The US Department of State released its annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices on Monday, amidst the seventy-fifth anniversary of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, or UDHR. The report emphasized “several new commitments, including to renew investments around the world in democracy and human rights, to help protect human rights defenders online, [...]
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Legislating Identity: A Critical Analysis of the Anti-LGBT Bills in Kenya and Ghana
Recent Afrobarometer survey data (Round 8, 2019-2021) paints a stark picture with 86% of Kenyans and 93% of Ghanaians expressing intolerance towards the LGBT community. This high level of intolerance exists despite the Universal Declaration of Human Rights guaranteeing non-discrimination based on sexual orientation. Furthermore, across Africa, laws criminalizing consensual same-sex sexual activity remain commonplace. [...]
UK charges parliamentary researcher and associate with espionage on behalf of China
British parliamentary researcher, Christopher Cash, 29, and Christopher Berry, 32, on Monday were charged with espionage under the Official Secrets Act 1911 for allegedly spying for China. The charges emerged as a result of a thorough investigation conducted by the UK’s Counter Terrorism Policing, who operate under the leadership of the Metropolitan Police, alongside the [...]
US Secretary of State to announce sanctions against IDF unit: Axios report
Axios reported Saturday that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to announce sanctions against the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) battalion “Netzah Yehuda” for human rights violations in the West Bank, according to three informed sources. The battalion is a special IDF unit mainly comprised of ultra-Orthodox soldiers. According to the report, the sanctions [...]
Is NOTA Enough? Exploring Options for Amplifying Voter Dissatisfaction in India Elections
With India launching into its 18th general elections on April 19, the imperative that voters turn out to the polls has dominated public discourse. As India is the world’s largest constitutional democracy, each citizen must responsibly and proactively participate in the process that will decide the next five years of the nation’s governance. The incumbent [...]
Georgia controversial 'foreign agent' bill passes first reading in Parliament
The Georgian Parliament passed the “transparency of foreign influence” bill in its first reading on Wednesday, according to Georgian news sources IMEDI News. The bill passed despite repeated calls from the EU to withdraw the legislation and mass domestic protests. During a session deliberating the bill’s passage on Monday, a brawl erupted during a speech [...]
US Senate dismisses impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas
The US Senate voted Wednesday to dismiss two articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. The US House of Representatives impeached Mayorkas in February over his handling of the migrant situation at the US-Mexico border. The articles of impeachment asserted that Mayorkas did not comply with his duties under the Immigration and Nationality [...]
Belgium police intervene at far-right event over concerns about public safety
Belgian police intervened at the National Conservatism Conference (NatCon) on Tuesday, following an order prohibiting the event. The order, issued by the mayor of the Brussels municipality of Saint-Joose-ten-Noode Emir Kir, was aimed at preventing public disorder. The conference, set for April 16 and 17, faced disruption on its first day due to the police [...]
Canada imposes additional sanctions on Belarus officials over ongoing human rights violations
Canada announced on Monday that it would impose additional sanctions on 21 Belarus officials under the Special Economic Measures (Belarus) Regulations. These sanctions come in response to the ongoing human rights violations occurring in Belarus since the 2020 presidential election. According to Global Affairs Canada’s statement, the sanctions serve as a response to the systematic [...]
Dr. Ganna Yudkivska is a force to be reckoned with in the world of international law and human rights. Her impressive career trajectory originated in a newly independent Ukraine and has since spanned continents and venerable institutions. She is a partner at Equity Law Firm, Vice-Chair of the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, [...]