UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Friday condemned the forced repatriations of refugees and asylum-seekers to Afghanistan by countries in the name of concerns over national security or economic strains, deeming it a clear violation of international human rights law.  In emphasizing the urgency of the humanitarian crisis affecting this marginalized group, [...]

A UN expert on Friday praised a ruling by Colombia’s Supreme Court upholding a 20-year prison sentence for a man found guilty of offering money to young children in exchange for sexual acts. The ruling officially recognises commercial sexual exploitation as part of the country’s wider system of violence against minors. In commenting on the [...]

The International Independent Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in Law Enforcement on Thursday found that racism against individuals of African descent in Colombia is still deeply embedded in the country’s institutions, creating a sense of fear among youth in the community. The findings, which come in a report issued after an eleven-day visit [...]

The UN International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals in The Hague on Thursday announced that it had dismissed the request from convicted Bosnian war criminal Ratko Mladić, who is currently serving a life sentence for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, for early provisional release due to an advanced deterioration of his health that [...]

Human Rights Watch on Thursday urged the European Commission to revise the text of its anti-deforestation regulation, scheduled for implementation by the end of 2026, after critics condemned the legislation for its potentially devastating exclusion of leather, a key driver of forest destruction. Commenting on the unforeseeable consequences that may arise due to the exclusion [...]

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Thursday urged Tunisian authorities to halt their persecution of civil society organizations, journalists, human rights activists and members of the judiciary, who have been subjected to criminal proceedings in retaliation for their criticisms of government policies and the president’s consolidation of executive power. Türk criticized the growing trend [...]

UN experts on Friday condemned the dismissal of Peruvian Judge Oswaldo Ordóñez Alcántara, formerly the president of the First Constitutional Chamber of Lima, from his post. The move was described as a reprisal for his defense of judicial independence and his public criticism of legislative reforms that could weaken the rule of law in the [...]

Human Rights Watch on Friday questioned the Zambian government’s latest decision to postpone RightsCon 2026, a global summit intended to foster collaboration between civil society activists and industry on the impact of digital technologies on human rights. Technology deputy director at Human Rights Watch, Deborah Brown stated: “By shutting down RightsCon, the Zambian government is [...]

Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Thursday condemned the decision by authorities in Thailand to bring criminal defamation lawsuits against two renowned journalists who reported on a bribery case. HRW cited the importance of safeguarding press freedom as a cornerstone of democratic society. In late February, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Suchart Chomklin filed criminal [...]

Human Rights Watch on Tuesday welcomed the recent arrest by Australian police of Ben Roberts-Smith, an Australian soldier accused of committing five counts of war crimes in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2012, as a step towards justice for victims. The arrest comes almost six years after release of the Independent Afghanistan Inquiry, or the Brereton [...]