April 19
Zimbabwe: Zimbabwe Grants Amnesty to Ease Prison Congestion
Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa has granted amnesty to 4,000 prisoners as part of efforts to decongest the country's crowded jails. Read more »
April 09
Malawi: Malawi Police Arrest Journalist Over Fraud Story
Police in Malawi have arrested a newspaper journalist over an online story published last year exposing fraudulent activities involving a corruption suspect charged with conspiracy… Read more »
April 03
Uganda: Ugandan Constitutional Court Refuses to Annul or Block Enforcement of Anti-Gay Law
Uganda's constitutional court has declined to annul or grant a permanent injunction against the enforcement of the country's anti-gay law. In their ruling Wednesday, the judges… Read more »
Uganda: Ugandan Court Upholds Law Criminalizing Homosexuality
Uganda's Constitutional Court on Wednesday refused to overturn the country's sweeping anti-LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning) law. Read more »
March 05
Ghana: Ghana's President to Await Court Decision Before Signing Anti-LGBTQ Bill
Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo said on Tuesday he will wait to act on an anti-LGBTQ bill that parliament passed last week, saying in a statement that the measure is being… Read more »
March 07
Zimbabwe: Zimbabwe Responds to Narrowing of U.S. Sanctions
Zimbabwe's government criticized the modification of U.S. sanctions this week that renew measures against President Emmerson Mnangagwa and some senior leaders while removing others… Read more »
March 04
Africa: Conflict Spillovers Causing Surge of Human Rights Violations, UN Rights Chief Warns
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk warns the potential spillover of dozens of conflicts around the world is threatening global peace and causing human rights… Read more »
March 01
South Sudan: Rising Violence, Human Rights Violations Threaten Peace in South Sudan
U.N. investigators warn an alarming rise in violence and human rights violations threatens prospects for a durable peace in South Sudan and risks impeding free and fair elections… Read more »
February 29
Eritrea: Eritrea Maintains Iron Grip Through Repression, Systematic Impunity - UN Rights Experts
Human rights experts warn Eritrea maintains an iron grip on its people through repression and widespread, systematic impunity for grave human rights violations. Read more »
February 15
Malawi: Malawi Police Seize Journalists' Equipment Over Fake Facebook Account
Police in Malawi have seized mobile phones and laptops from at least 14 journalists working at the state-run Malawi Broadcasting Corporation or MBC. The journalists are suspected… Read more »
February 08
Zimbabwe: Reactions Mixed After Zimbabwe Moves to Abolish Death Penalty
Zimbabwe's Cabinet decision to abolish the death penalty, announced on Wednesday, is being hailed by human rights advocates, but not all Zimbabweans are in favor of the move. Read more »
February 02
Malawi: Malawi Journalist in Hiding After Exposing Government Corruption
Investigative journalist Gregory Gondwe, who exposed the Malawian government's planned purchase of 32 armored vehicles from a company implicated in corruption, is in hiding,… Read more »
January 17
Rwanda: UK Lawmakers Pass Bill to Send Migrants to Rwanda, but Hurdles Remain
U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak quelled a Conservative Party rebellion and got his stalled plan to send some asylum-seekers on a one-way trip to Rwanda through the House of Commons… Read more »
January 11
South Africa: UN Court Begins Israel Genocide Hearing Amid Dismissals By Washington
The United Nations' top court began hearings Thursday on South Africa's case against Israel for genocide -- a case that Israel and its top ally, the U.S., flatly refute -- raising… Read more »
Africa: African Catholic Bishops Reject Vatican's Same-Sex Blessings
The Roman Catholic bishops of Africa and Madagascar on Thursday issued a statement refusing to follow Pope Francis' declaration permitting priests to offer blessings to same-sex… Read more »
December 20, 2023
Africa: African Activists Praise Pope's Decision On Same-Sex Marriage - Religious Groups Critical
Nigerian activist Promise Ohiri, known as Empress Cookie, woke up to cheering news on Tuesday. Read more »
December 08, 2023
Uganda: Rights Group Claims Company Intimidates Communities Along Tanzania-Uganda Oil Pipeline
The French oil company TotalEnergies coerces and intimidates communities affected by the $5 billion East African Crude Oil Pipeline project in Tanzania and Uganda, a human rights… Read more »
Africa: U.S. Treasury Sanctions People in 9 Countries for Human Rights Abuses
The U.S. Treasury's 's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) Friday announced sanctions against 20 individuals in nine countries for human rights abuses. Read more »
December 05, 2023
Congo-Kinshasa: UN Says Gender-Based Violence Is Increasing
The United Nations humanitarian agency, OCHA, says it is working with other humanitarian agencies to help mitigate and respond to increasing incidents of gender-based violence in… Read more »
October 25, 2023
Kenya: Kenya's Judiciary Proposes Abolishing Death Penalty, Reduced Sentences
The chief justice of Kenya has sent a proposal to parliament that calls for removing the death penalty for the crimes of murder, violent theft and treason, saying the proposed… Read more »
October 24, 2023
Chad: Chad Installs Defense Minister Amidst Calls to End Military Impunity
Chad's transitional government installed a civilian defense minister Monday to prepare for a return to constitutional rule. The move comes amid fresh protests and accusations that… Read more »
Africa: WHO - Sexual Misconduct and Exploitation By Staff Remains Problematic
The World Health Organization reported Monday that progress was being made in efforts to prevent and respond to cases of sexual misconduct but acknowledged that abuse by WHO staff… Read more »
October 23, 2023
Nigeria: Nigeria Recorded More Than 800 Extrajudicial Executions in 3 Years - Rights Group
Nigeria has recorded more than 800 incidents of extrajudicial killings across the country in the last three years, according to the international human rights group Global Rights. Read more »
October 19, 2023
Chad: Supporters, Civil Society Want Withdrawal of Arrest Order for Opposition Leader
Rights groups and the political opposition in Chad have been organizing protests and issuing statements ahead of Friday's first anniversary of a crackdown that killed 128 people… Read more »
October 12, 2023
Somalia: Somali Court Acquits Journalist Over Government Charges
A freelance journalist who had been detained in Somalia for 56 days has been cleared of all charges. Read more »