The Estonian parliament, the Riigikogu, on Wednesday officially recognized the mass deportation of the Crimean Tatars by the Soviet Union in 1944 as an act of genocide. The statement passed in the 101-seat body with 83 votes in favor and eight abstentions. The decision comes at a time of renewed focus on Russia’s ongoing policies [...]
The UN Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) is set to review Pakistan’s human rights record this Thursday and Friday under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). According to Amnesty International (AI), the review “comes at a crucial time for the country, as human rights violations and abuses remain rampant.” The review is part of Pakistan’s commitments [...]
The charity Victim Support released a report on Thursday revealing that prolonged delays in the UK court system are leading to severe mental health impacts on survivors of sexual violence. These impacts include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), suicidal thoughts, and even a suicide attempt. The report focused on victims of sexual violence whose cases have [...]
The UK on Wednesday accused Russia of violating international humanitarian law in its ongoing war against Ukraine, citing UN findings of war crimes including rape, sexual violence and torture, as well as repeated large-scale attacks on Ukraine’s electricity infrastructure. During a meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Vienna, UK [...]
The UK announced on Thursday that it will transfer sovereignty over the Chagos Islands, now ruled as the British Indian Ocean Territory, to Mauritius after more than two centuries of control. A joint statement issued by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his Mauritian counterpart Pravind Jugnauth hails the accord as a “historic political agreement [...]
A coalition of human rights organizations on Wednesday called on United Nations member states to refrain from voting for Saudi Arabia in the upcoming Human Rights Council election, scheduled for October 9. The joint appeal was led by groups such as Human Rights Watch (HRW) and the International Service for Human Rights. They have cited [...]
Amnesty International called on Cameroonian authorities Thursday to immediately release three supporters of a youth organization — Moustapha Tizi, Mohamadou Ballo, and Ibrahim Oumarou — and their relatives. Tizi, Ballo, and Oumarou were allegedly arrested on September 9 in Figuil, Cameroon,, for wearing shirts with the name of the organization they supported, Pouvoir au Peuple [...]
A coalition of environmental, human rights, and indigenous groups has called on the EU to designate Malaysia’s Sarawak state as “high risk” under its new anti-deforestation law. This comes as the EU prepares to implement the Deforestation-Free Products Regulation (EUDR) in January 2025, which aims to curb imports linked to deforestation and human rights abuses. [...]
Failed Fijian coup leader George Speight and six others were released from prison on Thursday after being granted a pardon by President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere, who acted on the advice of Fiji’s Mercy Commission. The president approved Speight’s release after the Mercy Commission recommended a pardon based on his behavior in prison and the length [...]
Amnesty International on Wednesday urged the Lesotho government to investigate allegations of torture and extrajudicial killings committed during the Lesotho Defence Forces’ (LDF) campaign to confiscate illegal firearms from gang members, dubbed Operation Hard Fist. The operation was launched earlier this year in response to escalating violent crime in Lesotho, and the proliferation of illegal [...]
