Human rights defenders are still harassed, attacked and killed more than a decade after the international declaration adopted for their protection, a UN rights expert said Monday. UN Special Rapporteur Margaret Sekaggya presented her fourth report on the right to defend human rights, which is aimed to increase understanding of the 1998 UN Declaration addressing [...]

Australian Attorney-General Robert McClelland refused Tuesday to allow a war crimes case against Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa . McClelland’s announcement was in response to charges filed by an Australian citizen claiming that during the 2009 Sri Lankan civil war, civilian targets were intentionally bombed by military forces. McClelland’s consent is needed for such charges [...]

The European Union on Tuesday insisted that it will enforce its new cap-and-trade law on airline emissions for flights traveling to and from Europe despite strong opposition from the US. The new legislation, taking effect January 1, 2012, will eventually require all airlines, including those of non-EU countries, to pay for their carbon dioxide emissions [...]

The Attorney General for British Columbia on Tuesday blocked a lawsuit filed by the Canadian Centre for International Justice (CCIJ) against US president George W. Bush on torture allegations. Lawyers from both CCIJ and the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) responded with disappointment to the blocked lawsuit and order that the proceedings be stayed. Matt [...]

The Syrian government has been utilizing state-run hospitals and their personnel to abuse wounded protesters, according to an Amnesty International (AI) report published Tuesday. The report alleges that since the anti-government protests began, Syrian government officials have violated international human rights laws by intercepting ambulances, raiding hospitals and abusing hospital patients believed to be associated [...]

Interim Libyan leader Mustafa Abdul-Jalil said Tuesday that he intends to make Islamic Sharia law the basic source of legislation and reject any tenets in contradiction the teachings of Islam, but all in moderation to reflect Libya’s political landscape, cultural norms and religious makeup. Though Abdul-Jalil says he intends to legalize polygamy , which was [...]

Proposed anti-terrorism legislation came before the Standing Committee of China’ National People’s Congress (NPC) on Tuesday that would provide specific legal definitions for terrorism and allow officials to more easily bring terror charges against suspects. Under China’s current criminal law, those who organize, lead or actively participate in terrorist activities can receive a punishment of [...]

The UK Parliament voted 483-111 Monday against holding a national referendum on remaining a member of the European Union (EU) . The referendum would have put forward three options to the public for a vote: to remain in the EU, to leave the EU or to re-negotiate membership terms. Motion for debate on the topic [...]

The UN Security Council adopted a resolution Monday urging member states to make piracy a crime and establish anti-piracy courts because of the rise in maritime piracy crime off the coast of Somalia. The request was due in part to the recent conclusion by the Malaysia-based International Maritime Bureau’s Piracy Reporting Center that despite increased [...]

A judge for the US District Court for the Middle District of Florida on Monday temporarily blocked a new Florida law that had required welfare applicants to pass a drug test before receiving benefits. Judge Mary Scriven said that the law might violate applicants’ Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable search and seizures. She concluded: mposing [...]