Human Rights

AP: Global Response as Domestic Violence Worsens Amid Covid-19

November 25, 2020

Domestic violence is on the rise amid the coronavirus pandemic and activists are promoting global action and holding demonstrations from France to Turkey today as those in power attempt to find ways to protect women killed or abused by partners.
French Bill Makes Intimidation on Religious Grounds a Crime

November 20, 2020

Following the death of french history teacher Samuel Paty, who was beheaded after an online campaign for showing his students cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, French leaders have drafted a law that will make intimidation on religious grounds a crime.
UK's Labour Party Demands Social Media Silences Anti-Vaxxers

November 16, 2020

In a letter to the UK's Digital, Culture and Media Secretary, Olivier Downdon, the Labour Party requested that the Government require social media companies to delete any content containing anti-vaccine language.
EU Governments Expunge Language on Islamism in Joint Statement on Terrorism

November 16, 2020

Home Affairs ministers from European Union (EU) member-states have issued a joint statement on terrorism that diverged markedly from an initial draft that identified Islamist extremism as a terrorist threat and that called for the establishment of a European institute to train imams, with the final version making no mention of Islam and, instead, focusing on the need for integration of refugees and migrants and the promotion of religious education and training consistent with European values.
200 French Lawyers Sign Open Letter to Protest Lockdown

November 11, 2020

In a letter originally published in "Le Journal du Dimanche and re-published in The Spectator, 200 french lawyers express their objection to the French government's new mandatory lockdown of society, highlighting that health is 'a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity'.
CJEU Clarifies Rules for State Surveillance

November 11, 2020

The Court of Justice of the European Union ("CJEU") in an October decision, held that the national security laws of the United Kingdom, France, and Belgium, which require that providers of electronic communications services ("ECS") must retain traffic and location data on a general and indiscriminate basis, contravene EU law.
Dutch Teacher Threatened for Showing Charlie Hebdo Cartoons

November 09, 2020

One month after a teacher in France was beheaded for showing caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad to his class, a Dutch high school teacher was threatened after displaying the same Charlie Hebdo cartoons, leading to the arrest of an 18 year old woman and tensions in the Netherlands, as fears of ripple effects mount.
More EU Sanctions for Belarus Officials

November 04, 2020

EU ambassadors approved sanctions including travel bans and asset freezes against a second list of 15 Belarusian officials, including President Alexander Lukashenko, who the bloc accuses of election fraud and repression.
New Sanctions Program to Address Human Rights Violations Proposed for EU

October 28, 2020

The European Commission and the EU's Foreign Policy High Representative have put forward a proposal for a new, non-country-based sanctions program to address human rights violations and abuses with asset freezes and travel bans which must be approved by all 27 Member States within the EU Council before it becomes law.
ECJ Rules against Government Collection of Citizen Mobile and Internet Data

October 09, 2020

The European Court of Justice ("ECJ") has ruled that, except in cases of national security, member states must not collect mass mobile and internet data of their citizens.