rights group

An updated UN list now names 214 companies from 11 countries as involved in business activities linked to illegal Israeli settlements. The latest assessment focuses on the impact on Palestinian people's right to self-determination and says companies must take appropriate action over their involvement. Human rights groups and commentators are circulating the report, calling on firms to review and end their ties to settlement-related activities.

Demonstrators gathered in Warsaw on 26 September 2026 to protest the European Parliament's so-called Chat Control 1.0 legislation, which critics say would force messaging platforms to scan private communications. The protest reflects wider European opposition to the proposal, with civil liberties groups arguing it threatens privacy and encryption.

The US Supreme Court has ruled that the Trump administration may continue deporting migrants to third countries while the justices consider the legality of the policy. The decision is an interim move, allowing removals to proceed during ongoing litigation. The practice of sending migrants to countries other than their own has drawn sharp criticism from rights groups and remains under review by the Court.

The US Supreme Court has agreed to consider whether judges have the power to extend polling hours, but will hear the matter only after the November election. The timing means the question will not affect voting in the upcoming contest, even as concerns about polling place disruptions and election administration remain prominent. Election officials, courts and voting rights groups are watching closely for how the justices define judicial authority over voting hours in future elections.

A final appeal is under way in Tunisia in a case that Amnesty International describes as a 'conspiracy case', identified as 'Seventh 52.23'. The rights group is pressing for the outcome to be watched closely, framing the proceedings as part of a broader human rights concern over judicial treatment of opposition figures in the country.

International Safe Abortion Day, marked on 28 September, was observed worldwide in 2026, with the Center for Reproductive Rights publishing a recap of actions and advocacy around the day. The observance draws attention to access to safe abortion care and reproductive rights, which remain contested in many countries. Advocacy groups used the day to highlight legal restrictions and campaigns to expand access to safe procedures.

Eleven judges from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals have signed a statement urging the Supreme Court to take up the Oak Flat case, pressing the high court to protect the sacred Apache site in Arizona from destruction by copper mining. Their intervention adds significant judicial weight to ongoing religious-liberty and Indigenous-rights arguments.

The Trump administration has asked the US Supreme Court to block gender-affirming care for transgender prisoners, escalating its legal campaign against such treatment. The request goes directly to the nation's highest court and concerns inmates' access to hormone therapy and related medical care while incarcerated. Civil rights groups are expected to oppose the move, arguing it violates constitutional protections against cruel and unusual punishment.

The US Senate has blocked a measure that would have required a report on human rights violations in the West Bank. The procedural defeat prevents Congress from formally assessing allegations of abuses against Palestinians in the occupied territory. The move is likely to draw criticism from human rights advocates and scrutiny of US policy toward Israel and the Palestinians.

A civil rights coalition is calling on the Federal Trade Commission to prohibit AI-driven surveillance pricing in housing and consumer markets. The practice uses algorithms and personal data to set individualised prices, which the coalition argues discriminates against vulnerable consumers. The group wants regulators to treat the tactic as an unfair and deceptive practice, setting up a potential policy fight over algorithmic pricing.

The Netherlands has announced a second round of its 2026 Human Rights Fund call for proposals, aimed at Hungary. Organisations working on human rights can apply for support under the programme, which funds civil society initiatives. The reopening of the fund signals continued Dutch backing for rights work in Hungary.

A majority of Britons believe the UK Government only defends free speech when it aligns with its own views, according to research highlighted by the civil liberties group Liberty. The findings point to public concern that free expression protections are applied selectively, with people doubting the state's commitment to impartial defence of speech rights.