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For almost three decades, Ghana had built and maintained an enviable feat of liberal democracy and press freedom among its peers in Africa and much of the developing world. However, recent developments in the media landscape seem to be rapidly eroding this exemplary record. This reinforces the question: To what extent is Ghana fulfilling its obligation in nurturing a liberal media atmosphere, three decades after political liberalisation? Accordingly, this study finds various violations of media freedom in Ghana including arbitrary or selective shutdown of media houses, physical attacks, seizure and destruction of equipment, arbitrary arrests and detentions, threat to life and even murder of journalists. Perpetrators of these abuses include members of the security services, ruling party supporters, public officials and unidentified assailants. Consequently, the study concludes that this creeping authoritarian repression violates the hitherto libertarian media ecology and undermine media freedom and democratic governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractDocumentary archives, human remains, and witness testimony are often critical to transitional justice court proceedings and peace-building projects after mass violence. But what happens when those forms of evidence are missing? Can art stand in for the dead? Considering the use of art in Vann Nath’s testimony in the trial of Kaing Guek Eav (Duch) in the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, in this paper, I argue that in the first case for the ECCC, Vann Nath’s art performed a similar role to that of human remains in other trials, providing evidence and proof of human rights violations including torture, cruel and inhuman treatment, arbitrary detention, and mass killing, while also activating affect (drawing on Hughes). As such, it provided a form of social proof, in a way similar to the human remains retained from the genocide and displayed across Cambodia. Both human remains and art draw on materiality and emotion as a means of proving violence. Positioning it as such prompts a reconsideration of the role of art in transitional justice: as well as being needed in cases where other visual evidence does not exist, art, with its ability to mobilize and communicate linguistically incommunicable affect, can be part of the evidentiary infrastructure in and of itself. Considering the place of art in trials after mass violence makes us rethink what evidence is and does. Ultimately, my argument is that to those who survive genocide or other mass violence social proof of atrocities, as provided by art, is as important as evidence deemed legally admissible to court. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research explores the state of press freedom in the Gaza Strip and the challenges it faces, with a focus on crimes committed against journalists. It sheds light on the difficult political and security conditions in which journalists operate, including the violent threats and arbitrary arrests they face. The research also examines the impact of recent wars and conflicts in exacerbating the challenges faced by journalists, with a particular focus on the recent Gaza war. Additionally, the research discusses the role of the international community and technology in supporting press freedom and protecting journalists in Gaza. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is based on investigations by two branches of the United Nations Human Rights Council into the treatment of the whistleblower journalist, Julian Assange – the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and The UN Special Rapporteur on Torture. The UN investigations analysed for this 'Acting Up' article show that Julian Assange is an inconvenient dissident, who has been subjected to persecution by liberal democracies rather than authoritarian regimes. Previous research into whistleblowing has highlighted the courage and risks taken by individual whistleblowers in speaking truth to power however, this case highlights a different facet of speaking truth to power which shows how lawyers, activists and other professionals often refuse to do this because of the professional costs of speaking up for an apparently toxic individual. This article argues that the UN investigations have built a 'counter-archive' of suppressed facts about the case, which challenges the 'collective amnesia' of the public discourse. This case demonstrates that speaking truth to power requires not only individual courage but the active support of inconvenient dissidents, who lack other civil society support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This text discusses the severe human rights crisis in El Salvador since President Nayib Bukele implemented a state of exception in 2022. The suspension of constitutional rights has resulted in mass disappearances, feminicide, and arbitrary detention targeting activists, environmental defenders, and union organizers. Human rights organizations are working to address this crisis, but the government has not provided any information or resolution regarding the detained and disappeared individuals. The most impacted communities are young adults from conflictive areas, and the poor and working-class sectors are disproportionately affected. The text explores the politicization of human rights and the challenges faced by advocates for justice and protection. The future outlook is uncertain, and international support is needed to defend human rights. Solidarity, memory, and collective action are emphasized in addressing forced disappearance. [Extracted from the article]

The document titled "8 Commission of Inquiry on Myanmar Set Up by the Governing Body (GB) of the International Labor Organization, 4 October 2023" is a report by the Commission of Inquiry on Myanmar, established by the International Labor Organization (ILO). The report highlights widespread violations of labor conventions on freedom of association and forced labor in Myanmar since the military takeover in February 2021. The military regime has severely oppressed labor unions and union leaders, restricting their ability to organize and protect workers' rights. The report also expresses concern about killings, disappearances, and other human rights abuses against trade union leaders and members. The Commission makes recommendations for immediate action to stop the violations and restore freedom of association and other civil liberties. It also calls for the reform of labor laws and the establishment of effective labor dispute settlement mechanisms in Myanmar. [Extracted from the article]

"The Syrian Revolution. Between Politics of Life and the Geopolitics of Death" by Yasser Munif is a book that offers a new perspective on the Syrian uprising and subsequent war. The author argues that the war is often analyzed through Orientalist lenses or the New Social Movement theory, which do not provide a comprehensive understanding of the events and actors involved. Munif focuses on grassroots actors and events, as well as the politics of death maintained through the prison system and state terror. The book also explores the structures and tactics used by the regime to suppress opposition and maintain power. Overall, "The Syrian Revolution" provides valuable insights into the conflict and its underlying causes, making it a recommended read for researchers and policymakers interested in Syria. [Extracted from the article]

During the covid-19 confinement process, various forms of social protest were presented, together with the inability of Latin American governments to manage the health crisis caused by the pandemic, demonstrated in most cases that the State's response to social mobilizations and resistance was the criminalization of social protest, through repression and arbitrary detentions to try to instill fear among the population. The movements generated in the context of the pandemic had several and novel edges during the confinement, among them: the use of information technologies as one of the key elements for social denunciation and the organization of protest for the seizure of public space. On the other hand, the demands of the social protests focused mainly on the insufficient strategic planning ofgovernments in the face of the pandemic, on the precariousness and collapse of health systems, on the increase in gender violence, unemployment, poverty, inequality, and social violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Historia y Sociedad (01218417) is the property of Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Facultad de Ciencias Humanas y Economicas and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista ID EST: Investigación, Desarrollo, Educación, Servicio, Trabajo is the property of Fundacion de Estudios Superiores Monsenor Abraham Escudero Montoya FUNDES and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The United Nations has expressed deep concern over the recent abduction of Libyan political activist Al-Moatassim Al-Areebi and has called for his safe and immediate release. Al-Areebi was reportedly abducted by an unknown armed group in Misrata. Kidnappings are not uncommon in Libya, and the UN has called on law enforcement agencies to urgently investigate the abduction and disclose Al-Areebi's whereabouts. The UN has also documented cases of arbitrary detentions and human rights abuses in the country, which have created a climate of fear and eroded the rule of law. Al-Areebi was released on July 11th after calls from the UN mission in Libya, as well as international embassies and an online campaign. The reasons for his abduction and release remain unknown. [Extracted from the article]

A report submitted to the UN Human Rights Council accuses Libya's political leaders of suppressing political dissent in order to maintain power, resulting in a divided country and a population suffering from crisis, poverty, and misery. The report highlights an increase in arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, and detention-related violations. The UN high commissioner for human rights also mentions the discovery of mass graves containing the bodies of migrants. Libya's minister of justice disputes some of the claims, stating that the country prioritizes the rights of refugees. Additionally, armed groups clashed in a seaside town outside the capital, resulting in the death of a bystander. [Extracted from the article]

The Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda – Armed Forces of Cabinda (Flec‐Fac) separatist group has accused the Angolan army of killing seven civilians in the Cabinda region. Flec‐Fac is fighting for the independence of the oil-rich Cabinda province, claiming that it was never part of Angola according to the 1885 Simulambuco Treaty. The Angolan government denies reports of instability in the province and emphasizes the unity of the nation. In a separate incident, three members of the self-proclaimed Lunda-Tchokwe Protectorate Movement (MPLT) were arbitrarily arrested by the Angolan police in Lunda-Norte province. [Extracted from the article]

Mali's ruling junta has lifted the ban on political activities and parties that was imposed in April. The junta, which took power in a 2020 coup, had suspended political activities due to concerns about "sterile discussions" and "subversion" that could disrupt ongoing national dialogue. However, critics of the junta continue to be jailed, with 11 prominent members of the opposition arrested in June and sentenced to jail for demanding a return to civilian rule. The arrest of influential imam Mahmoud Dicko's close friend, Youssouf Daba Diawara, has also been denounced as an arbitrary arrest and a violation of human rights. [Extracted from the article]

The article reports on the arrest of two activists in Guinea who were speaking out against the ruling junta. Oumar Sylla and Mamadou Billo Bah, leaders of the pro-democracy movement National Front for the Defence of the Constitution (FNDC), were arrested by a group of soldiers. The FNDC has been at the forefront of protests against former president Alpha Conde and is one of the last opposition voices in Guinea. The arrests are part of a pattern of opposition detentions since the military seized power in 2021. The public prosecutor denies the arrests and calls for investigations into the activists' disappearances. [Extracted from the article]

Gabon's military-led government has denied allegations of torture and mistreatment of former president Ali Bongo Ondimba's family. Lawyers for the Bongo family filed a complaint in France, accusing the Gabonese government of torture and detention. The government spokesperson, Laurence Ndong, stated that the family is not being subjected to any form of mistreatment and emphasized that Ali Bongo is free to leave the country. The current ruler, General Brice Oligui Nguema, who led the coup that overthrew Bongo, is expected to visit Paris soon. The allegations have been described as damaging to Gabon's image, and Bongo's wife and son have been charged with serious offenses. [Extracted from the article]

Given the exceptional situation occasioned by an unprecedented health crisis, countries adopted extraordinary measures to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The enforcement of these measures has significantly resulted in human rights violations of various forms. This study draws from the Nigerian case to explore incidents of arbitrary arrests and detention of those adjudged by the police to have violated the lockdown rules. Using a victim-centered approach, 32 interviews with people arrested and detained by the police for contravening COVID-19 lockdown rules were conducted, and a thematic analysis of the narratives was carried out. Findings indicated that participants were arrested and detained in police cells for breaking stay-at-home rules largely for extortive purposes. In the process of arrests and detention, they endured physical and psychological abuses, were exposed to the risk of contracting COVID-19, and suffered economic extortions. Practical and policy implications were provided to enhance police legitimacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines, within the frame of international criminal law, Iran's arbitrary detention of foreign and dual nationals for leverage over the detainee's (other) country of nationality. It provides an overview of Iran's pattern of conduct since 2010, involving at least 66 victims, and analyses this in terms of hostage-taking and crimes against humanity. First, we argue that Iran's pattern of conduct constitutes hostage-taking within the meaning of the International Convention Against the Taking of Hostages. This gives rise to Iran's international responsibility for the breaches concerned and has important implications for victims' and their loved ones' perceptions of their experiences. Second, we assess the context elements of the definition of crimes against humanity as well as the gravity threshold and the compatibility of the pattern of conduct with the requisite elements of the relevant underlying offences: imprisonment or other severe deprivation of physical liberty, torture, and persecution. We conclude that the actions of certain Iranian officials reasonably satisfy the requirements for crimes against humanity. This is legally important for the application of crimes against humanity jurisprudence to this new context. It also opens avenues of accountability, given the aut dedere aut judicare provisions for crimes against humanity enacted by many states and the growth of sanctions legislation in several states. It should be difficult for responsible officials to travel outside Iran for fear of arrest and sanction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the discussion on reaffirming the prohibition of arbitrary detention recognizing under international and regional treaty law. Topics include enhancing international cooperation in deterring the detention of foreign and dual nationals for the purpose of diplomatic coercion; reaffirming the established principle about arbitrary arrest and detention being contrary to international human rights law.

The article discusses the court case of Kalief Browder, a young man who has been accused of stealing a backpack in New York City. It is reported that he was jailed on Rikers Island for three years without trial, where he endured abuse from guards and other inmates, including spending almost two years in solitary confinement. It further highlights how Browder's case drew attention to issues within the criminal justice system, leading to waves of activism.