March 26, 2012--Washington, DC--On Friday, Disability Rights International (DRI) and a coalition of partners from Mexico challenged the Mexican government at a hearing before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR). Eric Rosenthal, Executive Director of DRI, presented video evidence of torture in Mexico's psychiatric institutions, orphanages and other social care facilities. Please watch and share DRI's video testimony.

Washington, DC – March 20, 2012 – Disability Rights International (DRI) and a coalition of partners from Mexico will testify before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) at a public hearing this Friday.  DRI’s findings in Mexico are “deeply disturbing” said DRI Executive Director Eric Rosenthal, J.D., “and the Mexican government must be pressured to protect its most vulnerable citizens – those locked away for a lifetime because they have a disability – living in orphanages, psychiatric institutions and other social care facilities.”

Washington, DC - March 13, 2012 - The French government announced last week that it is "formally opposed" to the practice of "packing therapy" - a so-called treatment for children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders or psychosis, treated in an estimated 300 psychiatric and educational facilities across the country under the auspices of the French Ministry of Health. 

Washington, DC – February 23, 2012 - Disability Rights International (DRI) calls on the French government to end the barbaric and archaic practice of “packing therapy” – a so called treatment for children diagnosed with autism – and children with psychosis - treated in psychiatric and educational facilities managed by the French Ministry of Health across the country. 

Dear DRI Supporters,

Several weeks ago, I visited a baby house in Eastern Europe. It houses about 130 infants and small children, a third of whom are children with disabilities. Most babies are eventually returned to their birth parents, put into foster care or are adopted. But not the babies with disabilities. They have nowhere to go.

November 7, 2011-- Washington, DC -- This week we can celebrate a major victory against torture of people with disabilities in the United States.   The Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services (DDS) adopted new regulations last week that greatly restrict the intentional use of pain as a form of treatment - including the use of electric shock, seclusion, and restraints on young children and adults with disabilities.

The Colectivo Chuhcan: a new voice for people with psychosocial disabilities in Mexico 

Belgrade, Serbia--July 28, 2011-- Disability Rights International's partner in Serbia, Mental Disability Rights Initiative (MDRI-S), supported by a wide network of human rights and disability groups, succeeded this week in pressuring the European Union to back down from funding the reconstruction of six institutions for people with disabilities in Serbia.  The €5.1 million ($7.3 million USD) project has now been redrafted to support the creation of community services that allow children and adults to leave institutions and live in the community

Watch the ABC Nightline story or read the Guardian of London article on Israel's Indictments   Washington, DC -- May 26, 2011 -- Today, we can celebrate a small victory.

Washington, DC -- March 14, 2011 -- Last year, Disability Rights International published the report Torture not Treatment: Electric Shock and Long-Term Restraint in the United States on Children and Adults with Disabilities at the Judge Rotenberg Center. The report resulted in a top United Nations human rights official declaring that the school's practice of shocking children to control behavior was, in fact, torture--and a