Eleven Falun Gong practitioners have filed suit against computer networking company Cisco Systems for allegedly facilitating human rights abuses by the Chinese government against Falun Gong members, by developing and providing Internet surveillance technology known as Golden Shield or Policenet. [Wall Street Pit] The suit, filed by the Human Rights Law Foundation in the U.S. District Court for the Northern
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UN Rapporteur on Housing Concerned by World Cup and Olympics Preparations in Brazil
Raquel Rolnik, the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing, expressed concern about Brazil’s ongoing and planned displacement of many thousands of families and individual residents to make way for beautification and development projects for the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympic Games. [UN News Centre] In particular, she signaled that the hasty evictions and “very limited compensation
Read morePressure on Libya to Comply with AfCHPR's Provisional Measures to Protect Civilians
Late last month, the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights issued an order for provisional measures, directing the Libyan government to “immediately refrain from any action that would result in loss of life or violation of physical integrity of persons”, in response to Application No. 004/2011 from the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights. Human Rights Watch,
Read moreJudge Garzón Challenges Prosecution for Investigation of Franco-Era Abuses
London-based human rights organization The International Centre for the Legal Protection of Human Rights (INTERIGHTS) has filed an application with the European Court of Human Rights on behalf of Spanish judge Baltasar Garzón against the Spanish government, challenging Judge Garzón’s criminal prosecution for malfeasance, initiated by private groups in response to his judicial investigation of crimes committed under the Franco dictatorship. [INTERIGHTS;
Read moreUN Human Rights Council Session Brings International Scrutiny to Iran, Cote d'Ivoire; Supports LGBTI Rights, Religious Freedom
As its sixteenth regular session drew to a close last week, some have begun hailing the renewed vitality of the Human Rights Council. See, e.g. Dokhi Fassihian, Is the U.S. Prepared to Win at the UN Human Rights Council? We Just Did, The Huffington Post (Mar. 26, 2011); Frédéric Burnand, Human Rights Council Witnesses ‘Turning Point’, Swissinfo.ch (Mar. 25, 2011); Robert
Read moreU.S. and Brazil Reaffirm Commitment to Combating Discrimination
According to a fact sheet released by the U.S. Department of State earlier this month, President Obama and Brazilian President Rousseff “reaffirmed their commitment to cooperation on the U.S.-Brazil Joint Action Plan to Eliminate Racial and Ethnic Discrimination and Promote Equality” during Obama’s recent visit to Brazil. The Joint Action Plan, launched in 2008, commits both governments to sharing
Read moreVenezuelan Students End Hunger Strike As Government Agrees to Fund Universities
Venezuelan students have apparently ended their month-long hunger strike, which drew attention to imminent funding shortages at public universities, following the government’s promise to increase university budgets. [Yahoo] Just last week, four students sewed their mouths partially shut in protest. [Impunity Watch] Over two dozen public universities were reportedly on the verge of running out of money to run cafeterias
Read moreIACHR to Begin Hearings Today – Rights of Women, Indigenous Communities, Sexual Minorities and Human Rights Defenders on Today's Agenda
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights begins holding hearings today in its 141st Period of Sessions. The forty-four scheduled hearings will be held on March 25 (today), 28 and 29 at the OAS General Secretariat Building at 1889 F Street, N.W. in Washington, D.C. and are open to the public (with the exception of two closed hearings on Venezuela). No
Read moreNew Convictions against Army Commander and Provincial Police Chief in 'Dirty War' Prosecutions
Ex Commander of the Third Corps of the Army, Luciano Menéndez, and former Chief of Police for the province of Tucumán, Roberto Albornoz, were sentenced to life imprisonment by a federal court in Tucumán, Argentina on Wednesday for their role in the extrajudicial executions of five suspected Montonero militants in May of 1976. [Tucumán Noticias; Clarín; RNW] This is Menéndez’ sixth
Read moreNinth Circuit Holds that Prolonged Detention of Immigrants Pursuing Motions to Reopen Must Be Reviewed by Immigration Judge
On March 7, 2011, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled in Diouf v. Napolitano that an immigrant facing long-term detention pending resolution of their motions to reopen immigration proceedings is “entitled to release on bond unless the government establishes that he is a flight risk of a danger to the community.” In so holding, the appellate court
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