Sudan’s Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok has resigned following continued mass pro-democracy protests at the capital Khartoum. His resignation grants Sudan’s military full control over the country as they continue their violent crackdown on democratic protesters. Over 50 people have been killed since the military staged a coup in October which initially placed Prime Minister Hamdok under house arrest; the country was just one month away from transitioning to a civilian head of state. On Sunday two people were killed during pro-democracy protests. The leader of the coup general Abdel Fattah al-...
Former Columbian military official, Mario Antonio Palacios, has been arrested by Panama authorities under allegations of forming part of a mercenary group that assassinated Haiti’s President Jovenel Moise. Palacios was detained during a stopover flight in Panama and asked to “voluntarily” board a flight to the US, the Hindu reports. After refusing the request, Panamanian officials told him that they would enforce an Interpol red notice issued by the US, which is addition to one Haiti had already issued. There has been no immediate comments by lawyers for Palacios or Interpol. President Moise...
Photo Credit: UN Women In a rare joint statement, the five permanent members of the UN Security council (the US, Russia, China, the UK, and France) pledged to address to “create a security environment more conducive to progress on disarmament” and avoid nuclear conflict. “As the use of nuclear arms would have far-reaching consequences, we also confirm that nuclear arms – as long as they exist – should serve defensive aims, deterrence against aggression and prevention of war” the statement maintained. The five states are also the five nuclear weapons states recognised by the 1968 Nuclear Non-...
Save the Children has confirmed that two of its staffers have been killed in a Christmas Eve massacre conducted by Myanmar’s military and killed at least 35 people, including women and children. The massacre occurred on a highway in Kayah state, in eastern Myanmar, where prodemocracy rebels have been confronting the military. “The military forced people from their cars, arrested some, killed many and burnt the bodies,” Save the Children stated. Responding to the attack they told reporters: “We are shaken by the violence carried out against civilians and our staff, who are dedicated...
Egypt's State Security Emergency Misdemeanor court has issued jail sentences to three prominent human rights activists who engaged in anti-government protests in 2019. The activists detained were Alaa Abd El Fattah, rights lawyer Mohamed el-Baqer, and the blogger Mohamed Ibrahim (also known as Mohamed Oxygen). El Fattah was sentenced to five years whilst the others were sentenced to four years each. The activists have been charged with spreading false news and were among the thousands detained by authorities in protests sparked by allegations of corruption by a former collaborator with the...
In meetings with Lebanon's religious leaders, President, Prime Minister, and Parliamentary Speaker, UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, urged the country's leaders to address the dire economic situation Lebanon finds itself in and to resume negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a bailout programme. Guterres's visit on Saturday follows more than two months of gridlock during which Lebanon's government refused to meet due to ongoing disagreements over diplomatic disputes, street violence, and investigation into the Beirut Port explosion. Over 200 people were killed and...
A BBC investigation has revealed that Myanmar's military carried a mass killing of at least 40 civilians in four separate incidents in Kani Township - an opposition stronghold in Sagaing District in Central Myanmar. Eyewitness accounts detail that boys as young as 17 were tortured first before being buried in shallow graves. The BBC reports that these kills appear "to be a collective punishment for attacks on the military by civilian militia groups in the area, who are demanding that democracy is restored".
With historic turnouts, left-wing candidate Gabriel Boric has won the presidency in Chile securing 56% of the votes compared to the 44% secured by his rival Pinochet-admirer, Jose Antonio Kast. In accepting the speech he pledged to be “the president of all Chileans” and was immediately recognised as the victor by Last who phoned him to congratulate him. At 35, Boric is set to become Chile’s youngest-ever President. This election follows as a run of election to a fiercely contested vote in November in which Cast claimed almost 28% whilst Boris secured 26%. Political analysts have noted that...
On Friday the UN Human Rights Council voted to establish an international probe to investigate atrocities committed by both sides of the conflict in Ethiopia and prosecute those responsible. The resolution highlighted the atrocities which included "unlawful killings and extrajudicial executions, including wilful killings on the basis of ethnicity, torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment of civilians and captured combatants, arbitrary detentions, abductions and enforced disappearances, and widespread sexual- and gender-based violence against women, girls, men and...
Human rights campaigners have welcomed the announcements of US sanctions on Bangladesh's notorious paramilitary unit, the Rapid Action Battalion, as well as the country's national police chief, but have called for further action. The sanctions were announced by the US on 10 December, International Human Rights Day and come as part of a raft of sanctions and visa bans targetting human rights abuses in countries such as China, North Korea, Russia, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka. In their statement the State Department detailed: "Benazir Ahmed, current Inspector General of the Bangladesh Police and...