The Supreme Court of the United States heard oral arguments on Wednesday in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, a case concerning a Texas law restricting access to websites with “sexual material harmful to minors.” Derek Shaffer, counsel for the law’s challengers, argued that the application of rational basis defies the precedent set in Ashcroft v. [...]
Human rights faced severe tests worldwide in 2024, with democratic institutions under strain and humanitarian law repeatedly violated in major conflicts, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in its annual report released Thursday. The 546-page “World Report 2025” reviewed human rights practices in more than 100 countries, emphasizing the devastating human tolls of conflicts in Gaza, [...]
Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday refused to attend a second day of questioning after being detained over his declaration of martial law, according to local media. Yoon’s lawyers said he did not intend to comply with investigators’ orders to undergo additional questioning, citing concerns over his physical well-being. His team also [...]
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against Fayette County, Tennessee, alleging its Board of County Commissioners violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The board’s adoption of a county commission redistricting plan did not give black voters “an equal opportunity to participate in the political process and to elect [...]
United Nations human rights experts expressed serious concern on Tuesday regarding the Iranian Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the death sentence of Kurdish activist Pakhshan Azizi. Experts said that the death sentence is a serious violation of international human rights law, as the severity of the charges against Azizi “do not meet the threshold of most [...]
The UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) expressed alarm on Tuesday regarding disturbing footage that demonstrates Libya’s serious human rights violations in the Garnada detention facility. These violations include torture and ill-treatment of detainees. The concerned footage has been circulating on social media, showing prisoners enduring extreme forms of violence in what is believed to be [...]
The US District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana ruled on Tuesday that the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) can end its longstanding federal oversight, thus approving the sustainment plan. The decision comes in response to a request from the city and the Justice Department to reduce monitoring. Judge Susie Morgan in her ruling ordered [...]
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled on Tuesday that Türkiye’s dismissal of 42 judges and prosecutors under the controversial 2014 Law No. 6524 violated provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights. In its ruling, the ECHR found that Türkiye had breached Article 6 of the convention, which guarantees the right to a [...]
Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese responded on Wednesday to the alleged death of Oscar Jenkins, a Melbourne man captured while fighting for Ukraine, swearing to take “the strongest action possible” against Russia if Jenkins’ death is confirmed. Jenkins, who had joined Ukrainian forces in their conflict against Russia, was allegedly taken into custody by Russian [...]
The Third Circuit Court of Appeals upheld its previous decision on Tuesday which found Pennsylvania statutes preventing “18-to-20-year-olds from carrying firearms outside their homes during a state of emergency” to be unconstitutional. Pennsylvania statutes 6106, 6107, and 6109 have the combined effect of “preventing most 18-to-20-year-old adult Pennsylvanians from carrying firearms.” The appellants, Madison Lara, [...]
