The UN expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order, George Katrougalos, on Tuesday called on world leaders to strengthen human rights through “embedded multipolarity,” warning that increasing unilateral coercive measures and geopolitical fragmentation are weakening the UN Charter. In his latest report presented to the Human Rights Council, Katrougalos described the [...]

On July 29, the Malaysian government announced that around 5,000 Rohingya refugees will be repatriated to Myanmar, where they face an obvious risk of persecution or torture. The government later clarified that the refugees will not be repatriated if such risks are deemed to be real. But in June, a petition calling for the removal [...]

Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Tuesday reported that Russian authorities are unlawfully seizing civilian property belonging to Ukrainians in occupied areas of the country, in violation of international law. The laws of war prohibit the unlawful confiscation of private property unless strictly justified by military necessity. HRW analyzed around 8,000 cases involving property seizures filed [...]

The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child on Friday hailed Malaysia’s positive developments in maternal and infant health care, while questioning the use of penalties for children convicted in serious crimes and calling for alternatives to institutionalization for children. Following its review of Malaysia’s latest periodic report, the committee commended the country’s efforts [...]

A UN expert on Monday commended the new proposals addressing the “longstanding crisis of Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentences in England and Wales,” urging judicial reconsideration of the mechanism. Alice Jill Edwards, the special rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, noted the UK House of Lords’ proposals for [...]

Google and Character.AI, an artificial intelligence (AI) firm, agreed Wednesday to settle a lawsuit linked to a teen’s suicide in 2024, a landmark settlement for AI-related harm cases. The US District Court for the Middle District of Florida dismissed the lawsuit following the agreement  between the plaintiff and defendants. The parties have 90 days to [...]

The Kuala Lumpur High Court on Monday rejected former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak’s bid to serve the remainder of his graft sentence under house arrest. The case centered on the validity of a supplementary order issued by former king Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah. The order allowed Najib to serve the remainder of [...]

The European Union (EU) and 34 European leaders on Tuesday signed a new convention establishing an International Claims Commission for Ukraine, in a move to hold the Russian Federation accountable for its aggression against Ukraine since February 24, 2022. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who also signed the convention, said: We expect that every mechanism for [...]

A UN expert on Friday hailed the forensic analysis of 114 unidentified bodies of people killed during the July 2024 protests in Bangladesh as a “fundamental step” toward achieving “justice and accountability.” UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions Morris Tidball-Binz, who visited Dhaka in July to provide technical advice on forensic investigations [...]

The UN human rights office (OHCHR) on Friday urged interim Syrian authorities to increase efforts to address ongoing human rights concerns, citing “distressing accounts” of violations targeting minority groups and individuals allegedly affiliated with the former Bashar al-Assad government. This statement came ahead of the first anniversary of the fall of the Assad regime. OHCHR [...]