In August the National Transitional Council of Libya [official website, in Arabic] transferred its power [JURIST report] to the newly elected interim legislature, marking a significant step toward the country's democratic development since the Libya conflict [JURIST backgrounder]. The UN welcomed the transition [UN News Centre report] and reiterated its support for Libya's move toward democracy. The national assembly was elected [CFR report] in July, and the draft of the electoral law was finalized in February after the earlier version was revised [JURIST report] to address criticisms of the public. UNSMIL welcomed the new electoral law [JURIST report], commenting that the country is coming closer to a democratic society. Libya was criticized in January [JURIST report] for allegations of torture and human rights violations, and the country remains fragile in transition.

Both sides have tried to resolve the dispute without litigation, but their settlement agreement was rejected [JURIST report] by Circuit Judge Denny Chin in March 2011. The agreement was reached in 2008 between Google and plaintiffs including the Guild, who brought the copyright suit [JURIST reports] in 2005. The agreement stated that Google would pay $125 million to the authors and publishers of copyrighted works in exchange for the permission to display up to 20 percent of the work online. The court reasoned that the settlement agreement would allow Google too much freedom to exploit copyrighted works in the future. Chin's ruling came a month after he had delayed his decision [JURIST report] because he was not ready.

Also Monday Human Rights Watch (HRW) [advocacy website] reported that anti-government forces in Syria are committing war crimes [JURIST report], including torture and extrajudicial and summary executions, and requested that the UN Security Council (UNSC) [official website] refer the matter to the ICC. Earlier this month the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) [official website] called for increased aid [JURIST report] for the 2.5 million Syrians affected by the ongoing civil uprising against President Bashar al-Assad [JURIST news archive]. Last month UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon requested an immediate investigation [JURIST report] into civilian deaths in Syria. Earlier in August the UN Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS) ceased its work [JURIST report] in the country, with UN Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Edmund Mulet stating that the mission's work had to be stopped because the two conditions required by the UN Security Council to renew the UNSMIS mandate—the cessation of the use of heavy weapons and the reduction in violence from all sides—were not met. Also in August UNSMIS chief Lieutenant General Babacar Gayee expressed concern [JURIST report] about the growing number of civilian casualties in violent clashes between government forces and armed opposition groups. In June a UN commission stated that Syrian forces may have been responsible [JURIST report] for the killing of more than 100 civilians in Al-Houla in May. Assad denied [JURIST report] the allegations stating that "not even monsters" would carry out the attacks.

ICC Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said in July that her office was opening a preliminary examination [JURIST report] of the recent violence in Mali, after the ICC received a letter from Malian government officials requesting an ICC investigation. Malian Justice Minister Malick Coulibaly said earlier that month that he would ask the ICC to open an investigation [JURIST report]. In May Amnesty International reported that Mali was facing its worst human rights crisis [JURIST report] since it gained independence in 1960. Human Rights Watch released a similar report in April claiming that all sides to the conflict are committing war crimes [JURIST report]. All of this has come after Malian soldiers took control of the government [JURIST report] and suspended the constitution in March. Many in the international community have expressed concern over the situation, including the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, Navi Pillay and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees [JURIST reports]. The turmoil began when Tuareg rebels attacked Malian soldiers [Al Jazeera report].

Earlier this month Myanmar's parliament passed a new foreign investment law [JURIST report] after months of debate and modifications, including a requirement that foreign investors contribute at least US$5 million when engaging in joint ventures with local businesses. Thein Sein opposed the minimum contribution requirement and other provisions of the bill because he believed they would discourage foreign investment in the country. Despite recent reforms oppression and sectarian violence remain in Myanmar. Last month Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) released a report concluding that Myanmar's army is still committing human rights abuses [JURIST report] against ethnic minorities in Karen state. Also that month the country sentenced two UN staff members [JURIST report] to prison for their involvement in sectarian violence. That was one week after Thein Sein announced creation of a 27-member commission [JURIST report] to investigate causes of the violence. Also in August HRW accused Myanmar forces of committing multiple human rights violations [JURIST report] following an outbreak of sectarian violence.

Last week HRW released a report detailing the plights of Kazakh oil workers who face mistreatment and repression [JURIST report] at the hands of the government and oil companies. The report accuses authorities and three companies operating in the oil and gas sector in western Kazakhstan of restricting workers' rights to freedom of assembly, association and expression. A week earlier HRW called on the government of Pakistan [JURIST report] to ensure that minority Shia Muslims [Islam Awareness backgrounder] in Pakistan are protected from attacks by Sunni militant groups, noting that attacks against Shia communities have increased recently and that 320 Shia have been killed in targeted attacks in 2012.

Earlier this month the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) [official website] called for increased aid [JURIST report] for the 2.5 million Syrians affected by the ongoing civil uprising against President Bashar al-Assad [JURIST news archive]. Last month UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon requested an immediate investigation [JURIST report] into civilian deaths in Syria. Earlier in August the UN Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS) ceased its work [JURIST report] in the country, with UN Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Edmund Mulet stating that the mission's work had to be stopped because the two conditions required by the UN Security Council to renew the UNSMIS mandate—the cessation of the use of heavy weapons and the reduction in violence from all sides—were not met. Also in August UNSMIS chief Lieutenant General Babacar Gayee expressed concern [JURIST report] about the growing number of civilian casualties in violent clashes between government forces and armed opposition groups. In June a UN commission stated that Syrian forces may have been responsible [JURIST report] for the killing of more than 100 civilians in Al-Houla in May. Assad denied [JURIST report] the allegations stating that "not even monsters" would carry out the attacks.

At the beginning of August Reporters Without Borders (RSF) [advocacy website] reported that 20 bloggers and Internet writers were fined and sentenced to imprisonment in Oman. The charges in those cases [RSF report] ranged from illegal assembly and disturbing public order to defaming the sultan and of cyber-crime. In July an Omani court sentenced six human rights activists [JURIST report] to between 12 and 18 months in prison for social media posts that were deemed to be slander against the country's ruler. The Omani authorities have detained more than 30 individuals who have been protesting against the government demanding political reform, promoting human rights and calling for the release of human rights defenders whom Omani authorities have detained. In June the Gulf Center for Human Rights [advocacy website] urged [JURIST report] the government of Oman to release all human rights defenders who have been detained solely because of their legitimate human rights work, drop all charges against them, ensure security of the protesters in detention and take measures to protect human rights defenders when pursuing legitimate human rights activities from any harassment.