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Swiss Criminal Investigation Targets War Crime of Pillage
Swiss prosecutors are investigating the alleged illegal trade of minerals in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, following a complaint filed by TRIAL International and the Open Society Justice Initiative.
CIA Kidnap and Rendition Case in Europe Ends without Investigation
The 47-member Council of Europe has declared that the Republic of North Macedonia is no longer required to investigate the 2004 kidnapping, detention and rendition by the CIA to Afghanistan of a German citizen who had been mis-identified as a terrorist suspect.
The UK's Prevent Strategy Review is Fundamentally Flawed
The credibility of the UK government's supposedly Independent Review of its Prevent strategy is undermined by the narrow scope of its terms of reference, and the lack of independence of its head.
Acquittal Marks Advance for Struggle against Torture in Brazil
A criminal court in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, has for the first time acknowledged the validity of internationally agreed standards on effective legal and medical investigations into allegations of torture—resulting in the acquittal of seven torture survivors who had been tried for drugs-related charges.
Court Moves to Protect Venezuelan Children born in Colombia from Statelessness
A court in Colombia has ruled that the government must consider statelessness risks when determining the nationality of children born in Colombia to Venezuelans fleeing their country's political and economic chaos.
Kenyan Court Puts Hold on Digital Identity Scheme
A Kenyan court has ordered the government to stop implementation of its the National Integrated Identity Management System (NIIMS) until a constitutionally sound framework is in place.
Domestic Court Reinforces Kyrgyzstan’s Obligation to Implement UN Human Rights Committee Decision
A city court in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan upheld a 2019 district court’s ruling that enforced a decision of the UN Human Rights Committee (HRC) pertaining to the death of Rakhmonderdi Enazarov, which occurred while Enazarov was in police custody in 2005.
Dates Announced for Trial of Anwar R., Syrian Official Accused of War Crimes
The most important Syria atrocity trial to date is scheduled to begin in Germany on April 23, 2020. The accused is Anwar R., a former high-ranking Syrian official who will stand trial for crimes against humanity.
Justice Initiative Sues U.S. Government for Denaturalization Records
In light of the Trump administration's use of denaturalization proceedings as a tool for general immigration enforcement, the Justice Initiative has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Departments of Justice and Homeland Security to obtain government records on the denaturalization and deportation of Americans.
Amid COVID-19 Lockdown, Justice Initiative Calls for End to Excessive Police Checks in France
The Open Society Justice Initiative has called on the French government to ensure that police checks carried out during COVID-19 do not use excessive, violent, or discriminatory force.
Human Rights Groups Alert U.N. to Alarming Actions by Mexican Prosecutors
More than 120 human rights groups and individuals are warning the U.N. about alarming trends emerging from Mexico’s new national Prosecutor General’s Office and the State’s Prosecution services.
Dead End at Cambodia's Khmer Rouge Tribunal: UN Must Respond
The Open Society Justice Initiative is calling on the United Nations to cease support for three pending cases at Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge tribunal in response to political interference that has made it impossible to complete the cases consistent with applicable law.
European Court of Human Rights Decision Upholds Prosecutorial Independence Across the Council of Europe
The European Court of Human Rights has unanimously ruled that Romania’s 2018 dismissal of Laura Kovesi as the head of Romania’s anti-corruption directorate violated the European Convenion on Human Rights.
Justice Initiative Calls for Immediate Action on Discriminatory COVID-19 Checks in France
The Open Society Justice Initiative has joined more than two dozen organizations in asking French authorities to adopt concrete measures to put an end to racist, discriminatory practices by French law enforcement officers during COVID-19.
Justice Initiative Files Update to UN Committee ahead of Kyrgyzstan Supreme Court’s Hearing on Askarov Case
The Justice Initiative has filed a submission to the UN Human Rights Committee as part of a follow-up procedure regarding the implementation of the Committee’s 2016 decision Askarov v Kyrgyzstan, regarding the unjust and arbitrary detention of journalist and human rights defender Azimjan Askarov.
The Justice Initiative Seeks Release of Documents Revealing Scientific Advice Given to the UK Government on COVID-19
The Justice Initiative has filed a Freedom of Information (FOI) request with the UK Government seeking the disclosure of documents relating to the work of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) on COVID-19.
Residents Sue Denmark Over Discriminatory “Ghetto Package” Eviction Plan
Twelve Copenhagen residents have filed a lawsuit against the Danish government seeking a declaration that measures under the country’s so-called Ghetto Package are unlawful under EU law and the European Convention on Human Rights.
Justice Initiative Applauds Worker Suit against Amazon for COVID-19 Labor Conditions
Workers and family members of workers at Amazon’s JFK8 fulfillment center in Staten Island, New York have filed a lawsuit to force changes to the company’s on-the-job and leave policies during the COVID-19 pandemic.
African Lawyers call for Clarity on Election Rules under COVID-19
The Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU) has filed a request to the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights to elaborate on the rules and standards that should govern elections in Africa during the coronavirus pandemic.
New Legal Opinion Calls on EU to Act on Hungary’s Emergency COVID-19 Laws
The Open Society Justice Initiative and Blackstone Chambers released a legal opinion on Hungary’s Authorization Act and associated decrees, calling on the European Union to hold Hungary accountable for violations of EU law.