The Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory on Tuesday sentenced war crimes whistleblower David McBride to five years and eight months’ imprisonment for theft and sharing classified military documents with journalists after McBride exposed allegations of Australian war crimes in Afghanistan. Justice David Moss ordered McBride to serve 27 months in prison before he [...]
Search Results for: Afghanistan war
'Still I Rise': In the Face of Taliban Education Bans, Afghan Women Long for Justice
The presumption of innocence is a fundamental principle underpinning the right to a fair trial. This may be broadly understood as a fundamental human right, but its protection is far from universal. Since retaking control of Afghanistan in 2021, the Taliban has made the systematic punishment of women and girls a core part of its [...]
HRW: Afghanistan Hazara community at risk due to inadequate protections by authorities
Inadequate protections by the de-facto Taliban authorities in Afghanistan continue to leave the Shia-Hazara community at risk and contribute to their plight, according a report released Friday by Human Rights Watch (HRW). The report highlighted that endless conflict in the country continues to affect the lives of many marginalized communities in the country, particularly Hazaras [...]
UNESCO awards World Press Freedom Prize to Palestine journalists
UNESCO awarded Thursday its World Press Freedom Prize to all of the Palestinian journalists covering Gaza. This prize honors media workers promoting press freedom, especially in areas facing wars. While the deaths of 26 journalists during their work were condemned and deplored by UNESCO since October 2023, it has been supporting media workers who report from [...]
EU releases data revealing that nearly a quarter of first-time asylum applicants in 2023 were minors
The European Commission released statistics on first-time asylum applicants for 2023 on Monday showing that minors (individuals under 18 years old) constituted 24.3 percent of these applicants, excluding data from France, Poland, and Cyprus. Earlier this year, Eurostat reported a 20 percent rise in first-time asylum applications in the EU for 2023, with the total [...]
Amnesty International releases report on human rights regression in 2023
Amnesty International published “The State of the World’s Human Rights” report Wednesday, outlining human rights concerns during 2023 in 155 countries. The report highlighted human rights concerns, which include war crimes, economic crises, climate change, repression of dissents, women and LGBTI people’s rights backslash and online incitement to racial hatred. The report first addressed violations [...]
The US Department of State released its annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices on Monday, amidst the seventy-fifth anniversary of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, or UDHR. The report emphasized “several new commitments, including to renew investments around the world in democracy and human rights, to help protect human rights defenders online, [...]
'Now I Often Sit in a Burqa, Hiding my Face, and Begging' — A Grim Glimpse Into Taliban Rule
Nearly three years after the Taliban’s resurgence in Afghanistan, the regime’s oppressive actions against women continue unabated. In a recent broadcast reminiscent of ISIS tactics, the Taliban’s leader communicated a chilling message: a declaration of war against women’s rights and human dignity, effectively shattering any remaining hopes for Afghan women’s liberation under their rule. I [...]
NGOs Like World Central Kitchen Must Do More to Protect War Zone Aid Workers
Without irony, Chef Jose Andres of World Central Kitchen (WCK) accused Israel of a “crime against humanity” in the recent accidental deaths of seven WCK volunteers by an Israeli air strike in Gaza. His accusation has generated a furious, and troubling discussion — focused on Israel’s culpability. US President Joe Biden claimed Israel has not [...]
Imran Khan and the Dance of Democracy: Unraveling Pakistan's Political Drama
Between 2022 and 2024, Pakistan’s political landscape was dominated by dramatic events and shifting power balances. Following Imran Khan’s resignation as Prime Minister in April 2022 due to a vote of no confidence, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party faced tremendous hurdles and internal divides. Despite his ouster, Khan maintained widespread support and a loyal following, [...]