Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Sunday urged Israel to change its policies that forbid Palestinians from traveling through and living in Gaza and the West Bank. The report describes the policy that causes separation within Palestinian families since some are trapped inside Israel while their family members are forbidden from entering. Israel was also criticized [...]
The Supreme Court of Georgia ruled unanimously Monday that the state’s assisted suicide law violated the First Amendment right to free speech, essentially ruling in favor of four members of Final Exit charged in 2009. Defendants Ted Goodwin, Claire Blehr, Lawrence Egbert and Nicholas Alec Sheriden were arrested for allegedly violating that law by running [...]
A UN ambassador on Sunday urged the government in Myanmar to continue its ongoing reforms in areas such as judicial independence and human rights protections. Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar Tomas Ojea Quintana , who spoke to reporters at the end of a six-day visit, praised the country for its [...]
The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention voiced concern last week over security interests overriding the right of individuals to be free from arbitrary detention in El Salvador. The UN Working Group also criticized the overcrowding in police and prison facilities in Central America. The investigation consisted of visits to 11 prisons along with various [...]
Egyptian investigative judges on Sunday referred to a criminal court in Cairo the cases of 43 individuals working for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that advocate democracy in the country. The suspects, including 19 Americans, other foreigners and Egyptians, have been charged with promoting democracy in Egypt without proper documentation and by using illegal funds. Egyptian officials [...]
The trial against 41 Libyans accused of assisting Muammar Gaddafi in suppressing the revolt during the Libya conflict was postponed Sunday after a brief start, according to the Libyan news agency LANA. The men face charges of murder and helping prisoners escape. The court postponed the trial in response to pleadings by the defense panel [...]
A judge for the US District Court for the District of Utah ruled Friday that the Browns, a publicly polygamist family living in Utah, have standing to bring a suit challenging Utah’s anti-bigamy law against Utah County Attorney General Jeffrey Buhman. The court dismissed challenges brought against Utah Governor Gary Herbert and Utah Attorney General [...]
The US Army dropped all charges against Army Specialist Michael Wagnon Friday, ending the final case in a series of related charges against five army personnel accused of killing Afghan civilians. Wagnon had been facing a charge of murder for his alleged involvement in the killing of three Afghan civilians and was expected to go [...]
The Virginia House of Delegates on Friday voted 71-28 to approve a bill that would allow adoption agencies to refuse to place a child if the agency, or anyone affiliated with it, disagrees with the proposed placement based on religious beliefs. Effectively, this bill would allow adoption agencies to refuse to adopt to same-sex couples. [...]
A French court of appeals on Thursday upheld the 2009 fraud conviction against the Church of Scientology , fining the defendants a total of €600,000. The decision upheld the original conviction of the Spiritual Association of the Church of Scientology (ASES) , an affiliated bookstore, and seven other members for fraud and illegal practice of [...]
