Nkwerre Vigilante Network this week arrested a six-man gang specialized in the sale of human parts for rituals and transplant in Nkwerre, Imo State. The men confessed to kidnapping their victims at various locations in the state and using their parts for ritual purposes. Some parts they sold to people who needed them for transplant.  Read more here 

India: HC notice to Assam govt to check witch-hunting

GUWAHATI: Gauhati high court on Friday issued a notice on the Assam government to submit its action taken report on stopping the rampant cases of witch-hunting in the state.

The HC asked the social welfare department, Assam State Women’s Commission and several other departments, besides Assam Police, to file their reply by January 24 next year. Read more here 

India: Odisha woman tortured for witchcraft, two held

A man and his wife were arrested Monday in Odisha‘s Ganjam district for torturing their daughter-in-law for allegedly practicing sorcery, police said. Read more here 

Radio Australia: More police one answer to sorcery killings in PNG

Listen to report here 

Tanzania: Superstitions Hamper Fight Against Gender Violence in Zanzibar

Witchcraft and superstition beliefs are also hampering campaign against gender violence in the islands, which has vowed to spare no efforts in the anti gender violence campaign.

Some of the worst incidences of gender violence have been linked to ‘superstition, and witchcraft.’ Gender activists says that the beliefs are causing more harm than good, and people are scared to speak about abuses because some perpetrators are ‘spiritually’ protected and can harm whoever speaks badly against them. Read more here

India: Tribal woman branded witch

UDAIPUR: Yet another case of a tribal woman being abused and beaten up by gangs on allegations of witch craft has drawn attention of the district administration here. A 20-year-old married woman from Malva Ka Choura village of Bekariya in Kotra tehsil adjoining the Gujarat border, has been allegedly beaten up by a group of men who branded her as a witch. Read more here