Representatives from Liberty, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Inclusion London held a press briefing in Westminster to urge politicians and the public to remain vigilant about human rights issues during the election campaign.
They warned about the reduction in worker’s and migrant’s rights in recent years and called for closer scrutiny of potential challenges to human rights frameworks such as the HRA and ECHR.
To read about the Freedom from torture campaign read here
Windrush Day was celebrated on Saturday, marking 76 years since the HMT Empire Windrush’s arrival in 1948, which brought hundreds of Caribbean passengers to the UK to help rebuild the post-war economy.
The Windrush scandal emerged in April 2018 when it was revealed that the Home Office had no formal records of Commonwealth citizens with indefinite leave to remain under the Immigration Act 1971.
This lack of documentation left many unable to prove their legal status, affecting their access to healthcare, housing, and employment, with some facing deportation.
The UN Office for Human Rights released a thematic report detailing potential systematic violations of international humanitarian law by Israeli airstrikes in Gaza.
The report investigated six incidents since October 7th, assessing breaches across the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precautions in attack.
The report calls for immediate, thorough, and transparent investigations into all allegations, questioning Israel’s compliance with international obligations to ensure prompt and effective accountability.
Thailand’s Senate passed a marriage equality bill last Tuesday, making it the first country in Southeast Asia to recognize same-sex marriage and the third in Asia after Taiwan and Nepal. The amendment to Thailand’s Civil and Commercial Code will replace gendered terms like’man’ and ‘woman’ with gender-neutral alternatives like ‘individual’.
The Namibia High Court has ruled that common law offenses of sodomy and unnatural sexual acts are unconstitutional, citing discrimination against the LGBT community.
Namibian activist Friedel Dausab challenged these laws in June 2022, leading to their invalidation.
In May 2023, the Namibian Supreme Court recognized same-sex marriages lawfully entered abroad, leading to laws restricting marriage to opposite-sex couples and criminalizing support of same-sex unions.
Dausab praised the ruling as a landmark decision for democracy.