India’s Delhi High Court on Tuesday lifted the ban on Salman Rushdie’s novel ‘The Satanic Verses” due to the government’s failure to promulgate the ban in 1988. The controversial novel is especially known for being considered blasphemous by Muslims. The petitioner challenged the ban, reportedly imposed on October 5, 1988, as unconstitutional and requested the [...]

The Supreme Court of India held Wednesday that all citizens have the fundamental right to live in a pollution-free environment under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution. Article 21 of the Constitution guarantees the rights to life and personal liberty, stating that no one shall be deprived of these except in accordance with the law. [...]

The Supreme Court of India upheld Thursday Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, 1955, which grants Indian citizenship to immigrants from outside India who entered the Indian state of Assam before March 25, 1971. In a 4-1 majority decision, the court emphasized that this provision is consistent with the principle of fraternity and does not [...]

Several human rights organizations announced on Friday the creation of an international support committee for freedoms in Tunisia in response to increasing authoritarianism under President Kais Saied. They are calling for free, transparent elections, the release of unjustly detained individuals, and an end to repressive measures against Tunisian society. Yosra Frawes, head of International Federation [...]

The Supreme Court of India on Friday granted bail to the country’s opposition leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in connection with multiple money laundering cases. Kejriwal has been in detention since March, following allegations related to a liquor policy scam. The court’s decision addressed two appeals concerning Kejriwal’s detention. Justice Surya Kant and [...]

A group of 40 rights organizations issued a joint statement Friday calling on Saudi Arabian authorities to release all those unfairly jailed for their online activities before Riyadh hosts the United Nations Internet Governance Forum (IGF) from December 15 to 19. The organizations stated that the detention contradicts the IGF’s stated values, which focus on [...]

The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Friday restored amendments to the anti-graft laws, which were previously struck down in its judgment delivered on September 15, 2023. The reversal came followed an appeal by the federal government of Pakistan against the earlier judgment. The Supreme Court of Pakistan ruled in favor of the appeals, overturning the prior [...]

Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus led Bangladesh’s interim government in signing the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance on Thursday.  Yunus, who holds the position of Chief Advisor of the Government of Bangladesh, shared the Instrument of Accession for the Convention on his X (formerly Twitter) account. He stated that by signing [...]

The Supreme Court of India on Wednesday refused to interfere in the bail order granted to the accused in the case of journalist Gauri Lankesh’s murder. The court noted that the accused, Mohan Nayak, has cooperated with the authorities and added in its order: Under the circumstances, we are not inclined to interfere with the [...]

UN Special Rapporteur Ashwini K.P. on Friday called for action against systemic racism in Brazil after a 12-day fact-finding mission in the country.  Ashwini emphasized that Brazil’s marginalized racial and ethnic groups, particularly those of African origin and Indigenous tribes, are grappling with systemic racism rooted in colonialism and enslavement despite their persistent and “courageous” [...]