The Emirates Centre for Human Rights (ECHR) claimed Thursday that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has arrested an 18-year-old blogger as part of a wider effort to crack down on perceived government opposition. The ECHR claims that UAE security forces searched the home of Mohamed Salem al-Zumer and confiscated several electronics before arresting him and [...]

The US Supreme Court on Friday granted certiorari in two cases dealing with same-sex marriage . In Hollingsworth v. Perry the court will consider the validity of Proposition 8 , a California referendum that revoked same-sex marriage rights. Same-sex marriage was briefly legal in California following a state Supreme Court decision and then overturned with [...]

The judge presiding over the ongoing patent infringement between litigation Apple and Samsung Electronics requested on Thursday that both sides call a “cease fire” on introducing new suits against the other until after she has determined if a previous $1.05 billion judgment awarded to Apple will be reduced. Judge Lucy Koh of the US District [...]

Those who are engaged in human rights defense in the Americas are subject to increasing levels of “intimidation, harassment and attacks,” Amnesty International (AI) reported Friday. The report, entitled “Transforming pain into hope: Human rights defenders in the Americas,” investigated over 300 reports of abuses of human rights workers in the Americas over the past [...]

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay expressed grave concern on Friday at the rising death toll during the ongoing political chaos in Egypt, saying that Egypt’s draft constitution presents serious problems for human rights. Pillay complained that the draft constitution, which was approved last week , was passed without the participation of Christian [...]

Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Friday accused the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) of war crimes after a November aerial bombing raid killed 12 civilians in Gaza . According to HRW, the IDF planned and authorized the attack in pursuit of Mohamed Jamal al-Dalu, a suspected Hamas “terror operative” and low-ranking police officer. HRW claims that [...]

Michigan’s Senate and House of Representatives passed legislation on Thursday, known as “Freedom to Work,” that makes payment of union dues voluntary and limits workers’ rights to strike and picket. The House passed the legislation by a vote of 58-52, over unanimous Democratic opposition . The Senate then approved the legislation by a vote of [...]

Rights groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a class action lawsuit on Thursday challenging Arizona Governor Jan Brewer’s executive order preventing immigrants in a federal program from obtaining driver’s licenses. Brewer’s order denies driver’s licenses for immigrants participating in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). The DACA provides a two-year period [...]

Thailand’s Department of Special Investigation (DSI) on Thursday announced that former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva will be charged with murder for his role in the 2010 Thai military crackdown on anti-government protests that left more than 90 people dead and about 1,800 injured in Bangkok. In particular, Abhisit may have been liable for the death [...]

Officials from the International Criminal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) on Wednesday told the UN Security Council that they are making progress in completing their work, but continue to face a number of challenges requiring additional support. In his dual capacity as President of the ICTY and [...]