A Montana judge temporarily blocked on Wednesday Montana’s Senate Bill 99, also known as the  “Youth Health Protection Act”, which bans certain gender-affirming medical treatments for minors. District Court Judge Jason Marks found that SB 99 would most likely have the “opposite effect” when it comes to protecting minors and that the “purported purpose…is disingenuous.” [...]

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, [...]

In a statement on Wednesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced new visa restrictions for individuals who are “undermining democracy” in Liberia ahead of the country’s elections in October. The statement came less than two weeks before Liberia’s upcoming presidential elections, to be held on October 10, 2023. The election is considered a toss-up between [...]

Pakistani authorities resumed issuing identity cards listing X as the bearer’s gender on Monday after a four-month halt caused by a controversial ruling from the Pakistani Federal Shariat Court. According to Rida Qazi, Public Engagement Director at the National Database & Registration Authority (NADRA), the authority has now received instructions to resume printing X-category Computerized [...]

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) held Turkey responsible for unfair trial violations in a landmark judgment Tuesday concerning criminal convictions based on use of the encrypted messaging application ByLock . ByLock came under scrutiny from Turkish authorities following the failed 2016 coup attempt. The government alleged the app was used exclusively by supporters [...]

Following a months-long blockade that culminated in violent attacks by Azerbaijani forces, the government of the predominantly ethnic Armenian region of Nagorno-Karabakh announced Thursday it would disband, effective immediately. “The Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh … ceases to exist,” the separatist republic — referred to in Armenian as Artsakh — stated via its official information channel on [...]

Sharareh Abdolhoseinzadeh is a law student and a PhD in Political Sociology. She files this from Tehran.  A few days ago, the Iranian Parliament approved a plan that, if approved by the Guardian Council of the Constitution, would destroy the limited independence of the hundred-year-old Iranian Bar Association. According to this resolution, lawyers’ associations will [...]

North Korea expelled US soldier Travis King on Wednesday, 2 months after he crossed into its territory from South Korea. KCNA, North Korea’s state media, announced that North Korea expelled King after state officials completed their investigation into him. According to KCNA, state officials concluded that King entered North Korean territory illegally after being “disillusioned” [...]

UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous Tuesday called for the UN Security Council (UNSC) to intervene in the Afghan women’s rights crisis. In a speech before the council, Bahous noted the deterioration of women’s rights in Afghanistan under Taliban rule. Bahous made three recommendations to the UNSC including convening a dedicated session on the role [...]

Commissioner of Education of the State of New York Betty Rosa banned the use of facial recognition technology (FRT) in New York schools on Wednesday after a state report found that student privacy risks outweighed the potential security benefits. The order mandates that schools are not allowed to purchase or utilize FRT. However, it permits [...]