Supreme Court Backs Warrantless Entries
Source: The New York Times

The U.S. Supreme Court sided with law enforcement and upheld the legality of a warrantless apartment search after police smelled marijuana and heard what they believed were sounds of evidence destruction. The Court claimed the man’s constitutional rights were not violated because the police were acting reasonably in "exigent circumstances.”  
 

Extrajudicial Killings Sparks Rights Debate
Source: IPS News

A confrontation between St. Lucian police and five men who were attempting to rob a restaurant, ended with all suspects being shot and killed. The shootout reignited a debate about the possible existence of a death squad within the police force and whether their aggressive police tactics violate suspects’ due process rights.

Amnesty Given to Burmese Prisoners
Source: The Irrawaddy

Burmese President Thein Sein faces criticism for a prisoner amnesty program that human rights groups say largely excludes political prisoners. The program will commute death sentences to lesser punishments and reduce prison terms. More than 14,500 prisoners have been released so far. There are currently 2,200 political prisoners in Burma.

Cybersex Den in the Philippines
Source: BBC News

Two Swedish men were found guilty of trafficking Philippine women and girls to perform in cybersex dens in the Philippines. They were sentenced to life in prison. Authorities estimate there could be thousands of women working in cybersex dens in the country. They are concerned that many women are underage and coerced into performing.

Dictatorship-era Pilots Arrested in Argentina
Source: Merco Press

Five men, two of whom currently work as pilots for Aerolineas Argentinas, were arrested for their involvement in the “Death Flights” during Argentina’s military dictatorship. Victims were thrown alive into the Atlantic Ocean from airplanes including: women of an advocacy group for victims’ relatives, two French nuns, and hundreds of members of the opposition.

Drug Violence Spreading to Guatemala
Source: CNN

Security Forces discovered 27 dead bodies at a farm in northern Guatemala, near the border with Mexico. Guatemala has experienced an increase in drug-related activities and violence, especially as the Mexican drug cartel, the Zetas, has been establishing itself in northern Guatemalan towns. Authorities have not ruled out drug gang involvement in this massacre.

Anti-Gay Bill Shelved
Source: Mail & Guardian Online

Lesbian and gay activists in Uganda celebrated the shelving of a controversial gay rights bill this month. The legislation called for capital punishment for anyone caught having gay sex more than once or having consensual sex with an HIV-positive partner. However, activists warned the bill may be reintroduced in a future legislative session. 
 

Post Election Violence Kills 800
Source: Human Rights Watch

Violent outbreaks following Nigeria’s presidential election have left 800 people dead and more than 65,000 people displaced since April, Human Rights Watch (HRW) reports. Muslim rioters from Northern Nigeria targeted Christians from Southern Nigeria who they suspected of supporting the ruling party. HRW encouraged the government to investigate and prosecute those responsible.

Europe Pushes Domestic Violence Treaty
Source:  Human Rights Watch

European officials have approved a Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence and domestic violence against women. The agreement will create a comprehensive legal framework for the prevention and punishment of violence against women. Signatory countries will also be required to establish various services to aid women who are victims of violence.
 

Ukrainian Vet Guilty of War Crimes
Source: The Guardian

A German court found 91-year-old John Demjanjuk guilty of being an accessory to war crimes during World War II. Demjanjuk was a guard at the Sobibor death camp in Poland, where more than 28,000 were killed. He is the lowest ranking person ever tried for war crimes in Germany. He received a five-year prison sentence.  

Mass Graves Unearthed in Syria
Source: BBC News

Syrian human rights activists and residents in the city of Deraa claimed to have discovered 20 bodies in a mass grave, with an additional 41 corpses found in neighboring towns. Deraa was the first Syrian city to experience pro-democracy protests in 2011. The Syrian government has denied the allegations and called them "completely untrue."
 

Iran Postpones Retribution Blinding
Source: Haaretz

Iran has delayed the punishment of a sentence of an eye-for-an-eye punishment for a man convicted of throwing acid on a woman, leaving her blind, after she refused to marry him. Iran's Islamic law permits retribution in cases involving bodily injury. Amnesty International calls the sentence cruel and unusual punishment.

Kyrgyzstan Violently Targets Uzbek Minority
Source: EurasiaNet

Kyrgyzstan Inquiry Commission released a report on last year’s inter-ethnic violent clashes showing that Uzbeks have been disproportionately affected by the ethnic violence. Up to 74% of the murdered victims were Uzbeks. Government officials have discredited the report as biased and have so far ignored the allegations of police and army complicity in the violence against Uzbeks. 
 

Indian Police Fight Farmers
Source: Times of India

As protests over the private purchases of local farmlands in India rise, reports of police brutality have increased. The police have been accused of beating and detaining farmers, and opening fire on crowds. Families of those who suffered abuse have asked Rahul Ghandi, a member of the Parliament, to help address their grievances.