The US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on Thursday upheld Texas abortion restrictions requiring physicians performing “surgical abortions” to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital and certain compliance protocols relating to the administration of drugs inducing “medication abortions.” Planned Parenthood challenged the provisions on several grounds, primarily alleging that they violate physicians’ [...]

The Chicago office for the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) on Wednesday ruled that football players at Northwestern University qualify as employees, and therefore have the right to unionize. In its finding, the NLRB used the “right to control” test, which considers a variety of factors in determining the level of control an employer has [...]

JURIST Guest Columnist Pavlo Malyuta, National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy Class of 2016, comments on the passage of new Ukrainian laws that restrict fundamental rights such as freedom of speech and assembly … On January 16, 2014 the Supreme Council of Ukraine adopted a number of controversial laws and by January 17, 2014 they were [...]

A court order from a special court in Pakistan on Thursday stated that the court will frame formal high treason charges against former president Pervez Musharraf on March 31. The order also reiterated that Musharraf would be arrested if he failed to appear at his trial, and a non-bailable arrest warrant has been issued by [...]

The US Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit ruled on Tuesday that the Kansas legislature can withhold federal funding for two Planned Parenthood clinics. In the original lawsuit, Planned Parenthood challenged a state law that stripped Planned Parenthood of funding under Title X because the group provides abortion services. US District Court Judge Thomas [...]

The Council of Europe (COE) Commissioner for Human Rights Nils Muiznieks on Wednesday called upon the Greek government to abandon plans to include a clause in a draft immigration law that would allow the government to deport migrants following the rejection of their claims of abuse by law enforcement officials. Muiznieks expressed serious concern about [...]

Indiana Governor Mike Pence signed into law HB 1048 on Wednesday, allowing adults to carry a concealed weapon locked in vehicles on school property. The current law in Indiana makes it a felony for any gun permit holder to have a firearm in their car while they are on school property. A spokesperson for the [...]

Amnesty International (AI) on Wednesday released their annual report on death sentences and executions throughout the globe. The rights organization recorded that executions took place in 22 countries in 2013, an increase by one from 2012. Neither the 2012 or 2013 report included Egypt or Syria as AI could not confirm if judicial executions took [...]

The Oklahoma County District Court ruled Wednesday that the state’s law preventing death row inmates from obtaining information about the drugs used in lethal injections violates the Oklahoma constitution. Judge Patricia Parrish found that the Oklahoma law, which keeps the identities of lethal-injection drugs suppliers secret and prevents the information from being revealed in court, [...]

Human Rights Watch (HRW) issued a press release today urging EU leaders to publicly raise concerns about the diminishing support for human rights issues in China under President Xi Jinping . HRW has taken action by writing letters to EU top officials Jose Manuel Barroso and Herman Van Rompuy asking them to use the European [...]