Norwegian prosecutors on Monday indicted two Norwegian nationals and a Norwegian company for allegedly paying bribes to leaders in the Republic of the Congo in exchange for offshore oil drilling rights. Authorities announced that the individuals and oil company Hemla Africa Holding, subsidiary of Norwegian oil group Petronor E&P, were indicted of gross corruption and [...]

Human Rights Watch (HRW) called on Thursday for accountability for the toxic spills that have affected children living near Lega Dembi gold mine in Ethiopia, urging the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) to ask the Ethiopian government to suspend mining operations and take measures to safeguard children’s health. HRW reported that [...]

During the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, UN agencies warned on Monday that escalating hunger and displacement crises worldwide threaten global economic stability, urging governments and business leaders to take action. The UN World Food Programme (WFP) noted that nearly 318 million people worldwide were facing a crisis-level hunger, with many living in famine [...]

Human Rights Watch (HRW) stated on Thursday that the internet shutdown imposed during Uganda’s elections violates fundamental rights and undermines election integrity, urging authorities to immediately restore full internet access. HRW researcher Tomiwa Ilori noted that by suspending internet services, Uganda has failed to comply with its obligations under the constitution and international law, which [...]

Prosecutors in South Korea requested the death penalty for former President Yoon Suk Yeol on Tuesday over his failed declaration of martial law in December 2024, local media reported. During the final hearing of Yoon’s trial at Seoul Central District Court, prosecutors argued that the former president’s declaration of martial law amounted to insurrection and [...]

Amnesty International, together with 13 civil society organizations, called on candidates in Benin’s upcoming legislative and presidential elections on Thursday to prioritize human rights protection within their political programs. The rights organization noted that the deteriorating human rights situation in Benin demands political action in order to align with international human rights standards. It also [...]

Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported on Wednesday that South Sudanese security forces have committed rights violations against civilians, including arbitrary arrests and torture, under the pretext of a crackdown on criminal gangs. The organization urged the authorities to halt these actions and conduct thorough investigations into all alleged abuses. HRW stated that South Sudanese security [...]

Indonesia enacted its new penal code on Friday, replacing colonial-era laws that had governed the country for over a century. Coordinating Minister for Legal, Human Rights, Immigration and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra described the move as a historic milestone that marks the beginning of a new era in Indonesia’s legal system. The legal reform implements [...]

Finnish police announced on Wednesday that they are investigating damage to an undersea telecommunications cable in the Gulf of Finland after seizing a vessel suspected of causing the incident. According to a police statement, telecommunications authorities detected a fault in the undersea cable linking Helsinki and Tallinn, Estonia’s capital, on the morning of December 31. [...]

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk called on Guinea’s authorities on Friday to lift restrictions on political participation and to halt the intimidation of political actors and activists in the run-up to the presidential election scheduled for December 28. In his statement, Türk noted that Guinean authorities imposed severe restrictions on civil and [...]