IACtHR Holds Bolivia Responsible for Forced Sterilization in Landmark Judgment

The Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACtHR) examined for the first time the issue of informed consent to medical treatment and forced sterilization, in its judgment in I.V. v. Bolivia, released last week. [IACtHR Press Release (in Spanish)] The case involves a Peruvian refugee who was sterilized by a tubal ligation performed without her informed consent in a Bolivian public

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Migrants Detained in Libya Face Serious Rights Abuses, UN Reports

A new report from the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights details rights abuses against migrants held in detention in Libya. Published on December 13, 2016, “Detained and dehumanized”: Report on Human Rights Abuses Against Migrants in Libya, summarizes information gathered from migrants held in detention centers that are mostly run

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UNHCR Issues Guidelines on Refugee Status of Those Fleeing Conflict

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) issued new guidelines relating to individuals who are fleeing their countries due to armed conflict and violence, seeking to ensure that States consistently apply international law when conducting refugee determinations and generally view these individuals as possible refugees. [UN News Centre] The guidelines are intended to resolve discrepancies in States’ application of

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News Clips- November 25, 2016

Civil Society Following protests over the weekend and statements from the United Nations, Turkey withdrew a bill that would have granted amnesty to some perpetrators of child sexual assault. [Guardian] Thousands of protesters in Malaysia demonstrated against the prime minister, resulting in 15 arrests. [Washington Post] Authorities have started using tear gas and water cannons against refugee protesters in Bulgaria.

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ECtHR Allows Czech Law Prohibiting Midwife Assistance in Home Births

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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