UN General Assembly President Philémon Yang said Friday that racism and discrimination remain deeply entrenched problems despite international efforts over the past 10 years. Speaking at a high-level meeting to mark the conclusion of the International Decade for People of African Descent, Yang stated that “much work remains to be done, as realities are rooted [...]

Bolivia’s Constitutional Tribunal announced on Friday its ruling that all elected officials can only serve a maximum of two terms, whether continuous or discontinuous, effectively barring former President Evo Morales and others from seeking reelection. The tribunal’s ruling, which was made last week but announced on Friday, emphasized that these term limits are fundamental to [...]

Internet monitoring organization NetBlocks reported Thursday that Mozambique has implemented restrictions on social media and messaging platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, amid escalating tensions following disputed presidential election results. The restrictions follow earlier mobile data disruptions that occurred on October 25, after election results were announced. The social media shutdown comes as human rights [...]

Mauritius’ Information and Communication Technologies Authority (ICTA) published a statement Friday implementing a comprehensive suspension of social media access across the island nation. The statement directed all internet service providers to “suspend access to all social media platforms,” citing “illegal postings” that could affect national security and public safety. This measure, confirmed by the Netblocks [...]

Malaysia Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil stated Friday that proposed house arrest reforms are part of broader justice system changes aimed at reducing prison overcrowding and recidivism, denying speculation the legislation was designed to benefit imprisoned former prime minister Najib Razak. Fadzil defended the proposal as part of broader criminal justice reforms, pointing to prison overcrowding [...]

Venezuelan opposition party Voluntad Popular said Friday that local leader and party co-founder Edwin Santos was found dead after being detained by security forces in Apure state, marking an escalation in political repression following disputed July elections. Santos was actively involved in July’s opposition victory in Apure state before his death, according to Voluntad Popular’s [...]

Amnesty International called Friday for the immediate release of Thomas Allan Zgambo, a Zambian journalist detained since October 16 in Lusaka. Zgambo, who writes for the Zambia Whistleblower website, has been held at Ridgeway Police Station without formal charges, exemplifying rising concerns about press freedom and human rights in Zambia. Vongai Chikwanda, Amnesty’s deputy director [...]

Nineteen international civil society organizations issued a statement Friday demanding due process guarantees at a key hearing for Guatemalan journalist Jose Rubén Zamora. The hearing is scheduled for October 18. The organizations, including Amnesty International, Article 19 and the Committee to Protect Journalists, expressed deep concern over reports of human rights violations and threats to [...]

The Philippines intensified the use of Facebook to undermine young activists’ rights to free speech and protest, Amnesty International reported on Monday. The report documents a coordinated campaign of state-sponsored harassment and intimidation. The group contended that government officials and security forces are weaponizing social media platforms, particularly Facebook, to engage in “red-tagging,” which involves [...]

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) reported Thursday that over 570,000 people are likely displaced in Myanmar’s Rakhine State due to ongoing conflict between the Myanmar Armed Forces (MAF) and the rebel Arakan Army, with over 3 million people displaced by conflict and flooding across the country. Adding to the humanitarian [...]