The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) warned on Friday that the Myanmar military junta’s planned elections will worsen repression and instability rather than restore democracy. OHCHR spokesperson Jeremy Laurence described the elections, scheduled for December 28, as a military-controlled process conducted in an environment “rife with threats and violence.” He [...]
Democratic lawmaker Rashida Tlaib on Friday introduced a resolution in the US Congress to recognize Israel’s assault on Gaza as a genocide. This resolution, if passed, would officially recognize that the Israeli government has committed the crime of genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza. Co-sponsored by 21 Democratic lawmakers, Resolution H.RES. 876 urges the [...]
The Danish government announced on Friday a national minimum age requirement of 15 years for “certain” social media platforms. The Ministry of Digitalization describes the implementation as “groundbreaking,” noting that Denmark is the first EU country to establish such an age limit on social media. The agreement prohibits children under 15 from self-registering on platforms [...]
UN human rights experts on Friday condemned the Taliban’s internet and social media restrictions in Afghanistan, calling them violations of fundamental rights. The social media restrictions, which began on October 7, target major platforms including Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat. They follow a two-day, nationwide internet blackout from September 29 to October 1. Prior to this, [...]
Amnesty International on Friday condemned Thailand’s charges against activist and conscientious objector Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal, who is facing trial on September 9 for refusing military conscription. The group demanded that Thailand drop all charges, warning that the prosecution violates international human rights law. Netiwit, a former Amnesty International Thailand board member, risks three years in prison [...]
UN human rights experts have called on Pakistan to suspend its planned deportation of millions of Afghan refugees, set to commence on September 1. They warn that the policy violates international law and endangers returnees. The deportations, under Pakistan’s “Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan,” now also target Afghan refugees holding Proof of Registration (PoR) cards, many [...]
The chair of Hong Kong’s League of Social Democrats (LSD) announced Sunday that the pro-democracy party will disband, marking the dissolution of the last remaining active pro-democracy group in Hong Kong. Chairperson Chan Po-ying cited “immense political pressure” as a key factor behind the decision and voiced concerns about the potential consequences for group members. [...]
The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) commended Vietnam’s National Assembly on Friday for its decision to abolish the death penalty for eight criminal offenses while also urging additional action. While hailing the partial abolition as a “historic vote,” the OHCHR called on the country to take further steps by abolishing [...]
Bosnia’s state-level prosecutor issued an arrest warrant on Wednesday for the Republika Srpska (RS) entity President Milorad Dodik and two other top Bosnian Serb officials for violating the country’s “constitutional order”. The Prosecutor’s Office issued an arrest warrant for RS President Dodik, Prime Minister Radovan Višković and President of the National Assembly of the RS [...]
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Friday urged the international community to implement an arms embargo and targeted sanctions on Myanmar. Türk delivered his statement at the 58th session of the UN Human Rights Council, describing the rights situation in Myanmar as one of the worst in the world with a “litany [...]
