The internet stitches itself into the daily lives of billions of people in numerous ways. It functions as a means of communication, a marketplace, entertainment and education, and has a growing capacity for both liberation and discrimination. The world wide web is used as an empowering tool for the marginalized
Iran Human Rights, an Oslo-based NGO, has reported that 19 minors have been killed as a result of the brutal state crackdown on widespread human rights protests in Iran. Among the minors killed are the high-profile cases of 16-year-old Sarina Esmailzadeh, a teen vlogger, and 17 year old Nika Shahkarami.
Technology company Meta shared a report this week detailing the takedown of a massive state-run network of pro-Russian propaganda websites and accounts across its platforms. The network was the “largest and most complex Russian-origin operation” that Meta has come across since the beginning of the war in February. The complex
A UN commission has confirmed international suspicions of war crimes committed by Russian soldiers in occupied Ukrainian territory. The Commission for Inquiry on Ukraine, a task force mandated by the Human Rights Council, has shared findings of widespread brutality, including forced nudity, electric shock torture and sexual violence, with victims
The European Commission has proposed a ban on the sale of products made with forced labour. In their official statement, the Commission stated this ban is to ensure sustainability in their markets, while also ending the practice of modern slavery. Many have drawn similarities with this ban and a recent
Four European countries bordering Russia have recently released a joint statement on new restrictions against Russian travellers. Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland all cite the threat to national security created by allowing Russian tourists into European borders, as well as the moral responsibility of letting Russian holidaymakers access Europe during
A Palestinian aid worker has been sentenced to a total of 12 years in prison on counts of terrorism by an Israeli court. Mohammed al-Halabi, a former Gaza director of the major Christian aid charity World Vision, is alleged to have diverted funds of up to $50 million to the
The extension of Yemen’s historic five-month truce has given many hope for peace, and for some it signals that an end to the conflict is on the horizon. Hans Grundberg, the country’s UN special envoy, clarified that the aims of the ceasefire are to allow for the provision of life-saving
In a statement released on the 15th of August, 32 NGOs called for the international community to increase aid and address the economic issues driving Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis. In the past year, the country’s economy has been crippled by sanctions and isolated from the international banking market in an attempt
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has called for the demilitarization of the areas surrounding the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant following shelling on the plant site, in what Ukraine President Zelenskyy called “Nuclear Terror.” Russia, which has controlled the plant since the outbreak of the war in March, has opposed
Nancy Pelosi, the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, made headlines this week with a historic visit to Taiwan as part of her Asia tour. Although the visit lasted little less than a day, the ramifications have been widespread for peace in the Taiwanese strait. The heavily criticized move
The recently released United States Trafficking in Persons Report 2022 has shone a light on the worsening state of the human trafficking situation in the Balkans. It found that nations in the Southeast region of Europe are failing to successfully combat trafficking. The comprehensive report details harrowing stories of involuntary
