Jurist

Philippines urged to arrest fugitive senator

Amnesty International on May 14 called on the Philippines to apprehend Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, expressing deep concern over reports that he fled the Senate building to evade an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant.

Amnesty International Philippines executive director Ritz Lee Santos III stated: "We are deeply alarmed at the obstruction of justice and chaotic scenes witnessed at the Philippines Senate… It is hugely concerning that fellow Senators and others appear to have assisted him in evading arrest and in delaying the execution of the arrest warrant—effectively facilitating his escape for now."

UN rights chief calls on Tunisia to halt repression

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on May 7 urged Tunisian authorities to halt their persecution of civil society organizations, journalists, human rights activists and members of the judiciary, who have been subjected to criminal proceedings in retaliation for their criticisms of government policies and the president's consolidation of executive power.

Drones now leading cause of civilian deaths in Sudan

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on May 11 issued a high alert on the widening use of drones in the conflict in Sudan. Türk warned that unless the international community takes action without delay, the conflict in Sudan could enter a new, even deadlier phase.

The Sudan team at the Human Rights Office found that upwards of 80% of all civilian deaths from January to April—numbering at least 880—can be attributed to drone attacks. These include attacks on May 8 that killed 26 civilians in Al Quz, South Kordofan, and near El Obeid, North Kordofan.

Alberta receives separation referendum petition

Provincial electoral authorities in Alberta received a petition for independence from Canada on May 4. The verification process for the signatures is currently on hold, pending a decision from the provincial courts on the compatibility of the petition with First Nations treaty rights.

Trump admin has transferred 17,400 to 'third countries'

The Trump administration has built a network of third-country transfer agreements with more than 30 governments and used them to remove over 17,400 people, in some cases in defiance of federal court orders and after individuals had won their release through habeas corpus, according to data released May 5 by Human Rights First and Refugees International.

ICC orders reparations for Timbuktu war crime victims

The International Criminal Court (ICC) on April 28 delivered an order on reparations for the victims of war crimes and crimes against humanity perpetrated by Al Hassan Ag Abdoul Aziz in Timbuktu between April 2, 2012, and Jan. 29, 2013, when the Malian city was occupied by jihadist forces.

World Court opens hearings on Essequibo dispute

The International Court of Justice opened oral hearings May 4 on the merits of a territorial dispute between Guyana and Venezuela over the Essequibo region, with Guyana asking the court to declare that Venezuela has no legitimate claim to the oil-rich territory that constitutes some two-thirds of Guyana's landmass.

Algeria: dissident poet may face execution

UN rights experts urged the Court of Algiers on April 28 to stop the trial of Mohamed Tadjadit, noting that the "reclassified" charges the prominent activist now faces are punishable by death. A poet and human rights defender, Tadjadit is associated with the Hirak movement, which first arose in 2019 in opposition to then-president Abdelaziz Bouteflika and has since evolved into a wider call for political change and greater freedoms.

Syndicate content