Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Wednesday said that Cameroonian security forces, in a crackdown on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, have threatened, arrested, and assaulted at least 24 since February. Among the arrested persons, at least one has been subjected to HIV testing and anal examination. Both the Cameroonian Penal Code and the Law [...]

A European Union court ruled Thursday that the UK was in breach of the bloc’s air pollution limit by failing to fulfil its obligations under the combined provisions of Article 13(1) and of Annex XI to Directive No 2008/50/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 May 2008 on ambient air quality [...]

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet on Thursday stressed the need for an independent and objective assessment of reports of serious human rights violations in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. The UN Human Rights Office received reports of the killing of eight protesters by security forces in Adigrat, Mekelle, Shire and Wukro, in [...]

Rwanda’s High Court Chamber for International and Cross-border Crimes on Friday ruled that it has jurisdiction to try Paul Rusesabagina, whose actions inspired the film “Hotel Rwanda,” on the charges of terrorism financing, armed robbery, abduction, arson, attempted murder, assault, and battery. During the 1994 genocide, Rusesabagina used his connections and position as hotel manager [...]

The Sudanese government approved the ratification Tuesday of key international treaties which ban torture and enforced disappearance. The Sudanese Minister of Justice, Dr Nasredeen Abdulbari, announced on Twitter that the Sovereignty Council of Sudan had approved draft laws to join the 1984 Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (UNCAT) [...]

The president of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Thursday pardoned 26 men who had been convicted of plotting the 2001 assassination of then-President Laurent Kabila. Former President Kabila was assassinated by one of his bodyguards who took his own life shortly after. Prosecutors in the case stated that Kabila’s closest advisor, Colonel Eddy [...]

Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court (Supremo Tribunal Federal, STF) decided Thursday that it is constitutional for the State to order compulsory vaccination against COVID-19. The State cannot forcibly immunize its citizens. But fines, bars on attending certain places and on enrollment in school may be imposed upon vaccination refusal. Brazil has been one of the nations [...]

International Criminal Court Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said Friday that she intends to open an investigation into possible crimes committed during Islamist rebel group Boko Haram’s Nigerian insurgency that began in 2009. Bensouda indicated that a preliminary examination into the situation had found a reasonable basis to believe that Boko Haram and its splinter groups committed [...]

The New Zealand parliament has passed a motion declaring a climate emergency in recognition of the ongoing global crisis. It joins jurisdictions in thirty-two other nations that have formally acknowledged the crisis and declared a climate emergency. The motion approved Wednesday was supported by the Labour Party, the Greens and te Pāti Māori while the [...]

The US Supreme Court Thursday vacated a federal court decision affirming California Governor Gavin Newsom’s restrictions on indoor religious services and ordered that the court reexamine the case. The challenge was brought by Harvest Rock Church, based in Pasadena, which claimed that the restrictions were harsh and went against its freedom to practice religion as protected [...]