Two Bahraini human rights activists have intensified their hunger strike and are refusing fluids, according to a report released Monday by the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) . According to the report Zainab al-Khawaja and her father, prominent human rights activist Abdulhadi al-Khawaja began refusing fluids in response to being denied visits from their [...]

Zambian authorities on Monday arrested former president Rupiah Banda on allegations that he misappropriated over USD $11 million during his three-year tenure in office. Banda allegedly channelled money from the sale of Nigerian crude oil into a private account instead of the nation’s treasury. The Zambian Parliament officially charged Banda with abuse of authority, fraud [...]

Zimbabwe’s High Court on Monday ordered the immediate release of Beatrice Mtetwa, a prominent human rights lawyer who was detained for eight days for obstructing the course of justice. Mtetwa was arrested on March 17 along with four officials from the party of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai . The officials are accused of illegally compiling [...]

The US gave full control of Bagram Prison to Afghanistan on Monday, winding down US military presence in Afghanistan. Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai sought to regain control of the detention center in efforts to reclaim sovereignty over the country, as the US begins withdrawing troops from the region. The US was concerned that turning over [...]

European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) prosecutor Jonathan Ratel filed additional charges on Friday against seven Kosovo citizens on trial for illegal kidney trafficking. This is the first time Ratel alleged that a link existed between the suspects and high-ranking Kosovo officials. Among the officials, the indictment lists Kosovo Ministry of Health [...]

Amnesty International (AI) on Friday praised Oman’s Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al-Said’s decision to pardon all activists and writers convicted last year for insulting the ruler, information technology crimes and taking part in unauthorized protests. Qaboos issued the pardon on Thursday and AI confirmed that all those held were released on Friday. Dozens of activists [...]

The US District Court for the Western District of Missouri on Thursday ruled that a law requiring a couple applying for a marriage license to sign it in the presence of the recorder of deeds is unconstitutional. The law was challenged by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on behalf of five fiancées whose marriage [...]

Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Saturday said that Pakistan should hold former military ruler Pervez Musharraf accountable for alleged human rights abuses upon his return to the country. Musharraf is expected to return to Pakistan on Sunday to be a candidate in upcoming parliamentary elections, ending a four-year self-imposed exile. A judge on Friday granted [...]

In his weekly address released Saturday, US President Barack Obama urged Congress to pass the gun control legislation currently awaiting their votes. Current bills include the Protecting Responsible Gun Sellers Act , which would require background checks for all private gun sales; the School Safety Enhancements Act , which would renew a grant to help [...]

The North Dakota House of Representatives approved legislation on Friday that bans abortion by defining life as beginning at conception. The legislation, known as the personhood measure, passed by a vote of 57-35 . The North Dakota Senate approved the measure in February. To become law, the personhood measure needs to be approved by voters, [...]