Independent French reparations agency, Instance Nationale Indépendate de Reconnaissance et de Réparation (INIRR), reported that it has provided financial reparations to over 500 victims of sexual abuse perpetrated by clergy or leaders in the Catholic Church in 2023. INIRR’s 2023 report revealed that over 60 percent of victims are men, averaging an age of 61 years [...]
Search Results for: Portugal
France President Macron announces bill that would legalize assisted suicide
French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Monday in an exclusive interview with La Croix and Libération the outline of the French end-of-life bill, which opens the door for assisted dying in the country. According to Macron, the proposed bill consists of three parts: introducing legislation respectively on supportive care, the rights of patients and caregivers [...]
Portugal sued by environmental groups over failure to fulfill legislation tackling climate change
Three Portuguese environmental groups, Ultimo Recurso, Quercus and Sciaeno, filed a legal action in court Monday against the Portuguese government in response to the perceived lack of effort to enact legislation created to tackle climate change. According to the National Energy and Climate Plan 2030, Portugal was to decarbonize the economy, promote sustainable mobility and [...]
Portugal police arrest 28 for human trafficking and exploitation following farm raids
Police squads in Alentejo, southern Portugal, raided farms and arrested 28 people Tuesday on suspicion of human trafficking and labor exploitation. In a press release, Portugal’s Judicial Police said the effort, called “Operation Mirror,” involved 480 operatives in collaboration with prosecutors from the Évora region and the Portuguese airforce. It is believed that the suspects [...]
Portugal prime minister resigns amid corruption investigation
Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa resigned Tuesday due to an ongoing inquiry into alleged corruption. Upon announcing his decision, Costa said that the dignity of the tasks of a prime minister is not compatible with any suspicion regarding integrity, good behavior, or criminal activity. The investigation surrounding Costa is looking into alleged misuses of funds, [...]
The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) on Wednesday published a survey showing a significant increase in racial discrimination racism towards first- and second-generation Black immigrants across 13 European Union countries, with Austria, Germany and Finland topping the list for the highest rates of discrimination and harassment. The survey, titled “Being Black in the [...]
Portugal anti-racism activist fined for defaming prominent neo-Nazi
A Lisbon, Portugal court issued a verdict on Friday that directed Mamadou Ba, a prominent advocate against racism in Portugal, to pay a significant fine of 2,400 euros, as reported by local media. The judgment found Ba guilty of defaming Mario Machado, a well-known neo-Nazi activist in the country. In his social media posts, Ba [...]
The War Crimes of Hamas: Hostage-Taking in International Law
On October 7th, 2023, the State of Israel was brutally attacked by the terrorist organization known as Hamas, instigating an all-out war. In the early morning of October 7th, Hamas terrorist fighters made their way into Israel from the Gaza Strip, invading and occupying Israeli towns, cities, and military bases. This surprise attack in Israel [...]
ECHR hears landmark lawsuit brought by youth climate activists against 33 governments
In a nearly five-hour long hearing on Wednesday, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) heard a landmark case brought by six youth plaintiffs against 33 European governments to spur stronger climate change mitigation measures. Duarte Agostinho and Others v. Portugal and 32 Others featured six plaintiffs from Portugal: Catarina, 23, Cláudia, 24, Martim, 20, [...]
The the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea’s public hearings concerning international obligations to mitigate marine pollution started Monday in Hamburg, Germany following a request from the Commission of Small Island States on Climate Change and International Law (COSIS). Prime Ministers Kausea Natano of Tuvalu and Gaston Browne of Antigua and Barbuda, representing COSIS, are [...]