A group of top human rights organizations issued a joint public letter on Wednesday ahead of the highly anticipated EU-China conference, urging the Members of the European Parliament to put human rights at the center of attention. The letter calls on the European Union to stop prioritizing business interests over human rights, declaring that Europe’s [...]

The European Parliament on Tuesday adopted a resolution urging the European Commission to establish a consent-based definition of rape. The need for a new definition that does not define rape on the conditions of use of force, or the word “no,” aims to have a victim-centered approach to sexual assault and the trauma responses it [...]

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced on Wednesday that starting January 1, 2027, Greece plans to ban access to social media for children under the age of 15. The proposed ban is expected to be legislated in Greek Parliament through mid-2026. Leaders have made no public announcement as to which online platforms will be effected. [...]

The Committee to Protect Journalists urged Hungarian authorities on Wednesday to immediately drop all espionage charges against investigative journalist Szabolcs Panyi. Panyi is an investigative journalist covering Hungarian national security, foreign policy, and Russian and Chinese influence. He recently reported on alleged ties between Hungarian political actors and Russia. The investigation sparked accusations from Hungarian [...]

The highly anticipated Italian constitutional referendum was rejected on Monday, according to published results, with roughly 53 percent voting against and about 47 percent in favor. The referendum, known as the “Justice Reform,” was called by presidential decree on January 13 and scheduled for March 22-23. It was governed by Article 138 of the Italian [...]

Hundreds of thousands of older Hungarians are being forced to choose between food, medicine, and heat as inadequate pensions fail to keep pace with rising costs, Human Rights Watch said in a new report. Hungary has been facing difficulties concerning the increase in poverty among older people, which has coincided with rising inflation since 2018. [...]

Portugal’s Constitutional Court ruled on Monday that several recently approved provisions of the country’s Nationality Law are unconstitutional. Portuguese citizenship is currently regulated by the Nationality Law (Law No. 37/81), which has been amended several times, the latest change being made on October 28, 2025. However, on November 13, the Socialist Party (PS), the third-largest [...]

Austrian lawmakers on Thursday voted by a large majority to approve a law banning headscarves in schools for girls under 14, a move that is now facing criticism from experts and human rights groups. The only party to oppose it was the opposition Green Party, which argued that the law is unconstitutional. The ban was [...]

Human Rights Watch urged French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday to treat human rights as an integral part of France’s broader policy with China. Rather than treating them as distinct from economic and political priorities, the group says France should take concrete measures to uphold human rights in Sino-French relations. Macron is visiting China from [...]

A UN expert on Wednesday urged increased efforts to promote the implementation of laws to protect people with albinism in Portugal, ensuring their equitable access to education, health, and employment. Independent Expert Muluka-Anne Miti-Drummond elaborated in her report that Portugal lacks specific legal provisions on albinism.  Though the UN expert recognized that Portugal has implemented [...]