The Civil Liberties Union for Europe published a report on Tuesday detailing the negative impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on democracy and the rule of law in 14 countries in Europe and providing recommendations for the EU. The report detailed major infringements such as: Restrictions on media freedom and political pressure on the [...]

The American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania filed a lawsuit Tuesday against Allegheny County Judge Anthony Mariani, alleging that Mariani violated the public’s First Amendment rights by blocking virtual access to courtroom proceedings. The lawsuit was filed in the US District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania on behalf of the Abolitionist Law Center (ALC). [...]

Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued an executive order Tuesday lifting all COVID-19 restrictions in the state, including mask mandates and occupancy limits. The order rescinds previous executive orders and supersedes any inconsistent local orders. Businesses may still require face coverings and additional hygiene measures for employees and customers. The announcement comes as new variants of [...]

Protesters filled the streets of Algiers on Friday as the pro-democracy Hirak movement regained momentum after a year-long break due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Hirak, meaning “movement” in Arabic, was formed in 2019 to oppose former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s run for a fifth term. The non-partisan movement aims for systemic change that includes judicial independence and the rule [...]

The US Supreme Court granted injunctive relief in an order Friday to a group of churches in Santa Clara County, California, who sought to continue holding indoor worship services in spite of COVID-19 bans. Under the Santa Clara County guidelines, “ worship service is categorized by the County as a ‘gathering,’ and gatherings are prohibited. [...]