On November 4, 2016, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) published a report that seeks to address the practical realities of those in the context of human mobility and lay out the legal standards that should govern Member States’ policies concerning migrants, asylum seekers, refugees, persons in need of complimentary protection, stateless persons, victims of human trafficking, and internally
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The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) held on November 15 that a Czech law prohibiting the assistance of midwives during home births does not violate a mother’s right to respect for private and family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). See ECtHR, Dubská and Krejzová v. Czech Republic [GC],
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Activities of Human Rights Bodies and Experts The Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, and on the right to non-discrimination in this context has asked the Nigerian government for an explanation for the recent mass evictions that have resulted in four deaths and many displaced. [UN News Centre] The Subcommittee
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The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) held on November 8 that Hungary violated the right to receive and impart information as guaranteed under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) by refusing to provide requested information to an international human rights non-governmental organization (NGO). See ECtHR, Magyar Helsinki Bizottság v. Hungary [GC], no. 18030/11, ECHR
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The Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACtHR) has held Ecuador internationally responsible for discriminating against a military police officer of the army based on sexual orientation in a recently published opinion adopted in August 2016. Homero Flor Freire was dismissed pursuant to the army’s rules of military discipline, which punish sexual acts between persons of the same sex with discharge
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Politics Beijing issued new guidelines on taking an oath of office in an effort to remove pro-democracy legislators from Hong Kong’s Legislative Council. [NY Times] This week, Donald Trump was voted the next president of the United States, with some suggesting his anti-establishment campaign is linked to similar movements around the world. [Washington Post] China is expected to pass the
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In the month of November, various universal and regional bodies will assess States’ compliance with their human rights obligations through debates, the consideration of State and civil society reports, country visits, and the review of individual complaints. Six United Nations treaty bodies will meet throughout November to engage with States regarding their treaty obligations related to civil and political rights,
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The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) unanimously held on October 20 that Croatia violated a prisoner’s right to be free from inhuman or degrading treatment when it confined him in a cell measuring 2.62 square meters for 27 consecutive days. See ECtHR, Muršić v. Croatia [GC], no. 7334/13, ECHR 2016, Judgment of 20 October 2016,
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The Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACtHR) has, at Panama’s request, published an advisory opinion concerning the rights of legal entities, particularly whether the American Convention on Human Rights protects the rights of trade unions, cooperatives, associations, and companies, or whether the American Convention on Human Rights’ definition of “person” is limited to human beings. See I/A Court H.R., Titularidad
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Both Burundi and South Africa announced in the last two weeks that they intend to withdraw from the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC). On October 12, 2016, 94 of 110 parliamentary members in Burundi voted in support of retracting Burundi’s membership as a State party to the ICC’s treaty, the Rome Statute. [ICC Press Release] On October 18,
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