Torture Law Excludes Organizations                                   Source: The Seattle Times   

In a unanimous ruling, the United States Supreme Court declined to find that the word “individual” used in the Torture Victim Protection Act was also meant to include organizations. The law allows those who have been tortured "by an individual who acts on behalf of a foreign nation" to seek redress in American courts.

Abortion Bills Steady in 2012
Source: The Washington Times

Over 75 bills limiting abortions have made headway in state legislatures across the country, including Arizona, Georgia, Mississippi, Virginia, and Wisconsin. Recent legislation includes fetal pain bills, bills requiring women to undergo ultrasounds before receiving an abortion, and other bills that restrict abortions. Women’s rights activists and reproductive health organizations oppose these bills.

Abuse at North Korea Gulags
Source: The Economist

An estimated 150,000-200,000 political prisoners are being detained in labor camps in North Korea. Prisoners are held without trial and receive no outside communication. They are never told of their crimes, though many “confess” under torture. Most are imprisoned at these camps for life where they are subjected to beatings, torture, and rape.

Women Face Inequality in Employment
Source: The Irrawaddy

A recent report by the Asia Society has found that men in Asia continue to dominate the vast majority of leadership positions within both business and government, and women receive less compensation than men for similar work. The report urges improvements, and claims limitations on female employment cost the region $89 billion dollars in lost productivity.

Guarani Anthropologist Receives Death Threats
Source: Latinamerica Press

Paraguayan and Guarani anthropologist and activist Tonico Benites claims that he received death threats for researching the land conflicts between indigenous people and ranchers in Brazil. The Guarani have demanded the government take action for the loss of their land to ranchers, which has caused them to live in reserves and roadside camps.
 

Gay Couples Gain Inheritance Rights
Source: Colombia Reports

The Colombian Constitutional Court has ruled that same-sex couples have the right to receive funds from their partner’s pensions and compensation packages. The Court held that the Colombian Constitution was wrong in defining family as solely between a man and woman because gender and sexual orientation are not the determinative factors in forming a family.

Lord's Resistance Army Attacks Continue
Source: Human Rights Watch

A Human Rights Watch report revealed that Uganda’s rebel group, the Lord’s Resistance Army, has continued to attack the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The attacks have compromised civilian safety and led to food shortages. Human Rights Watch is encouraging the African Union, the UN, and governments in the region to guarantee civilian safety.


Inhumane Prison Conditions in Zimbabwe
Source: allafrica.com

Zimbabwe’s Movement for Democratic Change encouraged the government to address the deplorable conditions of the country’s prisons. A report by the Parliamentary Thematic Committee on Human Rights stated that prisoners are severely underfed and lack supplies as basic as clothing and towels. The Movement for Democratic Change vowed to continue advocating for the prisoners’ human rights.

French Ministry Accused of Racial Profiling
Source: France 24

The French Interior Ministry is being sued for employing abusive identity checks against French black men or men of Arab descent. A study indicates black men or men of Arab descent are between six to eight times more likely to be subjected to police identity checks than white men.
 
 

European Court Approves British Extradition
Source: The Guardian

The European Court of Human Rights has ruled Britain may extradite Abu Hamza and four other men to the United States to stand trial for terrorism charges. The Court held that sending the men to a maximum-security prison in the US does not constitute inhuman and degrading treatment in violation of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Emirati Skater Pioneers in Europe
Source:  Gulf News 

Breaking both gender and religious barriers, Zahra Lari, 17, became the first figure skater from the United Arab Emirates to compete internationally, and the first to compete while wearing a hijab. Lari competed at the European Cup in Canazei, Italy this April, finishing in the top-15.
 

Syria Ceasefire Shaky Despite Monitors
Source: Al Jazeera

Violence continues in Syria despite the UN-brokered ceasefire between the government and opposition that went into effect on April 12. Since April 12, an advance-team of UN ceasefire observers has been observing the situation on the ground. On April 22, the UN voted to increase the number of monitors to 300.

Secret Forced Sterilizations in Uzbekistan
Source: BBC News Magazine

Despite being illegal under Uzbek law, the BBC gathered evidence of secret, government-required forced sterilizations of women in Uzbekistan. Anonymous doctors admit that they are issued quotas on how many women to sterilize a month. The doctors explain that the sterilizations are a means of population control, and lower the infant and maternal mortality rates.
 

Kazakhstan: New Anti-Torture Law
Source: Tengrinews.kz

A draft of a new anti-torture law was presented in Kazakhstan. The law would create a surveillance commission to prevent inhumane treatment or punishment in temporary isolation facilities. A collection of individuals from the public monitoring and human rights commissions and associations will tour special facilities at least twice a year to conduct inspections.