Human trafficking has surged globally, with a 25 percent increase in victims detected between 2019 and 2022, according to a report released on Wednesday by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The 2024 Global Report on Trafficking in Persons revealed rising child exploitation and forced labor cases fueled by poverty, conflict, and [...]
The United Nations Human Rights Office (OHCHR) on Thursday condemned a new Taliban directive barring Afghan women and girls from attending classes at medical institutions, warning that it will have devastating consequences for the country’s healthcare system. OHCHR spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani stated: “The measure is profoundly discriminatory, short-sighted and puts the lives of women and [...]
34 rights organizations on Wednesday called on the Egyptian government to immediately lift the travel bans and asset freezes imposed on three directors of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR), a prominent human rights organization. The coalition of organizations denounced the restrictions imposed upon former executive director Gasser Abdel Razek, administrative director Mohamed Bashir, [...]
A Russian District Military Court on Friday sentenced anti-war activist and former Moscow municipal deputy Aleksei Gorinov to an additional three years in prison, according to local media. The court found Gorinov guilty of “justifying terrorism” and ordered him to serve his sentence in a stricter prison facility than the one he is currently in. [...]
The Scottish Parliament passed the Prisoners (Early Release) (Scotland) Bill on Tuesday to reduce short-term prisoners’ time served from 50 percent to 40 percent of their sentence. The legislation, introduced on November 18, aims to alleviate pressure on the prison system, with changes expected to take effect in February 2025. The bill applies to prisoners [...]
The Donetsk Regional Prosecutor’s Office on Friday accused Russian soldiers of executing five Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) near the village of Vuhledar in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. The office stated: “The killing of prisoners of war is a gross violation of the Geneva Conventions and is classified as a serious international crime.” The office confirmed [...]
Syria has failed to comply with a 2023 International Court of Justice (ICJ) order requiring the country to “take all measures within its power to prevent acts of torture,” Human Rights Watch (HRW) stated Wednesday. HRW highlighted that despite the court’s directive, reports indicate ongoing abuses. “Syrian officials are still sending people to the country’s detention [...]
The Supreme Court of India ruled on Wednesday that individuals cannot invoke the right to equality to claim benefits that were unlawfully granted to others, even if they were unfairly denied similar advantages themselves. A bench comprising Justices Abhay S. Oka, Ahsanuddin Amanullah, and Augustine George Masih delivered the judgment. The court noted that Article [...]
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby announced his resignation on Tuesday following an independent review that found significant failings in the Church of England’s handling of abuse allegations against volunteer John Smyth. Smyth, who operated at Christian summer camps in the UK, Zimbabwe and South Africa, was accused of physically, sexually and psychologically abusing over 100 [...]
A report from Freedom House released on Wednesday revealed that global internet freedom has declined for the 14th consecutive year. The report cites an increase in government censorship and election meddling as primary reasons behind this. The Freedom on the Net 2024 report, which assesses internet freedom in 72 countries, found that people were attacked [...]
