European Union (EU) foreign ministers agreed on Monday to increase military presence in the Central African Republic (CAR) , and EU member states and other international donors also raised half a billion dollars in order to provide humanitarian assistance in the country. EU foreign ministers agreed to send up to one thousand military personnel to [...]

The European Union (EU) on Monday urged Ukraine’s government to repeal a series of laws that limit the right to protest government actions. Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich signed an anti-protest bill into law last week amid widespread protests. In its statement, the EU expressed concern that the anti-protest legislation violates essential freedom of expression rights: [...]

The National Coalition , the main opposition group in Syria, announced on Monday that it will not attend peace talks this week in Switzerland unless the UN withdraws its invitation to Iran to attend the talks. In a press release, National Coalition head Ahmad Jarba accused Iran of “carrying out criminal acts in Syria, Iran [...]

The UN reported on Friday that more than 6,000 child soldiers may be involved in the conflict in the Central African Republic (CAR) . According to UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) spokesperson Marixie Mercado, recruitment of child soldiers is happening on all sides of the conflict, which has taken on sectarian overtones. “Violence and insecurity make [...]

Egypt ratified a new constitution on Saturday after 98.1 percent of voters approved the document. It was the first Egyptian vote after the overthrow of Mohamed Morsi last July. According to Egypt’s Supreme Electoral Commission, 38.6 percent of eligible voters took part in the referendum. The new constitution strengthens the military, the police and the [...]

A judge for the US District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina on Friday ruled that a North Carolina state law requiring women seeking an abortion to undergo an ultrasound procedure is unconstitutional because it violates the First Amendment rights of physicians and patients. The lawsuit was brought by several North Carolina physicians [...]

The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled Friday that a lower court was correct in dismissing the claim for damages brought by Abdul Rahim Abdul Razak Al Janko, a former Guantanamo detainee, on jurisdictional grounds. The court based its decision on an interpretation of Section 7 of the Military Commissions [...]

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych on Friday signed a bill punishing by fines or arrest the blockading of public buildings, protesters wearing masks or helmets, the dissemination of Internet slander, and providing facilities or equipment for unauthorized meetings. The law was passed earlier this week amid widespread protests. The Obama administration has officially condemned the law [...]

UN Special Rapporteur Surya Subedi called Friday for the government and opposition parties of Cambodia to end their ongoing political impasse and come together on human rights reforms. The impasse arose from still contested elections held in July 2013 and has had “a direct impact on the enjoyment of human rights by all in Cambodia.” [...]

The Iranian government has carried out 40 executions in the two weeks since the beginning of 2014, claims human rights group Amnesty International in a statement published Thursday. “The spike in the number of executions carried out so far this month in Iran is alarming,” said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for the [...]