“If we lose sight of Human Rights, we lose everything, not just for the oppressed, but for humanity itself.“ 

By Moslem Boushehrian, Lecturer in Criminology * Fairfield School of Business, Croydon Campus 

It should take only 6 to 8 minutes to read this post. 

In a world where geopolitical tensions dominate headlines, the importance of Human Rights as a universal and uncompromising principle must remain central to our collective conscience. Yet, reality paints a different picture, one where Human Rights are applied selectively, shaped by power, politics, and the ability to control the narrative. 

The prosecution of a former Syrian prison officer for delivering torture to Syrian prisoners, as highlighted in a BBC report (BBC News, 2024), stands as a rare instance of accountability. It is significant not because justice was served but because it underscores the glaring contrast in how responsibility is assigned. The United States, during its War on Terror, engaged in the systematic torture of detainees in facilities such as Guantánamo Bay and CIA black sites. Practices like waterboarding, stress positions, and prolonged isolation were rebranded as “enhanced interrogation methods” to evade accountability (Senate Intelligence Committee, 2014). However, changing the name did not change the reality: these actions were, and remain, violations of international law (UN Human Rights Council, 2020; International Criminal Court, 2015).  

The tragedy is not confined to acts of torture but extends to the lives of those fleeing its consequences. Conflicts in Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan forced millions to seek refuge in safer lands. Yet, their arrival in Europe was met with suspicion, exclusion, and rhetoric that stemmed from a deeper prejudice. For example, refugees from the Middle East were described by some European leaders as “not looking like us” (Bayoumi, 2022) or as culturally incompatible, dismissing their suffering as irrelevant or undeserving (Amnesty International, 2016). Policies were tightened, borders hardened, and inflammatory rhetoric further excluded those fleeing wars in Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Empathy was reserved for those seen as “familiar,” deepening divisions and reinforcing narratives of cultural incompatibility. 

Contrast this with the response to Ukrainian refugees fleeing the war in 2022. Doors were flung open, visas expedited, and humanitarian efforts celebrated as a moral obligation. While the compassion shown to Ukrainians is commendable, the disparity reveals a deeply uncomfortable truth: human worth is too often viewed through the lens of race, geography, and identity (UNHCR, 2022). The suffering of Syrians, Iraqis, and Afghans is no less valid, yet their humanity was undermined by a narrative that framed them as other. 

The same selective application of Human Rights manifests in responses to global conflicts. The Russian invasion of Ukraine was met with swift and decisive condemnation from Western governments. Sanctions were imposed, military aid was provided, and Russia’s actions were denounced as war crimes (United Nations, 2022). Yet, in the case of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, a different logic prevails. Despite overwhelming evidence of civilian suffering, including the destruction of entire families, hospitals, and vital infrastructure, the response has been muted. Arms sales continue, calls for a ceasefire are delayed, and the devastation is framed as an exercise of Israel’s “right to self-defence” (Amnesty International, 2024). 

A recent 2024 Amnesty International report rejects this framing outright, stating that Israel’s actions amount to genocide under international law (Amnesty International, 2024). The report highlights the deliberate and disproportionate targeting of civilians, collective punishment, and violations that strip people of their right to exist with dignity. And yet, Western leaders continue to echo the narrative of self-defence, undermining their own professed commitment to Human Rights. The mantra “Never Again,” used to honour the victims of the Holocaust, rings hollow when genocide unfolds before our eyes, and those who raise their voices are dismissed and labelled as terrorist sympathisers, extremists, or antisemitic, and unqualified to judge. 

This selective accountability diminishes the very foundation of Human Rights. The danger lies not just in taking sides but in allowing the humanity of one group to be erased in order to justify war, violence, or exclusion. Human Rights are not, and must never be, about “us vs. them,” the West vs. the East, or the powerful vs. the powerless. They are about ensuring that every individual, regardless of nationality, religion, or race, is recognised as inherently deserving of dignity, protection, and justice. 

To lose sight of this truth is to lose our shared humanity. We cannot allow Human Rights to be dictated by convenience, power, or geopolitical alliances. If we uphold them only when it suits our interests, then we have already failed. The responsibility lies with all of us, as academics, as citizens, and as global communities, to challenge hypocrisy, resist selective narratives, and demand accountability wherever injustice occurs. 

If we lose sight of Human Rights, we lose everything, not just for the oppressed but for humanity itself. 

References 

Amnesty International (2016) Refugees and Migrants: Europe’s Shameful Failure to Protect. Available at: https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2016/02/refugees-and-migrants-europes-shameful-failure-to-protect/  

Amnesty International (2024) Israel’s apartheid against Palestinians: A cruel system of domination and a crime against humanity. Available at: https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/mde15/8668/2024/en/  

Bayoumi, M. (2022). They are ‘civilised’ and ‘look like us’: the racist coverage of Ukraine. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/mar/02/civilised-european-look-like-us-racist-coverage-ukraine 

BBC News (2024) Former Syrian prison officer prosecuted for war crimes. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwypnql4z3eo  

Senate Intelligence Committee (2014) Committee Study of the Central Intelligence Agency’s Detention and Interrogation Program. Available at: https://www.intelligence.senate.gov/sites/default/files/publications/CRPT-113srpt288.pdf  

United Nations (2022) Report on Russian war crimes in Ukraine. Available at: https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/04/1115752  

UNHCR (2022) Solidarity with Ukrainian refugees. Available at: https://www.unhcr.org/ukraine-emergency.html