The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child on Monday condemned the Afghanistan government for adopting a new decree that legitimizes child marriage and treats a minor female child’s silence as consent to marriage. The Committee, which is composed of 18 independent child rights experts, expressed further concern that the so-called Decree No. 18 [...]

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a Notice of Appeal with the US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit Monday in a case seeking personal information regarding Massachusetts voters. Following the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s refusal to turn over the information, the administration filed a lawsuit. In the complaint, the administration argued that [...]

Human rights organizations reported Monday that authorities across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states have arrested more than 1,000 people and expanded restrictions on expression since the start of the US-Israeli conflict with Iran. The arrests are part of a broader effort by governments in the region to control information surrounding the conflict and [...]

The Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague, in findings published on Monday, rejected the Republic of Rwanda’s claim for financial compensation from the UK for breach of its obligations under the Asylum Partnership Agreement. The Asylum Partnership Agreement (the Agreement) entered into force in April 2024. The treaty between Rwanda and the UK aimed [...]

Malaysia began enforcing new rules on Monday that prevent children younger than 16 from social media. This comes amid growing global concern over youth online safety, but critics have raised concerns over cutting children off from valuable platforms. The new policy includes age verification for existing users. If a user is identified as being under [...]

The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled Monday that a Trump administration policy banning transgender troops from military service illegal. In a split decision, the court concluded that the administration may stop transgender recruits from joining, but could not immediately remove transgender troops who are already actively serving. The three-judge [...]

Numerous human rights organizations released statements Monday decrying the death of Indigenous leader, politician and activist Brooklyn Rivera after years in Nicaraguan state custody. The most prominent statements come from Amnesty International and the UN Group of Human Rights Experts. Ana Piquer, Americas director at Amnesty International, emphasized the many concerns raised leading up to [...]

The US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on Friday cleared the way for Texas to enforce Senate Bill 4 (SB 4), staying a district court injunction that had blocked the state immigration enforcement measure from taking effect. The decision allows Texas law enforcement officers to arrest people suspected of entering the country without [...]

Vietnam’s President and Party General Secretary Tô Lâm announced Saturday that 9,950 prisoners, including foreign nationals and individuals convicted in high-profile corruption cases, will be released under a national amnesty program effective June 1. Vietnam announced the amnesty in connection with preparations for the ruling Communist Party’s 14th National Congress and the country’s 2026 parliamentary [...]