The Russian Federation Thursday announced its withdrawal from the Council of Europe (“the Council”). The country claimed that EU and NATO countries are using their absolute majority to continue to destroy the Council, of which Russia will no longer will be a part. Russia joined the Council of Europe, a leading human rights organization of [...]

The Spanish Parliament voted Thursday overwhelmingly in favor of a proposal to create an independent commission to investigate alleged Catholic Church sexual abuses of minors. Spain’s ombudsperson is set to chair the commission. The final vote count consisted of 286 votes in favor, 51 votes against and two abstentions. Spain’s Catholic Church has been under [...]

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said Thursday that 1506 civilian casualties have been recorded in Ukraine since the Russian Federation launched an armed attack against the country on February 24, 2022. The casualties include 549 deaths and 957 injuries. The two territories that Russia recognized as independent territories, Donetsk [...]

JURIST Ukraine Chief Correspondent Anna Tymoshenko spoke Thursday with CNN about the current situation in Poltava, Ukraine, where many Ukrainians have arrived after fleeing areas under bombardment. Tymoshenko said that while things are currently relatively quiet in Poltava, she fears that the area may become a target for Russian bombing. She said that civilians have [...]

The Florida House of Representatives passed a bill Wednesday that would create an office dedicated to pursuing reports of election crimes and establish a separate police force for the investigations. The bill passed in a 76-41 vote, after the Florida Senate approved it last week. The bill authorizes the establishment of an Office of Election [...]

The Third Texas Court of Appeals Wednesday upheld a trial court’s decision to temporarily block the state from proceeding with an investigation into the parents of a transgender teenager. In February, Texas Governor Greg Abbott sent a letter to Commissioner of the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) Jamie Masters, instructing her to investigate [...]

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Wednesday that Yaroslav Vasinskyi, a Ukrainian man charged with severe ransomware attacks against the US, made a court appearance on Wednesday after he was extradited back to the US on March 3. Vasinskyi was taken into custody in Poland, where he was held by authorities pending proceedings in [...]

US President Joe Biden signed an executive order Wednesday calling for the first ever, whole-of-government approach to addressing the risks and benefits of cryptocurrency. Cryptocurrency is a digital asset based on a decentralized network rather than some central authority, like the US Central Bank. Cryptocurrency first emerged in 2009. However, it has since become one [...]

Members of the European Parliament Wednesday voted overwhelmingly in favor of a legislative proposal asking the European Commission to propose a law abolishing “golden passport” schemes by 2025. The European Parliament stressed that golden passports, or “citizen by investment” schemes, allow third-country nationals to acquire citizenship rights in exchange for money and “undermine the essence [...]

The US Department of State announced Wednesday that former Ecuador President Abdala Bucaram has been designated under § 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, which effectively bars his entry into the US. Citing Bucaram’s alleged involvement in corruption as the reasoning behind the decision, the State Department noted [...]