The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported on Thursday that over 125,000 Syrian refugees have returned to their homeland since the fall of the Assad regime. However, UNHCR issued warnings about the challenges these returnees face, emphasizing that while many are hopeful, the reality is stark and fraught with difficulties. [...]

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) released a statement on Wednesday announcing that Takeshi Ebisawa, allegedly a prominent figure in Japan’s Yakuza crime syndicate, has pleaded guilty to conspiring to traffic nuclear materials from Myanmar.  This admission comes amid a broader investigation into a complex international network involved in the trafficking of drugs, weapons, and [...]

The Lebanese government deported Abdulrahman Youssef al-Qardawi, an Egyptian-Turkish poet, to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Thursday, prompting accusations from Human Rights Watch (HRW) that the deportation was unlawful and intended to silence dissent. HRW expressed serious concerns regarding Abdulrahman’s safety, emphasizing that he faces a high risk of torture and an unfair trial [...]

Amnesty International (AI) issued a call on Wednesday for the Pakistan government to cease its arbitrary detention and harassment of Afghan refugees and asylum seekers. This appeal comes in response to alarming reports of widespread abuses by law enforcement agencies, including night raids and the detention of hundreds of Afghan individuals, including vulnerable groups such [...]

The global civil society alliance CIVICUS urgently called on Kenyan President William Ruto and his administration on Wednesday to promptly and unconditionally release 20 protesters who have been reported missing following recent civil unrest. CIVICUS called upon Ruto to fulfill his commitments regarding human rights by ensuring the release of unjustly detained individuals, addressing any harm [...]

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) reported on Wednesday that the escalating gang violence in Haiti has reached alarming levels, with over 5,600 reported fatalities in 2024 alone. This figure represents a significant increase of more than 1,000 deaths compared to the previous year, underscoring the dire security situation in the Caribbean nation. [...]

The Vietnamese government initiated legal proceedings on Tuesday against prominent lawyer Tran Dinh Trien for allegedly infringing upon state interests through social media criticism. Tran is scheduled for a hearing on January 9, at the People’s Court of Hanoi, facing serious charges under Article 331 of Vietnam’s penal code, which could result in a prison [...]

The Office of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced on Wednesday the release of Cecilia Sala, an Italian journalist who had been imprisoned in Iran. The government emphasized that Sala’s release was achieved through “extensive efforts” involving diplomatic and intelligence channels. Prime Minister Meloni expressed gratitude to all those involved in securing her freedom and [...]

Amnesty International (AI) on Tuesday called upon US President Joe Biden to grant a pardon to Steven Donziger, an environmental lawyer known for his role in representing Ecuadorian victims of oil contamination caused by a now-subsidiary of Chevron corporation. In its statement, AI highlighted Donziger’s significant contributions to environmental advocacy, particularly his successful litigation against [...]

The Afghanistan Human Rights Defenders Committee (AHRDC) stated on Monday that the situation for Afghan refugees in Pakistan has deteriorated significantly. The AHRDC characterized the conditions as “worsening,” primarily due to new directives from Pakistan’s Counter Terrorism Department that have exacerbated existing challenges faced by the refugee population. The measures have reportedly led to increased [...]