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A Populist Fix is No Solution for Puerto Rico’s Violence
Amid surging violence, the people of Puerto Rico are being asked to take a constitutional right to bail away from those accused of aggravated murder.
Pardons are Not a Solution to Prison Overcrowding
The first half of 2012 brought a bumper crop of prison pardons. But they are not an effective way of managing prison populations.
Time for Romania to Face the Truth over Secret CIA Prison
For the sake of its future, Romania must face up to its role in enabling abuses at a secret basement prison that the CIA codenamed "Bright Light".
UK Veto on Iraq Papers a Setback for the Public’s Right to Know
The veto of a freedom of information request for details of government discussions on the 2003 invasion of Iraq favors the principle of cabinet confidentiality.
Case Watch: European Court Takes a Pragmatic Approach on Prisoner Voting Rights
A recent decision suggests that the ECHR will seek to avoid issuing decisions that influential member States are likely to overtly ignore.
Living in a Shadow of Perpetual Suspicion
Rizwaan Sabir was treated as a terrorism suspect for downloading a document for his academic research in 2008. His story highlights concerns about how anti-terrorism powers are being used by UK police.
European Court Probes for Truth on CIA’s Secret Prison in Poland
The European Court of Human Rights is asking Poland for information on a CIA secret prison, moving far beyond anything done in the U.S. to address alleged abuses committed in the post-9/11 "war on terror".
European Parliament Supports New Arrest Rights
In a breakthrough this week, the European Parliament’s civil liberties committee agreed on a strong proposal for a directive that will guarantee the right to lawyer for all people accused or suspected of crimes.
In Cambodia, “Greater Cooperation with the Government” Isn’t the Answer
Judicial independence at the Khmer Rouge court in Cambodia should not be sacrificed in the name of “greater cooperation” with the Cambodian government.
Statelessness at the UN: Reaffirming the Right to Nationality
After nearly two years of advocacy by the Open Society Justice Initiative, the UN Human Rights Council moved to address the plight of millions of stateless people—including some five million children.
Case Watch: UN Committee Faults Spain in Migrant Death Case
In a case last November, the UN examined claims that Spanish officials had deliberately failed to protect the life of a migrant and rendered a decision in support of migrants’ rights.
Czech Roma Children Need Action Now to End School Segregation
The Public Defender of Rights of the Czech Republic says Roma children face continuing segregation in inferior schools. So why is the government doing nothing?
Why Police Profiling Is Not Just a New York Problem
In cities across Western Europe, young men of color are subjected to discriminatory police stops, contributing to a profound sense of alienation—not just from the police, but from society at large.
UK Stop and Search Policing Tactics Mar Human Rights Report
Members of the UN Human Rights Council have raised concerns over ethnic, racial and religious profiling in the way British police carry out “stop and search” checks.
Case Watch: Italy’s Failed Media Policies under Judicial Scrutiny
The European Court of Human Rights reaffirms the need for pluralism in ownership of radio and television channels in a decision that has implications for the UK debate over News International’s push to buy BSkyB, the British pay-TV network.
Case Watch: Brazil’s Supreme Court Rules against Blanket Prohibition on Pretrial Release
Brazil’s Supreme Court has overturned a blanket ban that prevented pretrial release pending trial for anyone charged with certain categories of drug crime.
ICC Judges Demand More, Earlier from Prosecutor’s Office
Judges at the International Criminal Court are increasingly requiring prosecutors to deliver a fuller account of the facts of a case at the earliest stage of the legal process.
It Is Time for a Global Agreement on the Rule of Law
This September the "rule of law at the national and international levels" will be on the agenda at the UN General Assembly. There are sharp international differences over what that title means. But there are also important opportunities to agree...
European Court Reform: Civil Society Excluded from Debate
Next week, all 47 member states of the Council of Europe will convene in the seaside town of Brighton to discuss the future of the European Court of Human Rights. With so much at stake, why is civil society being pushed aside?
Challenging Police Profiling in France
Fifteen people have filed civil law suits against the French state for racial profiling—the first major legal action in France to address the longstanding police use of identity checks that target visible minorities.