Category: Human Rights

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders has urged the Chinese government to urgently release citizen journalist Zhang Zhan, who has been detained and reportedly subjected to torture for her activism. Zhang, who was arrested in August 2024 in Shanghai, faces charges of “picking quarrels and stirring up trouble,” a vague criminal offense […]

Today, at the Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Summit in Paris, the European Commission announced a new pledge of €3.4 billion until 2027 to combat malnutrition globally. This commitment builds on the EU’s ongoing efforts to reduce all forms of malnutrition and drive progress in nutrition-related interventions worldwide. The EU’s investment will focus on supporting partner […]

Volker Türk issued a statement on Wednesday saying he was deeply shocked by reports that hundreds of civilians were killed, and scores injured, in the 24 March strikes on a busy market in Tora Village. The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and a rival military known as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been at war […]

This represents a staggering 59 per cent increase from the 1,584 deaths recorded in 2023, highlighting the worsening dangers faced by people on the move. “No one should lose their life in pursuit of safety or a better future,” said Iori Kato, IOM Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific. “Every life lost on migration […]

A Zimbabwean High Court has denied bail to journalist Blessed Mhlanga, who has been detained for 25 days after interviewing a former ruling party member who called for President Emmerson Mnangagwa to step down. Mhlanga’s arrest, on February 24, has drawn attention to growing concerns over press freedom and government repression amid Zimbabwe’s ongoing economic […]

(Beirut) – Syria’s newly approved constitutional declaration, meant to govern the country’s transitional phase, concentrates power in the executive and could undermine the independence of the judiciary, Human Rights Watch said today.  The declaration, endorsed by interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa on March 13, 2025, grants the president significant authority, including over judicial and legislative appointments […]

In a significant move to address human rights violations, the UK government has imposed sanctions on four individuals involved in the brutal Sri Lankan civil war (1983-2009). These measures, including travel bans and asset freezes, target key figures accused of committing atrocities during the conflict, which claimed an estimated 80,000-100,000 lives. The sanctioned individuals include: […]

The mother of British-Egyptian human rights activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah, who has been imprisoned in Egypt, has warned she will resume her hunger strike by the end of the month if no progress is made toward securing her son’s release. This follows her hospitalization after collapsing from 150 days of fasting in London. During the […]

21 March marks the adoption of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and honours the legacy of the 1960 Sharpeville massacre, when South African police opened fire on a peaceful protest against apartheid, killing 69 people. A toxic legacy Despite decades of progress, racism remains a threat, UN Secretary-General […]

The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has raised serious concerns over a growing wave of arbitrary arrests, particularly targeting lawyers, judges, and military personnel. The UN has called for the immediate release of detainees, highlighting the use of filmed confessions, where individuals are allegedly coerced into admitting to crimes and then publicly humiliated. […]