Human Rights | WPN World People News

Draft rules to clarify how border guards serving in Frontex-coordinated maritime operations should deal with migrants intercepted or rescued at sea and where they should land them were approved by the Civil Liberties Committee on Monday. These rules should help to save lives, by removing confusion due to EU member states’ differing interpretations of international law. MEPs also inserted clauses to ensure that migrants’ rights are better protected.

The top of the Empire State Building will turn a bright blue to honor Human Rights Watch on December 10, 2013, the international day to celebrate human rights around the world. The Empire State Building decided to use blue lights in recognition of Human Rights Watch’s 35 years of work worldwide to protect and promote human rights.

Photographer Farzana Wahidy covering a women's empowerment event in Mazar-i-Sharif, in Afghanistan's north.

Libyan authorities should urgently announce the results of promised investigations into at least two deadly clashes between protesters and militias during 2013. The clashes killed dozens of people and injured hundreds.

A commitment to address protracted conflicts, stronger OSCE work on energy and environment, increased efforts to address transnational threats, human dimension agreements on religious freedom and Roma, and a reaffirmation of the Helsinki +40 process to map the OSCE’s future path were amongst the results of the 20th OSCE Ministerial Council that concluded in Kyiv.

On the occasion of the Human Rights Day, 2013, the Philippine Desk of the Asian Human Rights Commission has produced a 19 page report detailing the prevailing situation in the country.

The Sidi Gaber Minor Offenses Court on December 7 commuted the sentences for the 21 female Brotherhood protestors. The 14 young women received a 1 year suspended sentence, while the 7 girls were ordered to be released subject to the three months of probation.

The main plenary room of the OSCE Ministerial Council in Kyiv, 5 December 2013.

A man behind bars at Sfax detention center; Tunisia, September 26, 2013

The death of Nelson Mandela on December 5, 2013, is a tremendous loss, not only for South Africa, but for the world.