Human Rights

Libya: Drop Charges Against Politicians, Editor

Facing Death Penalty or Prison for ‘Insults’

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Amara al-Khatabi in his hospital bed where he remains under heavy guard in Tripoli, Libya on April 10, 2013.

Nigeria: Turning Blind Eye to Mass Killings

Failure to Investigate Fuels Violence in Plateau and Kaduna

Nigeria’s government has largely ignored years of mass murder in Plateau and Kaduna states in central Nigeria, Human Rights Watch said in a report released. The new report catalogues horrific sectarian violence in these two states, which has left more than 3,000 people dead since 2010.

US: Louisiana Fuels HIV Epidemic

Criminal Laws, Police Practices Put Sex Workers, Drug Users at Risk

Louisiana state laws and practices that prohibit access to sterile syringes and criminalize sex work contribute to an uncontrolled HIV epidemic and an extremely high AIDS death rate, Human Rights Watch said in a report released. The AIDS death rate in Louisiana is more than double the US average. New Orleans police regularly interfere with sex workers who carry condoms, putting them and their clients at risk of HIV.

India: Supreme Court Ruling Undermines LGBT Rights

Parliament Should Promptly Amend ‘Sodomy’ Law to Ensure Equality

The ruling by India’s Supreme Court on December 11, 2013, that same-sex conduct between consenting adults remained a criminal offense is a setback for the rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) people, Human Rights Watch said. The court reversed a landmark 2009 Delhi High Court decision that a colonial-era law infringed upon fundamental rights provided under the constitution.

Indian Supreme Court Upholds Anti-Gay Law

India's Supreme Court has upheld a 19th-century law making homosexual acts a crime, overturning an earlier court decision that had ruled the law invalid.

On International Human Rights Day, OSCE/ODIHR Director condemns violence against peaceful protesters

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Janez Lenarčič, the Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, delivers a briefing to journalists at the OSCE Ministerial Council in Kyiv, 6 December 2013.

OSCE Special Representative publishes human trafficking report on Portugal, praises immediate steps taken

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The OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Maria Grazia Giammarinaro, speaking at the Italian Chamber of Deputies, Rome, 18 July 2013.

One in three children under-five do not officially exist - UNICEF

UNICEF releases new birth registration report on its own 67th birthday underscoring the importance of counting every child

On UNICEF’s 67th birthday, the organization released a new report showing that the births of nearly 230 million children under-five have never been registered; approximately one in three of all children under-five around the world.

UNICEF provides emergency supplies to treat children injured in Central African Republic fighting

UNICEF has distributed emergency medical supplies to hospitals in Bangui following clashes in recent days that have left hundreds dead and thousands more displaced.

Protecting the EU's borders: "Saving lives should be mandatory"

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Carlos Coelho