Human rights groups

A UN independent human rights expert has warned that older women around the world face violence, exploitation and neglect while remaining largely invisible in the laws, policies, data and services meant to protect women overall. The expert stressed that age must never diminish rights, calling for older women's specific vulnerabilities and experiences to be recognised in rights protections worldwide.

Criminal defamation complaints have been filed in Thailand against Yingcheep Atchanont, a prominent human rights defender. The cases, highlighted by the International Federation for Human Rights, are being read as part of a broader pattern in which defamation law is used against activists and rights monitors in the country. Observers are voicing concern over the chilling effect such prosecutions can have on free expression and human rights work.

The Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect is calling on the UN Human Rights Council to convene a special session on Ethiopia, warning that the human rights situation there is rapidly deteriorating and that further atrocity crimes could follow. The appeal presses the Council to act urgently rather than wait for its regular schedule to address the escalating crisis.

Human Rights Watch reports that the United States is deporting African migrants to countries other than their own, raising human rights concerns. The practice affects people being sent to third countries in Africa with which they have no ties, and rights groups are criticizing the US government over the policy.

A claim circulating online says people are being disappeared in the United States and that mainstream media coverage of it has been largely absent. The post links to a blog article and to the Center for Constitutional Rights' press materials, suggesting rights groups are raising alarms about detentions or enforced disappearances while news outlets stay quiet.

Human rights groups, the United Nations, the European Union, and U.S. lawmakers say China's Ethnic Unity Law severely restricts cultural and religious rights and suppresses ethnic diversity. Critics also charge that the law codifies transnational repression, extending Beijing's pressure on diaspora communities abroad. A new interview examining the law's provisions is drawing renewed attention to these concerns.

Human Rights Watch reports that the Trump administration is refusing to allow external election observers into the United States. The move is drawing criticism from rights groups, who argue that blocking independent monitoring undermines transparency and sets a poor example for other countries ahead of upcoming elections.

Thailand's Prime Minister has filed a criminal defamation complaint against human rights defender Yingcheep Atachanont, according to the International Federation for Human Rights. The legal action targets a prominent rights advocate and has drawn criticism from human rights organisations, who see it as part of a wider pattern of using lawsuits to pressure activists and restrict civic space in Thailand.

Human rights organisations say Yemen's Houthi authorities are prosecuting civil society workers on espionage charges, raising alarm over the treatment of humanitarian and NGO staff in areas under the group's control. Advocates warn the charges could criminalise ordinary aid work and further endanger civilians delivering assistance in the country.

Human Rights Watch says the United States is violating international law by deporting migrants to African countries where they have no ties, accusing Washington of exploiting migrant suffering. The NGO's Thursday statement has drawn attention to US deportation practices and the use of African nations as destinations for people with no connection to them.

The Palestinian human rights organisation Al-Haq marked three years since the start of the Gaza war, arguing that international inaction in the face of what it calls a genocide amounts to complicity. The statement accuses states of failing to meet legal and moral obligations to stop atrocities and hold perpetrators accountable, as humanitarian conditions in Gaza continue to deteriorate.

Human Rights Watch says the United States is expelling third-country nationals to countries in Africa, in what it describes as a deliberate policy meant "to scare people." The group's report alleges that migrants with no connection to the receiving nations are being sent there, raising concerns about safety, due process and the legality of the transfers under international law.

Human Rights Watch is criticizing US deportations of third-country nationals — people with no ties to the countries they are sent to — to African nations. The group says the practice is cruel and is impacting asylum seekers and others who lived in the United States for decades. According to researcher Ana R.-Melnick, the US has sent more than 500 people who cannot be returned to their own countries because of danger there.

The Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor says the expanding scope of fighting in Yemen and disrupted supply routes are worsening hunger and displacement. The group urges all states supporting parties to the conflict to use their influence to stop violations and halt arms transfers, citing international humanitarian law.

A Sudanese human rights group has reported that thousands of men and boys have been subjected to sexual violence amid the country's ongoing conflict. The report highlights the scale of abuses against male victims, a group often overlooked in wartime sexual violence documentation. Details about perpetrators, locations, and the full findings remain limited, but the figures point to a severe and underreported dimension of the crisis in Sudan.

Activists in Louisiana are highlighting how petrochemical pollution and climate change are harming maternal health, particularly in communities near industrial facilities along the state's heavily industrialized corridor. Human Rights Watch is drawing attention to the campaign, which frames toxic exposure as both an environmental and a reproductive rights issue affecting pregnant residents in the region.

A blogger in Uzbekistan has been sentenced to four years in prison, according to Human Rights Watch, which has drawn attention to the case as part of wider concern over freedom of expression in the country. Rights groups and online commentators are highlighting the conviction as evidence of continued pressure on independent voices and criticism of the government in Uzbekistan.

A Guardian investigation reports that some British anti-migrant campaigners behind far-right street patrols have been accused by ex-partners of domestic abuse. The findings have prompted discussion about hypocrisy among groups presenting themselves as protectors of women and communities, and have drawn criticism from human rights and domestic violence advocates.

Human rights groups say Iran has carried out public executions of protesters as the government broadens a wave of repression following the recent postwar period. Activists and rights organisations are condemning the executions and warning that the crackdown is expanding against those who took part in demonstrations.

Human rights organisations report that Indian filmmaker and human rights defender Vishal Singh is suffering a severe deterioration of his health while in detention. Advocates are calling for his immediate access to medical care and raising concerns about his treatment in custody. The case has drawn attention to the situation of detained activists and artists in India.

Human Rights Watch reports that Bahraini authorities have rearrested detainees who had previously been pardoned and released. The development raises concerns about the independence of Bahrain's royal pardons and the treatment of political prisoners in the kingdom. Rights groups have repeatedly criticised Bahrain for prosecuting dissidents, and the rearrests are likely to draw international scrutiny of the government's commitments to human rights reform.

The president of the Human Rights Campaign publicly criticized Democratic politicians for backing away from transgender rights, telling them they are 'doing too much and getting too little.' The comments reflect frustration among LGBTQ advocacy groups that Democrats are conceding ground on trans issues while failing to win political advantage in return. The remarks add to ongoing debate within the party over how to respond to Republican pressure on transgender policies.

A Chinese artist has been given the maximum sentence in a case framed by Amnesty International as punishment for art. The rights group is publicising the verdict under the label 'Third 106.24' and urging attention to what it calls persecution for artistic expression. Details of the artist's identity and the exact charges have not been widely reported beyond the campaign itself.

Human Rights Watch has published a report concluding that Iran's ongoing execution campaign breaches international law. The rights group is calling attention to a sharp escalation in state executions and urging the international community to hold Tehran accountable. The findings have drawn attention from legal and human rights observers discussing Iran's record and the legal implications of the killings.

Amnesty International is calling for an end to religious persecution in China, urging authorities to stop restrictions on faith groups and religious minorities. The appeal highlights ongoing concerns about detentions, surveillance and pressure on communities of worship across the country. Human rights campaigners continue to press governments and international bodies to raise religious freedom abuses with Beijing, though Chinese authorities deny persecuting any faith and defend their policies as lawful.