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 [...]
The EU on Saturday expressed grave concern over draft legislation in the Israeli parliament that would ban the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) from operating within Israel and potentially restrict aid to Gaza. The proposed bills, if enacted, would abrogate the 1967 agreement between Israel and UNRWA, terminating the agency’s operations [...]
Amnesty International highlighted the failure of successive Iraqi governments to ensure justice, truth and reparation for the lethal crackdown on the 2019 Tishreen protests, in a report published on Monday. Titled “We hold them responsible for the blood of our youth,” the report reveals ongoing neglect and impunity five years after nationwide demonstrations led to [...]
Pope Francis on Friday addressed clerical sexual abuse in Belgium during a meeting with Belgian civil leaders in Brussels, expressing deep remorse and calling for action. The pontiff stated that the Catholic Church was “ashamed” by these abuses, describing them as a “scourge.” Francis emphasized that the Church must confront this issue with Christian humility [...]
Venezuela’s Supreme Tribunal of Justice (TSJ) endorsed an arrest warrant for Argentine President Javier Milei on Monday over the alleged “theft” of a Venezuelan cargo plane confiscated in Buenos Aires and handed over to the United States. On the same day, the Federal Chamber of the City of Buenos Aires ordered the arrest of Venezuelan [...]
