Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported on Wednesday that UK authorities have “severely restricted” the right to protest, contravening international human rights obligations and creating an environment in which peaceful dissent can be treated as a criminal act. The report noted that the UK’s Labour government has not reversed extensive anti-protest laws introduced by the previous [...]

The state-run Myanmar Radio and Television service reported on Sunday that Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, head of the military government, officially pardoned 6,134 prisoners, as well as at least 52 foreigners. Other prisoners received reduced sentences. The pardons marked the 78th anniversary of Myanmar’s independence from Britain, gained on January 4, 1948. The act [...]

Amnesty International reported on Monday that Ugandan security forces have unlawfully targeted opposition rallies with excessive force and arbitrary arrests, with some detainees subject to torture and other mistreatment. Documented incidents include the use of tear gas, pepper spray and beatings against peaceful crowds in the localities of Kawempe and Iganga in November. An eyewitness [...]

China’s military deployed Army, Navy, Air Force and Rocket Force troops to conduct joint drills around Taiwan on Monday as a “stern warning” against Taiwanese independence. In response, Taiwan placed its forces on “high alert,” condemning China’s “irrational provocations” and asserting that the actions “undermine regional peace.” The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) drills tested the [...]

The People’s National Assembly, the lower house of Algeria’ parliament, began debating a draft law on Saturday seeking to criminalize French colonization. This legislative move is a step in advancing the Algiers Declaration, which was adopted following a conference on colonialism held on November 30 and December 1. This law focuses on French colonial rule [...]

The UN Human Rights Office published a report on Thursday detailing its findings of atrocities committed during a three-day assault by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on the Zamzam camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Sudan. The report deemed this conduct to amount to violations of international humanitarian law (IHL) and international human [...]

Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported on Tuesday that Tunisian authorities have arrested three prominent activists following a “sham trial.” The organization urged authorities to immediately overturn the “unjust convictions” and release those detained. Bassam Khawaja, deputy Middle East and North Africa director at HRW, highlighted the political significance of the detentions: The arrests of prominent [...]

UN anti-racism experts on Tuesday raised “grave concerns” about ethnically motivated human rights violations in Sudan. The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) urged Sudan to act to put an end to these violations and prevent further escalation. The committee issued this decision under “early warning” and “urgent procedures” mechanisms. The experts are [...]

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) on Monday urged Chinese and Hong Kong authorities to release news commentator Wong Kwok-ngon, to halt harassment of journalists, and to allow free coverage of the recent deadly apartment complex fire in Hong Kong. The CPJ reports that the national security police arrested columnist and commentator Wong on December [...]

Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Wednesday called for an impartial, prompt and effective investigation into the death in custody of Cameroon opposition leader Anicet Ekane. He died on December 1 at the State Defense Secretariat detention facility in the capital, Yaoundé. Ilaria Allegrozzi, senior Africa researcher at HRW, said, “Ekane’s death may be an example [...]