A Thai court acquitted 67 individuals on Friday of terrorism charges for protests that caused two airports to shut down in 2008. The protests were orchestrated by the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) in opposition to the then government, which was headed by allies of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. The Bangkok Criminal Court issued the [...]
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CIVICUS 2024 Report Highlights Civil Society and Global Rule of Law in Crisis
Civil society is facing unprecedented challenges globally due to escalating conflicts and crises. In 2023, groups that were pivotal in advocating for human rights, offering humanitarian aid and giving a voice to the marginalized encountered increasing difficulties. Their work has become more challenging due to growing repression and conflict, yet they remain beacons of hope [...]
Bob Rae, Canada’s Ambassador to the United Nations, does not shy away from tough questions. Though many in a position such as his might shy away from argument, Rae seems to relish the opportunity to engage in some intellectual sparring. It was in this context that I requested an interview as Canada grapples with multiple [...]
The UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron and former Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi raised the issue last month of Hong Kong’s new Article 23 national security proposals, which have been a subject of considerable controversy and debate in recent years. The Article 23 law in Hong Kong’s Basic Law stipulates that the [...]
Pakistan dispatch: unraveling the fallout of political turmoil after the general election
Law students and law graduates in Pakistan are reporting for JURIST on events in that country impacting its legal system. Mashal Asim Khan is an LLB student in the University of London External Programme at The Institute of Legal Studies (TILS). She files this from Islamabad. Pakistan conducted its 12th general election on 8th February in [...]
Myanmar junta enforces compulsory military service amid widespread armed opposition
Myanmar’s military, known as the Tatmadaw, announced Saturday the enforcement of the People’s Military Service Law, which requires all men between the ages of 18 and 35 and women between the ages of 18 and 27 serve in the military for a minimum of two years. The activation of the People’s Military Service Law follows [...]
Senegal presidential candidate Khalifa Sall announces opposition to postponement of elections
Senegal presidential candidate Khalifa Sall said Saturday that he was opposed to postponing the country’s presidential elections. This stance comes in direct response to Senegal President Macky Sall’s announcement of the decision to postpone the elections, which were originally scheduled for February 25, 2024. The postponement was attributed to alleged corruption in the final approval [...]
Hong Kong top court overturns acquittal of Tiananmen Square vigil organizer
The Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal overturned on Thursday the acquittal of pro-democracy activist Chow Hang-tung in reinstating her conviction of inciting others to participate in an unauthorized assembly under Section 17A(3)(a) of the Public Order Ordinance and the common law. Chow was previously sentenced to 15 months prison on January 4, 2022 over [...]
HRW annual rights report: 'transactional diplomacy' threatens global human rights system
Human Rights Watch (HRW) released its 2024 World Report on Thursday detailing the state of global human rights. The report’s central theme was that “transactional diplomacy” undermined global human rights institutions and enabled autocrats to worsen violations. HRW Executive Director Tiran Hassan described “transactional diplomacy” as when “governments disregard the benefits of long-term relationships built [...]
Poland right-wing party calls for protests against ruling party
The Law and Justice, a right-wing party in Poland, called upon its supporters to participate in a Thursday protest in defense of freedom of speech, media and democracy against the Civic Coalition, which is the current ruling political alliance in Poland. Since taking power in late 2023, the Civic Coalition and Law and Justice have [...]