That comes days after the ruling Georgian Dream party threatened to dissolve the largest opposition grouping in parliament, the United National Movement (UNM) which was founded by former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili. In addition to the UNM, the other pro-Western factions with seats in parliament face being shuttered, Kobakhidze said, because “in reality, all of … Read more
Samadov was detained earlier this week and appeared Friday before a court in Baku to be charged with “treason.” If convicted, he could face life in prison, and has reportedly stated he intends to begin a hunger strike after being handed four months of pre-trial detention. Bahruz Samadov’s case: 4 months in preventive measure, his … Read more
Change of direction After surviving the illiberal reign of Prime Minister Vladimír Mečiar in the 1990s, Slovakia elected a pro-Western government in 1998, putting itself back on track for NATO and EU membership, which it secured in 2002 and 2004 respectively. But after eight years of relentless reforms and creeping corruption, the electorate turned in … Read more
I was impressed that a couple from Britain and Italy, on their YouTube channel, said that people in China completely blew them away because they “never expected anyone could be so lovely, so friendly, so helpful, so welcoming and so patient”, and “so nice”. It was the first time I had seen someone put so … Read more
Russian authorities on Monday declared Hollywood star George Clooney’s nonprofit foundation “undesirable,” prohibiting it from operating in Russia. The Clooney Foundation for Justice (CFJ) was founded in 2016 by American actor Clooney and his wife, human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, to investigate human rights abuses. According to its website, the CJF is “actively investigating war … Read more
Media experts and human rights activists have highlighted some key strategies for improved reporting on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) in Nigeria that can significantly enhance societal understanding and ensure justice for victims. They urged journalists to avoid sensationalism in their stories and input of personal biases, saying doing so could likely distort the reality … Read more
Three journalists who were recently freed from prison under royal pardons in Morocco urged the country on Saturday to release “all prisoners of conscience” and begin “a new phase” focused on rights and freedoms. The journalists—Omar Radi, Soulaimane Raissouni, and Taoufik Bouachrine—were among several hundred prisoners, including historian and rights advocate Maati Monjib, who … Read more
The document also rehashed an earlier version of events put forward by authorities that Navalny had fallen ill during a walk and medics called to the scene had tried to help him, to no avail. The three-page document was shared online by Navalny’s wife Yulia Navalnaya on Thursday, and could not be independently verified by … Read more
Aden: The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) office in Yemen’s Sanaa has been shut down by Houthi forces, UN and government officials said on Tuesday. In an escalation of tensions between the Houthi group and international organizations operating in Yemen, UN and local government officials confirmed to Xinhua news agency that armed … Read more
Despite international calls from human rights organisations to ban Israel from competing in the Paris 2024 Olympics over the country’s ongoing aggression in the war-torn Gaza Strip, Israeli athletes have been clear to participate in the summer games. According to the reports, Israel has sent a team of 88 athletes to compete in 15 games … Read more
