A group of 147 Congressional Republicans Wednesday filed an amicus brief with the US Supreme Court opposing the US Department of Justice’s (DOJ) request for emergency relief in the case concerning the Food And Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of the abortion drug mifepristone. The Supreme Court has temporarily extended the availability of the medication, and their [...]

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk Tuesday condemned an airstrike by Myanmar fighter jets in the country’s Sagaing region, a stronghold for opposition to the country’s military-backed government. “I am horrified by reports of today’s airstrikes by Myanmar fighter jets on a community hall in the Sagaing region,” said Türk. “Despite clear legal [...]

The US State Department Monday designated Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reporter Evan Gershkovich as “wrongfully detained” in Russia. The new designation signals an escalation in US efforts to secure the release of Gershkovich as new reports circulate that Russian authorities are preventing US officials from speaking with the WSJ journalist. “Journalism is not a crime,” [...]

Burkina Faso Monday announced that it will suspend broadcasts from France 24, a French international news network, after the network aired an interview with the head of Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). The interview effectively classifies France 24 as a “communications agency for these terrorists,” according to Minister of Communication Jean-Emmanuel Ouedraogo. “France [...]

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk Tuesday issued an urgent call for international action in Haiti to confront escalating gang violence, including a “time-bound specialized support force.” Haiti is currently experiencing a crisis of instability and gang violence which “continues to spiral out of control.” Türk has previously expressed concerns about violence in [...]

Deaf advocates in Liberia Wednesday criticized the Liberian government and National Elections Commission (NEC) for failing to make the voter registration and election process accessible for deaf Liberians. They specifically cited the lack of sign-language interpreters available during the voter registration process as a significant barrier in deaf citizens casting their vote. Without sign language [...]

Human Rights Watch (HRW) Thursday called for Mozambican authorities to “promptly and impartially” investigate police use of teargas at the March 14 funeral procession of rapper and prominent government critic Edson da Luz, also known as “Azagaia,” in in Maputo. Azagaia died on March 9 from complications from a sudden illness. “Mozambique police responsible for safety [...]

Tennessee lawmakers Thursday passed a bill that bans gender-affirming medical care for minors under 18 and a bill that bans “adult cabaret performances” in public places. The bills now heads to Governor Bill Lee for his signature. LGBTQ advocates strongly opposed the bills, saying they unfairly target transgender children seeking necessary medical care and violate [...]

The American Bar Association’s (ABA) Plea Bargain Task Force Wednesday released its 2023 report, which found that 98 percent of criminal proceedings end in a plea bargain instead of a jury trial. According to the report, the emphasis on resolving criminal proceedings through plea bargains negatively impacts the integrity of the process by creating “perverse [...]

The European Commission Wednesday referred Poland to the Court of Justice of the European Union for rulings by Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal that the Commission argues violate EU law. The Commission expressed deep concern about rulings that challenged the primacy of EU law in Poland, which they allege breach Article 19(1) TEU provisions that “ensure effective [...]