US President Barack Obama on Saturday told gay rights activists that he would continue to fight for the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) . During a speech given at the 15th annual dinner hosted by equal rights group Human Rights Campaign (HRC) , Obama told the audience that DOMA “runs counter to [...]

Bahraini doctors and nurses on Saturday urged the UN to investigate claims of abuse and due process violations in relation to their recent convictions for pro-democracy protests. Last week, the National Safety Court of Appeal, a court composed of military prosecutors and civilian and military judges, in Bahrain sentenced one anti-government protester to death for [...]

The Federal Court of Australia on Friday rejected the appeal against extradition of accused Serbian war criminal Dragan Vasiljkovic . For five years, Vasiljkovic has fought against extradition from Australia to Croatia to face war crimes charges stemming from his role as a Serbian commander during the 1991-1995 Croatian war of Independence . With this [...]

The UN Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR) on Saturday voiced concerns regarding the growing number of journalists killed in Mexico and called for Mexican authorities to investigate these crimes and bring those responsible to justice. According to the journalism rights group, Reporters without Borders (RSF) , the discovery on September 24 [...]

The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on Friday called for Kosovo to institute an independent witness protection program . Spokesperson Rupert Colville made the comment in reaction to the recent death of Agim Zogaj , a major witness for the prosecution against senior Kosovo politician and parliamentarian Fatmir Limaj. Limaj, [...]

The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) ruled on Friday that former Serb nationalist politician and war crimes suspect Vojislav Seselj has received all guarantees of due process and fair proceedings available, and his trial will not be discontinued. In July, Seselj alleged that he was being denied “speedy process,” as he has [...]

A UN commission urged Syrian authorities on Friday to allow human rights experts to conduct an investigation into allegations of human rights violations. The three-member commission of inquiry was established by the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in September after UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay reported that at least 2,600 people were [...]

The US Department of Defense (DOD) on Friday issued a memorandum giving military chaplains permission to participate in or officiate same-sex marriage ceremonies. The memorandum, released by Under Secretary for Personnel and Readiness Dr. Clifford Stanley further provides that chaplains can perform a ceremony either on or off military property as long as it complies [...]

A Brazilian judge for the Federal Court of the First Region ruled on Thursday that work on a dam being constructed on the Xingu River in the Amazon jungle must cease. The USD $11 billion project would be the third-largest hydroelectric dam in the world . In deciding to suspend the project, the judge cited [...]

A judge for the US District Court for the District of Kansas denied an injunction on Thursday against a Kansas law that prohibits insurance companies from including coverage for abortion in their comprehensive plans. The law prohibits comprehensive insurance plans from covering any abortion other than to save a woman’s life but allows companies to [...]