Spain Court Authorizes Search of Socialist Party Headquarters in Judicial Interference Investigation
Spain’s National Court judge Santiago Pedraz authorized the Civil Guard’s Central Operational Unit to search the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) headquarters for documents, electronic records and accounting materials. The order is part of a broader probe into an alleged HIRUROK network that sought to influence prosecutors, police officers and witnesses in corruption cases. Investigators focus on a pivotal April meeting at the party’s headquarters that followed Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s temporary suspension after his wife faced judicial scrutiny. The PSOE has pledged cooperation while opposition parties accuse the government of undermining institutions.
Rights Group Raises Concerns About Unlawful Data Collection Systems to Train Generative AI
Amnesty International released a report accusing major tech firms—including Google, Meta and OpenAI—of using unlawful web‑scraping to harvest billions of public posts for training generative AI models. The organization says the practice violates international privacy rights and embeds racial and...
US Second Circuit Refuses to Block DeSantis Congressional Map in Florida
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit rejected a request for a preliminary injunction, allowing Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s newly enacted congressional map to remain in effect. The map, approved days after the Supreme Court’s decision on the...
India Dispatch: Supreme Court Weighs Anti-Terror Law as Activist Enters Sixth Year Jailed without Trial
India's Supreme Court has referred the contentious bail question under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) to a larger bench, following the six‑year pre‑trial detention of former JNU activist Umar Khalid. The two‑judge panel granted interim bail to two co‑accused...
UN and AU Sign Landmark Agreement Guaranteeing Access to Safe Health Products
The World Health Organization and the African Medicines Agency have signed a five‑year Framework Agreement for Collaboration, announced at the 79th World Health Assembly. The pact aims to harmonize legal and regulatory frameworks across Africa, strengthening oversight of medical products...
CPJ Warns of Potential Hostilities From FIFA Host Countries Against Traveling Journalists
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) issued a travel advisory warning that journalists covering the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico could face hostility from immigration officials and local authorities. The alert cites recent deportations...
International Criminal Court Orders Ongoing Detention of Former Philippines President
The International Criminal Court’s pre‑trial chamber ordered former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte to remain in custody in The Hague, citing a "real and substantial risk" of flight or obstruction of justice. The judges reaffirmed that the confirmed crimes‑against‑humanity charges push...
Supreme Court Says Cruise Lines Can Be Sued over Seized Cuba Docks
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 8‑1 that four cruise lines – Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Carnival and MSC – can be sued for using Havana’s seized docks, reviving a claim by Havana Docks Corp. The case rests on the 1996 Helms‑Burton...
Philippines Top Court Rejects Senator’s Bid to Challenge ICC Warrant
The Philippine Supreme Court rejected Senator Ronald Dela Rosa’s bid for a temporary restraining order that would have blocked enforcement of the International Criminal Court arrest warrant against him. The 9‑5‑1 decision leaves the warrant in force, though the court will issue...
Key Evidence Ruled Admissible in Luigi Mangione’s State Murder Trial
New York Judge Gregory Carro ruled that the 3D‑printed pistol and a notebook seized during Luigi Mangione’s December 2024 arrest are admissible in his state murder trial for the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. The judge found the inventory...
Former Oklahoma Death Row Inmate Granted Bond After Nearly Three Decades of Incarceration
Oklahoma District Judge Natalie Mai ordered the release of former death‑row inmate Richard Glossip on a $500,000 bond after 29 years behind bars. The decision follows a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that overturned Glossip’s conviction due to concerns over false...
India Dispatch: Supreme Court Rebukes Lower Courts for Branding a Woman’s Career Choices as Cruelty, Raising Questions About How...
India's Supreme Court on May 13 sharply criticized two lower courts for branding a dentist's professional choices as cruelty and desertion, overturning those findings while upholding the divorce itself. The bench called the lower courts' reasoning feudal and outdated, emphasizing...
US Federal Judge Blocks Sanctions Against UN Expert on Palestine
U.S. District Judge Richard Leon temporarily blocked the sanctions imposed by the Trump administration on UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese, ruling they likely infringe her First Amendment free‑speech rights. The sanctions, enacted in July 2025 for her calls to the...
Alberta Judge Quashes Separation Petition for Violating First Nations Right to Consult
Alberta’s Court of King’s Bench struck down the province’s latest separation‑referendum petition, ruling that the chief electoral officer failed to honour the constitutional duty to consult First Nations before approving the proposal. Justice Shaina Leonard cited the Supreme Court’s requirement...
South Africa Court Bans Repeat Asylum Applications
South Africa’s Constitutional Court ruled that foreigners whose asylum applications have been rejected cannot submit a new claim. The decision arose from a case involving two Burundian nationals who reapplied after 2015 election‑related violence was cited as new evidence. The...
Rights Group Calls on European Commission to Revise Anti-Deforestation Regulation Following Critical Omission
Human Rights Watch urged the European Commission to revise the EU Deforestation Regulation after a draft amendment would exclude leather, creating a loophole that could let leather from deforested cattle enter the EU market. The regulation, adopted in 2023, mandates...
US Court Invalidates Trump’s 10 Percent Global Tariff for 3 Plaintiffs
A three‑judge panel of the U.S. Court of International Trade struck down the Trump administration's 10 percent global tariff as unauthorized, ordering refunds for the state of Washington and two firms, Burlap & Barrel and Basic Fun. The ruling, issued 2‑1,...
Virginia Supreme Court Strikes Down Voter-Approved Partisan Redistricting Amendment
The Virginia Supreme Court ruled 4-3 to strike down a voter‑approved constitutional amendment that would have permitted partisan gerrymandering of the state’s congressional districts. The majority found the General Assembly violated Article XII, Section 1 by advancing the amendment after early voting...
Press Group Requests Investigation Into Violent Attack Against Journalists in India
On April 28, 2026, two Jharkhand journalists were assaulted while covering Health Minister Irfan Ansari’s briefing. The reporters, Ashish Kumar and Sushant Kumar Soni, were attacked by a crowd of about 50 after questioning the minister about a fatal air‑ambulance...
UN Experts Condemn Attacks on Sudan Healthcare System
UN experts condemned the relentless attacks on Sudan’s hospitals and medical staff, citing 217 incidents since April 2025, including a March 20 strike on Al Deain Teaching Hospital that left 64 injured, 13 of them children. They warned that the...
Trump Administration Has Transferred 17,400 People to More than 30 Countries Under Deportation Deals
The Trump administration has used third‑country transfer agreements to deport more than 17,400 individuals to over 30 foreign governments, with roughly 16,000 sent to Mexico. The program, documented by Human Rights First and Refugees International, includes transfers that violated federal...
Four Convicted in Iraq for Promoting Banned Ba’ath Party Ideology
The Karkh Criminal Court sentenced four individuals to six years each for promoting the banned Ba’ath Party ideology in Kirkuk, citing prohibited material on their phones. The convictions rely on Iraq’s 2016 Law No. 32, which criminalizes Ba’athist membership and propaganda,...
DeSantis Moves to Gerrymander Florida Days After Supreme Court Guts Voting Rights Act
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis unveiled a new congressional map that adds four Republican‑leaning seats, taking advantage of the Supreme Court’s recent Callais v. Robinson decision that weakens Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The proposal, slated for approval in a...
UN Experts Criticise Removal of Peru Judge for Defence of Judicial Independence in the Country
UN human‑rights experts condemned the removal of Peruvian Judge Oswaldo Ordóñez Alcántara, accusing authorities of retaliating against his defence of judicial independence and his criticism of legislative reforms. The National Board of Justice launched a preliminary investigation, alleging a breach...
Amnesty International Condemns Continued Attacks on Media Freedom in East and South Africa
Amnesty International warned that journalists across East and Southern Africa face escalating harassment, arbitrary arrests, and internet shutdowns, especially in nations holding recent elections. The organization highlighted a surge in the use of vague cybersecurity laws to silence independent media...
US Judge Blocks Revocation of Temporary Protections for Yemen Nationals
A federal judge in New York issued a preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration’s attempt to terminate Temporary Protected Status for nearly 3,000 Yemeni nationals. The ruling finds the Department of Homeland Security failed to follow Congress‑mandated procedures and adequately...
Idaho Transgender Residents File Challenge to New Bathroom Law
Six transgender Idaho residents have filed a federal lawsuit challenging the state’s new bathroom law, arguing it violates the Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process and Equal Protection clauses. The law, effective July 1, makes it a crime to use a restroom or...
Canada High Court Finds Quebec Suspension of Independent Electoral Map Review Unconstitutional
Canada's Supreme Court struck down Quebec legislation that halted the independent electoral‑map commission's work until after the next provincial election. In a 7‑2 decision, the court held the law violated Section 3 of the Charter, which guarantees an effective right to...
Romania Dispatch: Bucharest Meeting Marks 12 Years of Europe’s Cybercrime Fight Amid Rising Cyber Threats
The Council of Europe’s Cybercrime Programme Office (C‑PROC) celebrated its 12th anniversary in Bucharest, highlighting more than 2,700 anti‑cybercrime activities across 140+ countries. The meeting coincided with a sharp rise in DDoS attacks on Romanian public sites and a wave...
US Judge Dismisses Antitrust Suit Against Law School Admission Council
U.S. District Judge John Murphy dismissed a proposed class action accusing the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) of conspiring with law schools to fix application fees and monopolize admissions. The complaint alleged LSAC charged a minimum $260 per applicant and...
ICC Delivers Reparations Order for Timbuktu War Crime Victims
The International Criminal Court’s Trial Chamber X issued a reparations order on April 28, 2026 for the 65,202 victims of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Timbuktu between April 2012 and January 2013. The court ordered a total...
EU Approves Landmark Regulations on Animal Abuse
The European Parliament approved a landmark EU bill establishing uniform standards for the breeding, housing, traceability, import and handling of cats and dogs. The legislation passed with 558 votes in favour, 35 against and 52 abstentions. It bans harmful commercial...
Supreme Court Reinstates Texas Congressional Map Previously Rejected over Racial Gerrymandering
The U.S. Supreme Court issued a brief order reversing a district court injunction that had blocked Texas's 2025 congressional map for alleged racial gerrymandering. Citing its recent Abbott v. LULAC decision, the Court reinstated the Republican‑drawn districts for the 2026...
Rights Organizations Send Letter to Japan Prime Minister on Proposed National Security Legislation
Fifteen human‑rights groups, led by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International Japan, sent a joint letter to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi urging a rights‑respecting approach to the government’s proposed anti‑espionage law and foreign‑agents registration act. The letter stresses compliance with...
South Korea Prosecutors Seek 30-Year Sentence for Ex-President for Attempting to Provoke North Korea Attack
South Korean prosecutors are seeking a 30‑year prison term for former President Yoon Suk‑yeol, accusing him of "benefiting the enemy" by ordering more than ten military drones to fly over Pyongyang in late 2024. The drones, part of a so‑called...
HRW Condemns a Proposed Bill in Uganda Criminalizing ‘Foreign Agents’
Human Rights Watch warned that Uganda's Protection of Sovereignty Bill, introduced on April 15, would criminalize activities that favor foreign interests and carry penalties of up to 20 years in prison. The draft requires anyone deemed a "foreign agent" to...
Kenya Dispatch: Court of Appeal Overturns 2022 High Court Abortion Ruling
Kenya’s Court of Appeal in Malindi overturned a 2022 High Court ruling that had declared abortion a constitutional right, reaffirming that the Constitution does not guarantee such a right. The bench interpreted Article 26 as protecting life from conception, limiting legal...
DOJ Drops Criminal Investigation of Fed Chair Jerome Powell, Refers Matter to Inspector General
The Department of Justice announced Friday that it is closing its criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and referring the matter to the Fed’s Inspector General. The probe had examined whether Powell knowingly misled Congress about cost overruns...
Ontario Passes Law Shielding Provincial Ministers’ Records From Information Requests
Ontario’s Legislative Assembly approved Bill 97, amending the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act to add subsection 65(18) that excludes records held by ministers or their offices from FOI requests. The amendment was pushed through on third reading...
US Justice Department Inspector Announces Audit of Epstein Files
The Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General announced an audit of the agency’s compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act (EFTA). The audit will scrutinize how the DOJ identifies, redacts, and releases the roughly six million pages of Epstein‑related...
Rights Groups Condemn Conviction of Two UK Palestine Solidarity Activists
Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and other NGOs condemned the UK courts’ conviction of Palestine Solidarity Campaign director Ben Jamal and Stop the War Coalition vice‑chair Chris Nineham. Both were found guilty of breaching protest guidelines during a January 2025...
ICC Confirms Jurisdiction in Philippines Ex-President Duterte Case
The International Criminal Court Appeals Chamber affirmed its jurisdiction over former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte for alleged crimes against humanity committed during the 2011‑2019 drug war, despite the Philippines’ 2018 withdrawal from the Rome Statute. The court applied Articles 12, 13 and...
EU Declines to Suspend Israel Trade Agreement Despite International Pleas
At a foreign ministers meeting in Luxembourg, the EU voted against a motion to suspend its Association Agreement with Israel, despite backing from Spain, Slovenia and Ireland. Germany and Italy blocked the proposal, preserving Israel’s preferential, tariff‑free access to European...
Japan Lowers Restrictions on Weapon and Technology Exports
Japan approved revisions to its Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology, lifting the long‑standing ban on lethal weapons exports and expanding permissible uses to broader defensive purposes. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi framed the change as essential in...
El Salvador Opens Mass Trial of 486 Alleged Gang Leaders for 47,000 Crimes
El Salvador’s Fiscalía opened an unprecedented mass trial of 486 alleged MS‑13 leaders, charging them with 47,000 crimes—including 29,000 homicides—spanning a decade of gang violence. Most defendants are detained at President Nayib Bukele’s high‑security CECOT mega‑prison, while the trial proceeds...
California Ride-Share Driver Group Sues Uber
Rideshare Drivers United, a nonprofit representing over 20,000 California gig drivers, filed a state‑court complaint accusing Uber of violating Proposition 22 and the Protect App‑Based Drivers and Services Act. The suit alleges Uber improperly deactivates drivers, denies a meaningful appeals...
US Federal Court Dismisses Suit Seeking Personal Information About Rhode Island Voters
A federal judge in Rhode Island dismissed the Justice Department's lawsuit demanding unredacted voter registration data, including Social Security and driver’s license numbers. The court labeled the request a “fishing expedition,” noting the DOJ provided no factual basis linking the...
Federal Advisory Panel Votes to Protect Donor Privacy, Narrowing Scope of Amicus Disclosure Rules
The Federal Advisory Committee on Appellate Rules (ACAR) voted 5-1 to delete a proposed amendment to Rule 29 that would have forced amicus brief filers to disclose any donor contributing more than $100 who had been a member of the...
Amnesty Flags Growing Censorship Risks in India’s Proposed Digital Media Framework
Amnesty International has called for the immediate withdrawal of India’s proposed Information Technology (IT) Rules amendments, warning they grant the state sweeping powers to censor and monitor online content. The draft expands the definition of “news and current affairs” to...
UN Launches New AI-Assisted Platform to Monitor Hunger Risks Worldwide
The United Nations World Food Programme unveiled HungerMap Live, an AI‑assisted platform that offers the first evidence‑based early‑warning system for global hunger. By consolidating data from more than 300 analysts—including government statistics, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) and...