The UK Supreme Court Wednesday ruled that Northern Ireland’s Abortion Services Bill does not infringe on protesters rights. The court reasoned that the citizens of Northern Ireland adopted the right to abortion through the democratic process. By allowing “those who had lost the political debate” to obstruct the right to abortion it “would align the [...]

Al Jazeera Tuesday submitted a formal request to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to open an investigation into the killing of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. Israeli officials announced in September that there is a high possibility that Israeli soldiers shot and killed Abu Akleh during an exchange with Palestinians. According to Al Jazeera attorney [...]

Australian nonprofit the Human Rights Law Centre Tuesday reported that 60 percent of legislation regarding human rights between 2019 and 2021 was passed by the Australian Federal Parliament with no review by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights. The Committee was created in 2012 “to examine all bills and legislative instruments for compatibility with [...]

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern Monday delivered an apology speech on behalf of the Crown to the Māori Tribe Ngāti Maniapoto for violations of the Treaty of Waitangi. Ardern stated: The Crown apologises for the devastating long-term prejudice its acts, omissions and violations of Te Ōhākī Tapu nd te Tiriti have caused you. Ngāti [...]

Human Rights Watch (HRW) Sunday called for the Polish government to stop targeting reproductive rights activists, specifically calling for all charges against lawmaker Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus to be dropped. Scheuring-Wielgus, who participated in a pro-choice protest in October 2020, was charged with “offending religious feelings” and “malicious interference with religious worship” by the Torun prosecutors officer [...]

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa Saturday announced through a spokesperson that he will not resign and will instead challenge a parliamentary report suggesting he may have illegaly concealed a crime at his private game farm. Ramaphosa’s announcement ends days of speculation over whether he would step down rather than face impeachment. The report, drafted by [...]

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk Friday condemned military courts in Myanmar for handing out over 130 death sentences in proceedings not accessible to the public. Seven college students were sentenced to death on November 30, and the UN is working to confirm four additional death sentences against youth activists on December 1.< [...]

The Australian Senate Thursday passed the Restoring Territory Rights Bill 2022, giving the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and Northern Territory (NT) the option to make their own legislation on voluntary assisted dying (VAD). The bill marks the end of a 25-year campaign to restore these territory rights. The ability to make laws on VAD was [...]

The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland (ECNI) and the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC) Thursday released a joint report clarifying the extent of equality and human rights protected under the Ireland-Northern Ireland Protocol. The report comes as a legal challenge to the Protocol has reached the UK Supreme Court. The Ireland-Northern Ireland Protocol was [...]

The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland (ECNI) and the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC) Thursday released a joint report clarifying the extent of equality and human rights protected under the Ireland-Northern Ireland Protocol. The report comes as a legal challenge to the Protocol has reached the UK Supreme Court. The Ireland-Northern Ireland Protocol was [...]