Committee against Torture Reviews 8 States’ Records

The Committee against Torture (CAT) is currently holding its 54th session in Geneva which began on April 20 and will continue through May 15. According to the agenda, CAT is considering the State reports of Colombia, the Republic of Congo, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Romania, Serbia, Spain, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia on their implementation of the Convention against

Read more

UN Human Rights Council Creates Special Rapporteur on Right to Privacy

On March 26, 2015, the UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution which establishes a mandate on the right to privacy in the digital age and creates a new Special Rapporteur on the Right to Privacy. See UN Human Rights Council, Resolution 28/L.27, Resolution on the right to privacy in the digital age, UN Doc. A/HRC/28/L.27, 24 March 2015. [OHCHR Press

Read more

Inter-American Court Holds 108th Ordinary Session and 52nd Extraordinary Session

The Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACtHR) is currently holding its 108th Ordinary Session, which began on April 13 and will conclude on April 17, 2015 in San Jose, Costa Rica, and will be holding its 52nd Special Session from April 20 to April 24, 2015 in Cartagena, Colombia.

Read more

African Commission Addresses Torture of Human Rights Defenders in Sudan

On March 10, 2015, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights published a decision condemning Sudan’s mistreatment of human rights defenders, which remains a pressing concern in the country.  In the case of Monim Elgak, Osman Hummeida and Amir Suliman v. Sudan, the African Commission held that the government of Sudan violated several articles of the African Charter on

Read more

UN Human Rights Committee Reviews 6 States’ Civil and Political Rights Records

The UN Human Rights Committee is holding its 113th session from March 16 to April 2, to consider the State reports of Cambodia, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Monaco, and Russia on their implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). During the session, representatives from each State will engage in a dialogue with members of the Human

Read more

UN Human Rights Experts Summarize Recent Complaints against States

On February 19, 2015, the special procedures of the United Nations Human Rights Council submitted to the Human Rights Council a joint report summarizing all communications concerning alleged human rights abuses that the special procedures sent to States between June and November 2014, as well as State replies to these communications received from August 2014 through January 2015. See Human

Read more

European Court Upholds Journalists’ Use of Hidden Cameras

On February 24, 2015, the European Court of Human Rights issued its judgment in the case of Haldimann and Others v. Switzerland, concerning journalists’ use of secret recordings to report on malpractice in the insurance industry. See ECtHR, Haldimann and Others v. Switzerland, no. 21830/09, Judgment of 24 February 2015 (French only). This was the first time the Court reviewed

Read more

CEDAW Committee Reviews 8 States’ Women’s Rights Records

The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW Committee) is holding its 60th session from February 16th to March 6th in Geneva, Switzerland. The Committee is reviewing State reports from Azerbaijan, Denmark, Ecuador, Eritrea, Gabon, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, and Tuvalu regarding their implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

Read more