Amnesty International has hailed the release of political prisoners in Ethiopia as a move that “could signal new chapter for human rights” last week.

Fisseha Tekle, Ethiopia Researcher at Amnesty International said the announcement by Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn “could signal the end of an era of bloody repression in Ethiopia”.

“For prisoners who have spent years incarcerated on politically motivated and trumped-up charges, this is long overdue,” a statement added.

United Nations Special Rapporteurs have warned of “massive” human rights abuses that are taking place in Mindanao in the Philippines, where the military is currently carrying out operations.

UN special rapporteurs on the rights of indigenous peoples and internally displaced people, Victoria Tauli-Corpuz and Cecilia Jimenez-Damary, said the Muslim population on the island is "suffering massive abuses of their human rights, some of which are potentially irreversible".

"We fear the situation could deteriorate further if the extension of martial law until the end of 2018 results in even greater militarisation," they added.

The UN Secretary General, António Guterres on Friday announced the UN would commence an investigation into the killing of 15 peacekeepers in Congo in December. 

The peacekeepers, who were from Tanzania, were killed during an attack on a base in North Kiru province of Congo. 

The investigate team will include two military officers from Tanzania. 

Myanmar’s government has spoken out against sanctions placed on a general accused of leading the ethnic cleasning campaign of the Rohingya in the Rakhine state.

“This targeted sanction is based on unreliable accusations without evidence, as we have repeatedly said, so we feel sad for that,” Zaw Htay, a spokesman for Myanmar’s civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, told Reuters.

The general, Maung Maung Soe, "oversaw the military operation in Burma's Rakhine State responsible for widespread human rights abuse against Rohingya civilians," said a US Treasury statement.

British Prime Minister Theresa May pledged that she would “never allow” any compromise on the self-determination of the Falkland Islanders, in a Christmas radio message last week.

“I want you to know that I will never allow anyone to compromise your right to self-determination – a right you freely expressed in the 2013 referendum; and a legacy for which so many paid the ultimate price,” she said in the message that was relayed out to the islands.

Human Rights Watch has called for the prosecution of Yazidi fighters over their involvement in executing 52 civilians as part of an alleged revenge attack earlier this year.

“As the ground fighting against ISIS winds down in Iraq, state security forces need to turn their focus to preventing retaliation and upholding the rule of law,” said Lama Fakih, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. “Past atrocities against the Yezidis don’t give its armed forces a free pass to commit abuses against other groups, whatever their past.”

Thousands of Palestinians protested for the fourth Friday this month against the US president's decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital. 

Protesters marched on the streets in Gaza and the West Bank, chanting “Death to America, death to Israel, and death to Trump”.

According to local health officials at least 50 Palestinians have been injured by live fire by Israeli troops. 

Police in Bavaria, Germany on Thursday detained a citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the former Yugoslavia during the 1990s. 

The man was detained at Munish airport following an arrest warrant issued by Interpol, reports Sputnik.  

He is alleged to have involved in acts of torture and executions of civilians. 

Read more here. 

The Ukrainian government and separatists reportedly backed by Russia have carried out the largest prisoners swap to date, since violence erupted in the region in 2014.

Ukraine handed over 246 prisoners that it had in its custody in exchange for 74 prisoners who were being held by separatist forces. The prisoner swap is the largest to date, since the signing of the 2015 Minsk peace agreement.

Germany’s foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel said the swap "is an important step in the implementation of the Minsk agreements” and called for further steps to be taken.

A former fighter, Azra Bašic was found guilty by a Bosnian court of committing war crimes during the 1990s Balkan war. 

Ms Bašic who is 58 years old was sentenced to 14 years in prison. 

She was found guilty of atrocities including the murder of a detainee who she stabbed in the neck and torture. 

Known as "the mistress of life and death", Ms Bašic was said by the judge to have exhibited "particular cruelty" towards detained ethnic Serbs.