HRW denounced the pre-trial detainment of prominent activist and former president of Tunisia’s Truth and Dignity Commission, Sihem Bensedrine, in a press release on Monday calling for her immediate release. Bensedrine was detained in Manouba prison by order of an investigative judge on August 1, 2024, for her work as president of the Commission. Her [...]

The United Nations International Organization for Migration (IOM) stated on Tuesday that urgent action from the UN Security Council is needed to prevent death on migration routes to Europe, noting that the enforcement of humanitarian law is no longer providing migrants with reliable protection from violations of their human rights. The IOM noted that ever [...]

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of New Hampshire filed a complaint for injunctive and declaratory relief in the US District Court for the District of New Hampshire on Monday challenging the state’s new voter identification law. The legal action targets legislation requiring proof of U.S. citizenship for voter registration and photo identification for casting [...]

The Republic of Lithuania formally referred the situation in Belarus to the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Monday, a significant action reflecting its dedication to ensuring accountability for the alleged crimes against humanity perpetrated by the authoritarian regime of President Alexander Lukashenko. The referral, submitted by Minister of Justice Ewelina Dobrowolska, invokes Articles 13(a) and 14 [...]

Human Rights Watch (HRW) raised concerns on Monday about an ordinance enacted by Niger’s military ruler, General Abdourahamane Tiani. The ordinance authorizes the creation of a database containing information on individuals, groups and entities suspected of involvement in terrorist activities, which HRW stated breaches the country’s obligation under the UN Convention on the Reduction of [...]

Amnesty International highlighted the failure of successive Iraqi governments to ensure justice, truth and reparation for the lethal crackdown on the 2019 Tishreen protests, in a report published on Monday. Titled “We hold them responsible for the blood of our youth,” the report reveals ongoing neglect and impunity five years after nationwide demonstrations led to [...]

California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed Senate Bill (SB) 1047 on Sunday, concluding the bill was insufficiently broad in its regulation of large-scale artificial intelligence (AI) models, and lacked empirical support. Newsom viewed SB 1047 as premature and overly sweeping, noting that it “applies stringent standards to even the most basic functions” of AI, so long [...]

A Human Rights Watch (HRW) statement on Monday highlighted the disproportionate harm that children with disabilities in Gaza are suffering as a result of Israel’s violations of humanitarian law, which include military strikes against hospitals, restrictions on humanitarian aid, and the 16-year blockade on the Gaza Strip. HRW states that the unlawful conditions being imposed [...]

A group of Pakistani lawyers, including members of the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC), penned a letter to the judges of the High Courts and the Supreme Court of Pakistan on Saturday formally positioning themselves in opposition to a constitutional amendment that would give rise to a new federal constitutional court. Among the 52 proposed unpublished [...]

The imperatives are plain. Whatever the trajectory of wars in the region, Israel has a law-based obligation to keep Iran non-nuclear. Immediately and incrementally, therefore, Jerusalem will need to ensure “escalation dominance” during periods of competitive risk-taking. This overriding responsibility concerns both Iran’s sub-state proxies (especially Shiite Hezbollah and Sunni Hamas) and Iran directly. What [...]