The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) on Tuesday condemned judicial decisions in Brazil that could exclude criminal responsibility in cases of sexual violence against girls and adolescents. The statement follows an alarming two-year trend in which protections for children under the age of 14 have reportedly weakened. This is highlighted by four controversial rulings [...]

The EU Parliament on Wednesday urged a halt to plans for Türkiye’s accession into the EU, stating that the country has failed to address major democratic shortcomings and silenced dissident voices. Members of the EU Parliament (MEPs) have cited fears that Türkiye is well on its way to becoming an authoritarian state after politically motivated [...]

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Tuesday criticised the reported proposal of Israeli authorities to deliver humanitarian assistance through military-controlled hubs, which would violate the core principles of neutral, impartial, and independent aid delivery. OCHA reported a day earlier that a large number of civilians were killed and hundreds [...]

UN Human Rights High Commissioner Volker Türk on Tuesday appealed to global leaders to take proactive measures in preventing the destruction of critical life-saving support in Gaza. The deadly wave of Israeli attacks that continues to take the lives of innocent civilians, many residing in temporary shelters, and health facilities have posed an obstacle for [...]

Finance Minister Rachel Reeves on Tuesday announced the UK’s plans to pass legislation to properly regulate crypto-assets. As of August 2024, research released by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) estimated that 12 percent of the UK population, which comes up to approximately 7 million adults, own crypto-assets, signifying growing interest in the field. In place [...]

Law firms Scott+Scott and Darrois Villey Maillot Brochier on Wednesday sued Facebook’s parent company, Meta, on behalf of France’s leading publishers over the tech giant’s allegedly unlawful business practices. A first in French history, prominent media companies including TF1, France TV and BFM were among 67 media companies representing 200 publications in the case. The [...]

Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Tuesday warned that the latest wave of threats on journalists and media outlets in Indonesia has escalated, leading to a severe impact on press freedom across the country. According to HRW, these actions are against the fundamental principle of democracy and have led to nationwide outrage, with journalists criticizing the [...]

The UK Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that trans women are not legally recognised as women under the Equality Act 2010. The case arose after the Scottish Parliament passed the Gender Representation on Public Boards (Scotland) Act 2018, which aimed to include transgender women in quotas to achieve gender balance on public sector boards. The judges [...]

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Tuesday reported that nearly 60,000 Afghan refugees have been forcibly deported from Pakistan so far this month. The latest wave of forced deportations comes amid a nationwide effort to expel foreigners, whether they are residing in Pakistan legally or illegally, in the name of “national security.” Amnesty International [...]

UN experts on Wednesday urged Switzerland and other European Member States to increase their efforts in meeting their international commitments on mitigating climate change, a year since the landmark ruling by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). The group of experts recommended that Switzerland and other European states refer to the guidance on intersectionality [...]