Human Rights | WPN World People News

A life sentence apparently handed down by mistake to a 3-year-old boy on February 16, 2016, exemplifies the arbitrariness of Egyptian courts that are used to punish political opponents of the government.

Democratic Republic of Congo authorities have arbitrarily arrested eight youth activists, Human Rights Watch said on February 23, 2016. The youth activists and at least 30 political opposition supporters were detained on or around February 16, 2016, in connection with a national strike, or “ville morte” (dead city), to protest delays in organizing presidential elections. Other activists who supported the ville morte have received text message threats from unknown phone numbers.

In November 2015, refugees and migrants protest border restrictions near the Greek town of Idomeni, close to the border with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

Malaysian universities should stop using disciplinary rules to silence student activists and restrict debate on matters of public interest, Human Rights Watch said on February 21. In the most recent example, the University of Malaya (UM) penalized six students on February 16, 2016, for holding a press conference without university permission.

UNHCR fears that up to 26,000 people may have been displaced by fighting that broke out on Wednesday (February 17) evening between ethnic Dinka and Shilluk at a site for internally displaced people in Malakal, South Sudan.

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has adopted an opinion urging the EU Council to stick to its commitment to get at least 20 million people out of poverty by 2020. The EESC adopted its opinion on fighting poverty (Rapporteur: Seamus Boland, Co-Rapporteur: Marjolijn Bulk), requested by the Dutch Presidency of the Council, during its plenary session on 18 February 2016. To achieve the EU's target, Member States need to launch their own national strategies to fight poverty, social exclusion and discrimination, supported by a common European framework. These strategies should focus on adequate income support, inclusive labour markets, quality jobs, equal access to affordable high quality services for all, including migrants and people granted asylum.

Omani courts have sentenced online activists to prison in two separate cases in February 2016 for their social media posts. Omani activists said that they are seeing a decline in freedom of expression in Oman.

Atrocities by Islamist armed groups in Mali and abusive responses by Malian security forces have spread south in the past year, engulfing more civilians in the conflict, Human Rights Watch said on February 19. Islamist groups have threatened, raped and killed civilians. Malian security forces have carried out military operations that have resulted in arbitrary detention and torture. Both sides have committed abuses since the start of 2016.

The United Nations top official on 20 February called on Member States to build inclusive societies free of discrimination, in which all people can live with dignity and opportunities to improve their lives, as he observed the World Day of Social Justice.

Attacks on Azaz and a neighboring town in northern Aleppo, Syria, hit two hospitals and a school used by displaced Syrians, killing at least 20 civilians. Witness statements and evidence of the aftermath indicates that the attacks on February 15, which also wounded 38, were part of the joint Russian-Syrian offensive in the area.