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. [...]
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 [...]
Biden administration deports Haitians amid surging gang violence
The Biden administration reportedly sent over 70 Haitians back to their homeland on Thursday amid the nation’s ongoing struggle with gang violence. The move was met with condemnation from human rights organizations, like the Haitian Bridge Alliance (HBA), which condemned the move as “intentional violence.” The HBA and nearly 500 other human rights organizations previously [...]
ECHR upholds barring of Russia pop singer from Lithuania citing security concerns
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on Thursday upheld Lithuania’s barring of entry to Russian pop singer Philipp Kirkorov, citing concerns about his role as a tool for Russia’s propaganda in former Soviet States. The court used Lithuania’s Law on the Legal Status of Aliens to adjudicate on the legality of the decision. Article [...]
Human rights organization petitions ICC to investigate alleged genocide in Nagorno-Karabakh
The Center for Truth and Justice (CFTJ), a human rights organization based in Armenia, published a report Thursday purporting that acts of genocide have been committed in the Nagorno-Karabakh region since 2021. The region is located within Azerbaijan but has been under the control of Armenian forces since 1994 and is home to the breakaway [...]
US appeals court rules against former Republican consultant in foreign election contribution case
The US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit ruled against former Republican campaign consultant Jesse R. Benton on Friday, upholding Benton’s conviction for allegedly funneling $100,000 in campaign donations from a Russian businessman to his consulting firm. Of the $100,000, Benton was convicted of keeping $75,000 of the donation for himself and giving the [...]
The US vetoed Palestine’s application for full membership in the UN on Thursday. The veto came as the UN Security Council considered a resolution put forward by Algeria that would have granted Palestine full UN membership. The resolution received 12 votes in favor, more than the required 9, but the US used its veto to [...]
US appeals court finds West Virginia transgender sports ban violates anti-discrimination law
The US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ruled on Tuesday that West Virginia’s ban on transgender girls competing on girls’ sports teams violates a transgender student’s rights under Title IX. The law, which is known as the “Save Women’s Sports Act,” prohibits individuals who were assigned male at birth from competing on girls’ [...]
Azerbaijan asks ICJ to drop racial discrimination case started by Armenia
Azerbaijan asked the judges of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Monday to throw out the “racial discrimination” case started by Armenia in September 2021, where the latter accused Azerbaijan of discrimination and ethnic cleansing of Armenian people in violation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD). [...]