On Thursday, lawmakers in Bosnia’s autonomous Republika Srpska passed a draft law that labels non-governmental organizations (NGOs), which receive foreign funding, as ‘foreign agents’. This decision has raised concerns in the EU. Under the Special Registry and Publicity of the Work of Non-Profit Organizations draft law, NGOs will now be required to inscribe onto a…
Amid growing tensions between Kosovars and Serbians, Kosovo police raided several locations in the northern part of the country last Friday following a weekend fraught with violence resulting in four casualties. The unrest was kindled on Sunday when the Diocese of Raška-Prizren reported an incident involving a group of masked men in an armored vehicle…
Iranian authorities opened fire on protests in Zahedan, marking one year since riot police shot and killed 100 people in an event known as “Bloody Friday.” The Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) reported that 23 protesters were injured in the recent clashes, amongst them at least four children. The term “Bloody Friday” refers to…
Turkey’s Supreme Court of Appeals recently upheld much of the controversial Gezi Park ruling. The social and political upheaval, named after a central park in Istanbul, sprung from anti-government protests in 2013. Alongside this ruling, the court decided to maintain the life sentence without parole awarded to civil rights activist and philanthropist, Osman Kavala, along…
The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), a unit in the Israeli Ministry of Defense, announced on Thursday that the Erez Crossing in the Gaza Strip has been reopened for workers to leave the area. However, whether the border reopening will continue is subject to an ongoing assessment of the situation. There have…
The US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has consented to reconsider its prior ruling that a provision of the Mississippi Constitution — one that permanently disallows people with certain felony convictions from voting — is unconstitutional. This development came about last Thursday. The reconsideration of the case, which pertains to Section 241 of…
Thailand’s Central Criminal Court of Corruption and Misconduct acquitted four forestry officials who were charged with the murder of Indigenous rights activist Pholachi Rakchongcharoen on Thursday, as reported by the JURIST News. The four officials, including former chief of Kaeng Krachan National Park, Chaiwat Limlikitaksorn, were indicted with murder in August 2022 over suspicions that…
A man was shot at a protest in Espanola, New Mexico. The demonstration was held over the reinstallation of a statue of the conquistador Juan de Onate, who committed a massacre and enslaved the Acoma Indigenous people in 1599. Oñate was later accused of applying “excessive force” against the Acoma. The details surrounding the altercation…
Gulnara Karimova, the daughter of Uzbekistan’s former president, Islam Karimov, has been indicted on multiple corruption charges by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) of Switzerland. She now faces charges of money laundering, bribery, and active involvement in a criminal network. Karimova’s suspected illicit activities were initially reported in 2012, which led to a…
The US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit ruled on Thursday upholding the bans on gender-affirming care for minors in Tennessee and Kentucky. The court’s decision, resulting from a 2-1 vote, dismissed a challenge by families of transgender minors, stating that the bans did not constitute discrimination on the grounds of sex. The bans,…
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe recently affirmed his determination to bypass a court ruling through the utilization of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms‘ notwithstanding clause. The court injunction in question had temporarily suspended the province’s policy regarding the usage of preferred names and pronouns for students. The Parental Inclusion and Consent policy was introduced…
US District Judge Tanya Chutkan has denied the motion filed by former US President Donald Trump for her recusal from his pending criminal case on allegations of bias. Mr. Trump, who had requested the judge’s removal earlier this month, based his claim on comments she had made during the sentencing of two rioters from the…
Israel’s Supreme Court recently held a hearing to discuss arguments on an “incapacitation” amendment, which limits the government’s ability to state that the prime minister is incapable of delivering his responsibilities. This amendment was passed by the government back in March, prior to the corruption trials of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. Find an overview of…
A Montana judge has temporarily blocked the state’s Senate Bill 99, known as the “Youth Health Protection Act”, which bars certain gender-affirming medical treatments for minors. District Court Judge Jason Marks found that Senate Bill 99 (SB 99) would likely have an adverse impact rather than protecting minors and considered the stated purpose to be…
In a nearly five-hour-long hearing on Wednesday, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) heard a case put forth by six youth plaintiffs against 33 European governments to push for stronger climate change mitigations measures. The case, Duarte Agostinho and Others v. Portugal and 32 Others, saw six plaintiffs from Portugal including Catarina, 23, Cláudia,…
U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, recently announced the implementation of stringent visa restrictions against individuals who are “undermining democracy” in Liberia as the country prepares for the presidential elections in October. In his official statement, Secretary Blinken outlined the United States’ position on the impending Liberian election, specifically stating the use of visa restrictions…
Pakistani authorities resumed issuing identity cards labeled as ‘X’ for transgender individuals this Monday, following a four-month pause instigated by a controversial ruling from the Pakistani Federal Shariat Court. The card issuance was reinstated upon instruction received by the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA). According to Rida Qazi, Public Engagement Director at NADRA, the…
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has held Turkey accountable for violations of fair trial rights. The judgment, released on Tuesday, pertains to criminal convictions based on the use of the encrypted messaging application ByLock. ByLock drew the attention of Turkish authorities following the failed coup attempt in 2016coup attempt. The government alleged that…
Following a months-long blockade that escalated into violent attacks by Azerbaijani forces, the government of the predominantly ethnically Armenian region of Nagorno-Karabakh announced it would disband, effective immediately. “The Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh ceases to exist,” stated the separatist republic, which is referred to as Artsakh in Armenian, via its official information channel on Telegram. The…
Recent reports from Tehran reveal that the Iranian Parliament has passed a resolution that challenges the independence of the prominent Iranian Bar Association. If ratified by the Guardian Council of the Constitution, the decree will see a striking shift in administration; the Ministry of Economy and Finance will henceforth oversee lawyer’s associations, controlling everything from…
A dramatic incident, which spurred political tensions between North Korea and the United States, has finally come to a resolution after suffering an unknowable outcome for an extended period. US soldier Travis King was released by North Korea on Wednesday, two months subsequent to his unauthorized crossing into its territory from South Korea. This news…
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and 17 states filed a lawsuit against Amazon last Tuesday, citing anticompetitive conduct that they allege has allowed Amazon to maintain its “monopoly power” within the online superstore and marketplace service sectors. The lawsuit requests that the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington restrain Amazon from…
UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous urged the UN Security Council (UNSC) to intervene in the escalating women’s rights crisis in Afghanistan. In a compelling speech to the council, Bahous highlighted the severe deterioration of women’s rights in the country under Taliban rule. Bahous proposed three recommendations for the UNSC consideration: organizing a meeting devoted…
New York has taken a significant step towards protecting student privacy by banning the use of facial recognition technology in schools, according to the state’s Commissioner of Education, Betty Rosa, who issued the order this past Wednesday. A detailed account of the prohibition is available via the official New York State Education Department website. The…
A federal judge in Texas ruled on Tuesday that the state’s ban on drag performances was unconstitutional, blocking it from going into effect. District Judge David Hittner determined in his preliminary injunction against the ban that it infringes on the First Amendment and chills free speech. This decision follows a temporary restraining order on August…