Saudi Guantanamo detainee Muhammed Abd Al Rahman Awn Al-Shamrani has been repatriated to his home country, the US Department of Defense (DOD) announced Monday. The Periodic Review Board (PRD) determined in September that “continued law of war detention of Al-Shamrani does not remain necessary to protect against a continuing significant threat to the security of [...]

The US Supreme Court ruled 8-1 Monday in Hurst v. Florida that Florida’s capital sentencing scheme violates the Sixth Amendment. The Florida law states that in a sentencing hearing, the jury hears the evidence and votes on an “advisory sentence,” but in a separate hearing the judge must find and weigh aggravating and mitigating circumstances [...]

Lebanese residency laws risk creating a large undocumented community of refugees living at the margins of society, according to a Human Rights Watch (HRW) report released Tuesday. Residency regulations adopted in January 2015 require refugees to apply to renew their residency permits under two categories: those registered with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) [...]

Kenyan Deputy President William Ruto appeared before the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Tuesday to argue for the dismissal of the charges of crimes against humanity filed against him and his co-defendant, broadcaster Joshua Sang. The defense claims that the charges should be dropped in light of the fact that six witnesses withdrew their testimony [...]

The Venezuelan Supreme Court on Monday ruled that decisions from the opposition dominated General Assembly are void until three barred lawmakers are relieved from their seats. The three lawmakers are part of an anti-government party that threatens the structure of the government. The court believes that the presence of these lawmakers on the assembly would [...]

Chinese authorities on Monday formally charged at least seven human rights lawyers who have been secretly detained for months, the lawyers’ family members said. The Chinese government believes that the individuals charged are linked to events that have disrupted the public order, including a police shooting. The lawyers charged are of the Beijing Fengrui Law [...]

The Supreme Court of the Philippines on Tuesday approved a deal that would extend US military presence in their country. The Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) will allow for the US to build more military facilities while maintaining military ships and aircraft in the country. In a 10-4 ruling, the court found that the agreement [...]

The Supreme Court of India on Tuesday banned a popular bull fighting event at this year’s harvest festival in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. The decision comes in response to protesters who claim that the sport of Jallikattu, in which men chase bulls to grab prizes off their horns, amounts to animal cruelty. The [...]

The US Supreme Court heard oral arguments Monday on the First Amendment rights of public teachers who do not wish to pay union fees. In Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association the court must decide whether public employees who have opted out of a union that represents their interests must still affirmatively opt-out of paying the [...]

Ugandan authorities are using intimidation and force against journalists, radio hosts and activists, limiting the possibilities that the upcoming presidential election in February is fair and unbiased, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a report Sunday. The report claims that journalists have been suspended after publishing views counter to the ruling party and that party [...]