About: human rights abuses
Russia kicked off UN rights council over Ukraine abuses
The United Nations suspended Russia from the Human Rights Council on Thursday (7 April), as US President Joe Biden called the atrocities continuing to emerge in Ukraine an “outrage” to humanity. The diplomatic rebuke came as the G7, the European...
After new nine-year sentence Navalny rallies supporters from jail
Jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny urged his supporters to show their opposition to the Russian government after a court sentenced him to nine years in prison on Tuesday (22 March) for fraud and contempt.
The EU must act now to stop abuses against Uyghur people
The European Commission’s proposed mandatory Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence laws and a forced labour ban are two powerful instruments that need to be executed effectively to successfully address Uyghur forced labour, write Koen Stoop and Helene de Rengerve.
Global player? Brdo EU summit to seek answers on China, US strategy
The European Union's 27 leaders will seek a new approach to China on Tuesday (5 October) in their first summit on Sino-European strategy since the bloc imposed sanctions on Beijing in March and faced retaliation, jeopardising a new investment pact.
EU, US and NGOs ‘deeply worried’ about Afghan women and girls
The EU and United States, together with 18 other countries, issued a joint statement on Wednesday (18 August) saying they were "deeply worried about Afghan women and girls", and urging the Taliban to ensure their safety.
US set to add more Chinese companies to blacklist over Xinjiang
The Biden administration is set as early as Friday (9 July) to add more than 10 Chinese companies to its economic blacklist over alleged human rights abuses and high-tech surveillance in Xinjiang, two sources told Reuters.
Bundestag adopts supply chain law tackling human rights abuses
The German Bundestag has adopted the Due Diligence in Supply Chains Law that will force companies to respect human rights in their supply chains, despite opposition from some political parties and industry
One Free Press Coalition: ’10 most urgent’ list of May 2021
On May 3, 2021, the annual observance of World Press Freedom Day, the One Free Press Coalition launched the monthly list of “10 Most Urgent” press freedom cases around the world. This iteration focuses on journalists writing about human rights—an...
Strasbourg court rules Russia has ‘direct control’ over Abkhazia, South Ossetia
Russia is responsible for human rights violations, including loss of life, torture, disrespect of property and privacy occurring in Georgian breakaway regions of Abkahzia and South Ossetia as it had effective control of the territories after the 2008 Russo-Georgian war,...
EU to complete Magnitsky-style human rights sanctions regime
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who survived a poisoning conducted by Russia in August, has called upon the EU to target oligarchs close to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Meanwhile, the EU is preparing to use a Magnitsky-style law to impose sanctions on human rights abusers.
Council of Europe flags concern over Poland’s treatment of detainees
The Council of Europe's anti-torture committee on Wednesday (28 October) expressed "serious concern" about conditions in police custody in Poland, urging "urgent and decisive action" by the authorities.
Nigeria president warns protesters as unrest flares
Nigeria's president has urged an end to unrest sweeping the country but avoided mentioning the police shooting of unarmed demonstrators that sparked international condemnation and unleashed chaos in Africa's biggest city.
European Commission proposes new Magnitsky-style sanctions regime
The European Commission on Monday (19 October) proposed a bill on travel-bans and asset-freezes that punishes individuals responsible for human rights violations worldwide, informally known as the 'European Magnitsky Act'.
‘Put aid on the table’ to halt Nigerian killing
With the biggest economy in Africa, Nigeria should be a key partner for Brussels as the EU seeks to overhaul its political and trade ties with Africa. But terrorism and insecurity that plague the country continue to be a concern.
EU ministers break ground on European ‘Magnitsky Act’
EU foreign ministers on Monday (9 December) cleared the way to start work on a European ‘Magnitsky Act’, modelled along the lines of a similar-named US sanctions framework targeting individuals involved in human rights abuses worldwide who could face EU asset freezes and travel bans.
EU-wide approach to due diligence needed to regulate cacao sector, manufacturers and NGOs say
Some of the world’s biggest chocolate manufacturers have called on the EU to “strengthen human rights and environmental due diligence requirements of companies in global cocoa supply chains”
EU slams Turkey over re-arrest of journalist
The European Union on Wednesday (13 November) criticised Turkey over the re-arrest of the journalist and novelist Ahmet Altan, saying the move damaged the credibility of the judiciary.
30 years after Berlin Wall fell, Stasi archive move sparks controversy
Almost 30 years after the Berlin Wall fell, Germany's parliament voted Thursday to transfer the vast secret police files of the former East German communist regime into the Federal Archives -- despite concerns voiced by some historians and ex-dissidents.
The case for corruption criteria in EU global human rights sanctions
The EU must join the US and include corruption in its own sanctions regime on human rights, argue Sarah Gardiner and Rachel Owens.
UN head ‘shocked’ by suffering at migrant camp in Libya
UN Secretary General António Guterres said Thursday (4 April) he was "shocked" by the level of suffering of migrants at a detention centre in Tripoli which he visited during a visit to the Libyan capital.
Five arrested after Maltese military seizes tanker hijacked by migrants
Five men were arrested Thursday (28 March) after Maltese armed forces took control of a tanker that was hijacked by migrants off Libya and the ship docked in Malta.
Rights groups lambast Operation Sophia – the EU naval mission without ships
International rights advocates criticised the European Union on Wednesday (27 March) for abdicating its humanitarian responsibilities after the bloc agreed to withdraw ships patrolling the Mediterranean for migrants attempting the perilous voyage. After much wrangling, the EU agreed this week...
In rare coordinated move, Western envoys seek meeting on Xinjiang concerns
A group of 15 Western ambassadors in Beijing, spearheaded by Canada, are seeking a meeting with the top official in China’s restive, heavily Muslim Xinjiang region for an explanation of alleged rights abuses against ethnic Uighurs.