UN human rights experts on Thursday condemned acts of “extreme violence” committed by the Movement du 23 Mars (M23) armed group against human rights defenders in North and South Kivu provinces of the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), warning that activists documenting abuses face escalating reprisals. According to the Office of the UN [...]

South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) announced Friday that the government has conditionally approved a request by Google to export globally 1:5,000 scale high-precision digital map data of the country’s national territory, resolving a policy dispute that has persisted since 2007, according to local media sources. The decision was issued by an [...]

A group of UN experts on Friday called for the United Kingdom to guarantee that the current reviews of statutory guidance under the Equality Act 2010 align with international human rights standards and provide the equal enjoyment of rights for women and girls, including the transgender community. The group of experts expressed appreciation of the government’s [...]

UN member states should do more to protect the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in an oral statement on Thursday at the 61st Session of the UN Human Rights Council. These calls for urgent action come amidst a recent decree enacted by Taliban Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada. The [...]

The UN Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, Siobhan Mullally, called Thursday for increased global efforts to combat trafficking of children and refugees in Chad, urging local authorities to prioritize law enforcement and address the root causes of this issue. She spoke during a press conference concluding her 10-day visit to the country. Mullally applauded the [...]

The Hong Kong Court of Appeal quashed the fraud convictions against Apple Daily newspaper founder Jimmy Lai Chee-ying and its administrative director, Wong Wai Keung, on Thursday. The appellate court rejected the findings of District Judge Stanley Chan, who convicted Lai and Wong of fraud in 2022. Judge Chan found that Lai operated a consultancy firm, in [...]

A coalition of civil liberties organizations warned that Vancouver’s latest draft action plan fails to adequately address the risk of displacement facing the unsheltered population during the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026. In the joint statement, the groups urged the city government to engage in meaningful consultation with rights advocates and to develop stronger mitigation measures. [...]

Amnesty International and other human rights organizations released an open letter Wednesday to Lebanon’s justice minister and deputy prime minister, urging the Lebanese government to provide clarity and reparations for the civilian victims of the Israeli armed conflict. Organizations wrote: Since a ceasefire went into effect between Hezbollah and Israel in November 2024, the Israeli [...]

Canada and South Korea signed a new defense agreement Wednesday, setting the legal framework for a deepened alliance. Defense ministers Ahn Gyu-back  of the Republic of Korea (ROK) and David McGuinty of Canada met alongside foreign affairs officials for both countries. In a joint statement, the countries described political and legal motivations behind the partnership, stating: [...]

A Japanese citizen has been arrested and detained in Tehran, leading to formal demands from Japan for their immediate release, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Masanao Ozaki said  on Wednesday. While the Japanese government has not identified the individual, reports indicate that the detainee is Shinnosuke Kawashima, Tehran bureau chief of NHK, Japan’s public broadcaster. Ozaki [...]