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ECtHR: Mandatory Co-ed Swim Class Does Not Violate Religious Freedom

children, European System, freedom of religion, international human rights, regional human rights protection

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) unanimously held last week that requiring two Muslim girls below the age of puberty to participate in a school’s compulsory mixed gender swim class did not violate their parents’ right to religious freedom under Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights (the Convention). See ECtHR, Osmanoǧlu and Kocabaş v. Switzerland, no.

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ICC Asserts Jurisdiction over Rape, Sexual Slavery Charges Against Ntaganda

armed conflict, children, International Criminal Court, international criminal law, international humanitarian law

A trial chamber of the International Criminal Court (ICC) recently rejected defendant Bosco Ntaganda’s claim that the Court lacks jurisdiction to try him for the war crimes of rape and sexual slavery of child soldiers in his own forces. [ICC Press Release] The January 4 decision was issued in response to the defense’s claim that the Court cannot assert jurisdiction

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António Guterres Assumes UN Secretary General Office, Calls for Peace

international human rights, UN General Assembly, UN Security Council

The new United Nations Secretary General, António Guterres, recently appealed to Member States to join him in committing to ensuring and sustaining peace and has further called for a holistic approach to the UN’s work through close coordination between the UN’s three pillars: peace and security, sustainable development, and human rights policies. Guterres, who assumed office on January 1, 2017,

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Inter-American Commission Finds Undocumented Migrants Entitled to Workplace Protections

discrimination, due process & judicial protection, equal protection, immigration & asylum, Inter-American System, international human rights, labor rights, migrants

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) recently released a decision vindicating the rights of two undocumented workers in the United States whose employers denied them medical benefits and wage replacement after they were injured on the job, in a context of domestic jurisprudence and policy limiting labor protections for undocumented migrants. See IACHR, Merits Report No. 50/16, Case 12.834,

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IACtHR Holds Bolivia Responsible for Forced Sterilization in Landmark Judgment

family, health, Inter-American System, international human rights, reproductive and sexual rights, women's rights

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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New Clips – December 31, 2016

armed conflict, children, civil litigation, civil society, democracy & political rights, environmental rights, European System, human rights defenders, immigration & asylum, international human rights, migrants, News Clips, UN Security Council, UN Special Procedures, Universal system

Civil Society In Argentina this week, human rights advocate Milagro Sala, and other members of the organization Tupac Amaru, were sentenced to 2-3 years probation, or suspended prison, for “aggravated damage” after participating in a protest. [Telesur] A United Nations agency condemned the murder of journalist, Larry Que, of the Phillippines, and called for an investigation into the death as

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