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What Does Progress Really Mean?
When people talk about progress, they usually think about technology. Every year, scientists discover new treatments for diseases, artificial intelligence becomes more advanced, and space exploration continues to expand. Looking at these achievements, it is easy to believe that the world is becoming a better place. However, there is a question we do not ask…
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NATO Complicit in Censorship Upon Misguidedly Granting Host-Nation Discretion
On 7 and 8 July 2026, world leaders met in Ankara for the NATO summit, where they discussed international security and the vital role the ‘transatlantic bond’ plays in keeping people safe around the world. But many journalists from Türkiye’s independent media were noticeably absent – especially if they have been critical of the government…
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Mahrang Baloch and Civilian Justice
Pakistan’s sentencing of Baloch rights activist Mahrang Baloch to life imprisonment has renewed grave concern over the country’s shrinking space for dissent and the increasing use of exceptional justice mechanisms against civilians. The case is not only about one activist; it is also part of a wider pattern in which Pakistan’s military-linked legal system is…
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Journalist Atiana Serge Oulon’s Enforced Disappearance Raises Serious Human Rights Concerns in Burkina Faso
Atiana Serge Oulon, editor-in-chief of the investigative newspaper L’Événement, was reportedly abducted by unidentified individuals in June 2024 after publicly criticizing restrictions on press freedom in Burkina Faso. Since his disappearance, his family, colleagues, and legal representatives have received no official information regarding his whereabouts or legal status. Human rights organizations have expressed grave concern,…
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Justice and Accountability Needed Following the Death in Custody of Aimable Karasira in Rwanda
Aimable Karasira was a Rwandan academic and public figure who had long faced pressure because of his outspoken criticism of the government and his comments on human rights violations in the post-1994 period. Although he lost members of his family during the genocide, Karasira also spoke about other forms of suffering and victims that he…
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From Disappearance to Accountability: The Need for Justice in Bangladesh
For many families in Bangladesh, the pain of not knowing what happened to a loved one has lasted for years. Mothers, fathers, spouses, and children have spent countless days searching for answers after relatives were allegedly taken away and never returned. Enforced disappearance is one of the most serious human rights violations because it leaves…
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Protecting Democratic Participation from Abusive Lawsuits in Europe
Across Europe, freedom of expression, independent journalism, and civic participation are increasingly challenged by abusive legal actions known as Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs). These lawsuits are typically initiated by powerful actors to intimidate journalists, activists, researchers, and civil society members who speak on matters of public interest. Rather than seeking justice, such cases…
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Pakistan’s Military Courts Must Not Be Allowed to Override Civilian Justice
Pakistan’s use of military courts to try civilians has become one of the country’s most serious ongoing human rights concerns. Human rights organizations warned in May 2026 that the Supreme Court’s 2025 ruling upholding such trials severely undermined the rights to liberty and fair trial by allowing civilians to be prosecuted in secret proceedings before…
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Silenced in Custody: The Death of Sayed Mohamed Almosawi and the Urgent Call for Accountability
The case of Sayed Mohamed Almosawi, who is reportedly subjected to enforced disappearance and torture, points not to an abstract debate but to a deeply troubling sequence of concrete events. According to accounts from witnesses and relatives, he was taken into custody by security forces, after which his whereabouts remained unknown for an extended period,…
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The Case of an Uyghur Journalist, Ekpar Asat
Ekpar Asat is a prominent Uyghur entrepreneur and philanthropist who has been imprisoned in China since 2016 under circumstances widely criticised by international human rights organisations. Before his detention, Asat was known as a successful technology founder who created a popular Uyghur-language social media platform promoting cultural discussion, social engagement, and public awareness. His work…
