A group of book sellers and publishers filed a lawsuit on Wednesday challenging a new Louisiana criminal law that requires websites to implement age-verification systems to protect material that may be harmful to any minor. HB 153 , passed in June of this year, states, “Any person or entity in Louisiana that publishes material harmful [...]
The Constitutional Court of Colombia on Wednesday ruled that same-sex couples can legally adopt children. In a 6-2 decision, the court said that allowing same-sex couples to form a family upholds equality and is in the best interest of children and teens. The two dissenting judges said that the court’s emphasis on the rights of [...]
The Egyptian Court of Cassation on Thursday postponed the retrial of former president Hosni Mubarak regarding his complicity in the killings of hundreds of protestors in the 2011 demonstrations that ousted his regime. Judge Anwar Gabri of the Egyptian Court of Cassation ordered a retrial for former president Hosni Mubarak in June, which overturned his [...]
The Syrian government’s widespread and murky policies of disappearances have spawned a thriving market of bribery and exploitation, according to a report released Thursday by Amnesty International (AI) . AI explained that tens of thousands of people in Syria have disappeared since 2011. These individuals were reportedly arrested, detained or abducted by the state or [...]
Human Rights Watch (HRW) called Thursday for countries to develop stronger international laws governing incendiary weapons. The report provides a five-year review of the developments surrounding incendiary weapons discussing, among other things, instances of its recent use in several countries including Syria, Libya and Ukraine. The report also discusses the gradual changes in governmental policies [...]
Several independent UN human rights experts said Wednesday that a recent Brazilian draft law may infringe upon civil rights in its efforts to counteract terrorism. The bill was approved by the Brazilian Senate last month. The legislation broadly defines a terrorist act as one which “infringes upon persons, through violence or serious threat, and is [...]
The Maldives Parliament (People’s Majilis) unanimously passed a declaration Thursday to remove Ahmed Adeeb Abdul Gafoor from his position as vice president due to accusations that he has been planning to kill President Yameen Abdul Gayoom . The Maldivian Democratic Party abstained from the vote. The vice president was linked to the September explosion of [...]
The Mexico Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that four members of the nonprofit Sociedad Mexicana de Autoconsumo Responsable y Tolerante (SMART) will be allowed to grow and smoke marijuana. This decision marks a significant step in the potential path for full legalization of marijuana in Mexico. SMART is a group that wants to weaken the [...]
The US Supreme Court heard oral arguments in two cases Wednesday. In Shapiro v. McManus the court is hearing a challenge to the Three Judge Court Act , which requires the convening of a three-judge district court to decide certain important lawsuits such as those concerning voter redistricting. The court ruled in Goosby v. Osser [...]
The Colombian government should prioritize the rights of indigenous and Afro-descendant communities above corporate interests, Amnesty International (AI) said in a report Wednesday. According to AI, the armed conflict in the country has caused members of these communities and peasant farmers to lose their lands, resulting in forced displacement and land misappropriation. The indigenous and [...]
