human rights groups - The African Mirror

Jul

30

2024

Famine or not? Palestinians in Gaza say an official declaration is beside the point

WORLD

This story was originally published by The New Humanitarian. By Mohamed Soulaimane al-Astal GOVERNMENTS and the UN have so far stopped short of declaring that a famine is taking place in the Gaza Strip. But for Palestinians in the enclave – and some food security experts – whether the deprivation and hunger they are experiencing meet the technical definition is beside the point. “No word better describes what we’re experiencing than ‘famine’,” Diana Harara, a 30-year-old mother of three, told The New Humanitarian by phone from Gaza City. “Firstly, we have nothing to eat but flour and canned food which…

Jul

24

2024

By The African Mirror

Youth-led protests spread to Uganda, raising concerns of regional unrest

NEWS

IN a development that threatens to ignite wider regional unrest, youth-led protests have spread to Uganda, marking the second East African country to face such demonstrations. The movement has raised alarms in Nigeria, where authorities have issued stern warnings against similar actions. On Tuesday, Ugandan security forces detained dozens of young protesters in downtown Kampala during a banned rally against official corruption and alleged human rights abuses. The crackdown comes as governments across the region grapple with growing discontent among their youth populations. According to Ugandan human rights groups, more than 45 people were detained during the protest. The protesters,…

Feb

19

2024

By The African Mirror

Returning sea migrants to Libya is illegal, Italy’s top court says

NEWS

ITALY'S top appeals court has established that sending sea migrants back to Libya is unlawful, a ruling hailed by charities and human rights groups. The Court of Cassation upheld the conviction of the captain of an Italian towboat, Asso 28, who in 2018 rescued 101 migrants from a rubber dinghy and returned them to Libya. The rescue took place in international waters about 105 km off Libya, the court said. Pregnant women and children were among the migrants, it added. The captain - whose name was blacked out in the ruling for privacy reasons - was sentenced to one year's imprisonment for…

May

28

2023

By The African Mirror

Malawi rounds up 920 refugees to return them to overcrowded camp

NEWS

AUTHORITIES in Malawi have rounded up 920 refugees who had settled in different communities to move them back to a camp in a district bordering the capital Lilongwe, home affairs ministry spokesperson Patrick Botha said. The operation, which started on May 17, followed a government ultimatum that called for all refugees to return to the Dzaleka refugee camp by April 15, or face enforced relocation. The government has accused refugees of leaving the overcrowded camp without following proper procedures. The round-up operation started in Lilongwe and has been extended to other districts. Botha could not say when the operation, which…

Apr

23

2023

By MARK TREVELYAN

Russia crosses new lines in crackdown on Putin’s enemies

WORLD

WITH virtually all the Kremlin's opponents already jailed or in exile, and liberal press outlets and human rights groups forced to shut down, it might have appeared that years of repression in Russia had achieved their objective. But in the space of just three weeks, Russia's security services and courts have crossed several new thresholds in their campaign to destroy perceived enemies, spies and traitors. The March 29 arrest of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich sent a chilling warning to the few remaining Western journalists in Russia about the risks of travelling, talking to sources and simply doing their jobs. The…

Dec

11

2020

By The African Mirror

Kenyan women win damages for sexual violence during 2007-8 poll violence

NEWS

NITA BHALLA FOUR rape survivors have won $35,906 each after Kenya's High Court ruled the government failed to investigate sexual violence cases after a disputed 2007 poll. The landmark ruling came after eight survivors - backed by human rights groups - filed a lawsuit in 2013 seeking accountability from authorities and redress for their suffering. Awarding damages to four women survivors, High Court Judge Weldon Korir said authorities had failed to conduct "independent and effective investigations and prosecutions" of sexual violence during the post-election unrest. The High Court found a "violation of the Kenyan state to investigate and prosecute violations…