Unlwful Killing

By Shelley Inglis, University of Dayton | – Images of pregnant women fleeing a bombed maternity ward in Mariupol, Ukraine, raised again the question of how far the Russian military will be willing to go to conquer the country – and whether war crimes are being committed. In just over two weeks of the invasion, […]

Displaced and Refugees

Why Putin’s War against Ukraine is Illegal in International Law

The Conversation

By Hurst Hannum | – Both international law and the United Nations Charter say that countries should not invade each other. But who has the ability to enforce those rules? U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres put them to the test on Feb. 24, 2022, when he called on Russia to stop its fast-moving ground invasion of […]

Displaced and Refugees

America’s Bombing Wars Haven’t Ended, with 1,178 dropped under Biden

Medea Benjamin and Nicholas J.S. Davies

The Pentagon has finally published its first Airpower Summary since President Biden took office nearly a year ago. These monthly reports have been published since 2007 to document the number of bombs and missiles dropped by U.S.-led air forces in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria since 2004. But President Trump stopped publishing them after February 2020, […]

Authoritarianism

Kazakhstan must Cancel Order for Troops to Shoot Protesters ‘Without Warning’ (Human Rights Watch)

Human Rights Watch

Ensure National and Foreign Forces Respect Rights; Investigate Killings

Authoritarianism

2021: a grim year for Free Speech as hundreds of Journalists are arrested in an increasingly authoritarian World

The Conversation

By Dina Matar | – Hundreds of journalists killed or arrested, rising numbers of female media workers targeted, floods of misinformation and hate speech and ineffectual or hostile governments unable or unwilling to protect the public’s right to know. The 2021 press freedom index released recently by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) makes for grim reading. […]

Bangladesh

The perils of the digital age: How Facebook failed to protect Persecuted Rohingya Muslims

Middle East Monitor

By Elif Selin Calik | – ( Middle East Monitor ) – Rohingya refugees and victims are suing Facebook for $150 billion. They allege that Facebook played a key role in the brutal crackdown against Muslims in Myanmar by promoting anti-Rohingya posts. This online hate turned into real-world violence, according to the lawsuit. As stated […]

censorship

Justice: French arrest Man they believe to be Top Saudi Assassin of Journalist Jamal Khashoggi

Juan Cole

Update: French authorities have released the individual they apprehended on Tuesday. Read on for the significance of this attempted arrest of al-Otaibi. Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Rick Noack and Sarah Dadouch at The Washington Post report that French authorities arrested a Saudi man they believe to be Khalid Aedh al-Otaibi, a member of the […]

Entertainment

Justin Bieber and Others Should Speak Out on Human Rights at Saudi Arabia’s Grand Prix

Human Rights Watch

Jason Derulo, A$AP Rocky Also Among Celebrities Slated to Perform

Death Penalty

Letter to President Biden on Failures of Administration’s Human Rights Policy Toward the Middle East

Human Rights Watch

By Kenneth Roth | Executive Director | – President Joseph R. Biden 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500 RE: US Policy Toward the Middle East Dear President Biden, When you were elected last year, we urged your incoming administration to strive to be a leader in human rights and made a series of recommendations […]