Human and Community Rights Centre (HCRC) Blog

  In a troubling development earlier this month, Sharifa Madrakhimova, a prominent Uzbek human rights defender, found her passport deliberately tampered with and rendered unusable. This act prevented her from travelling abroad to receive an award recognizing her outstanding work in the defence of human rights in Uzbekistan. Shortly thereafter, Abdurakhmon Tashanov, another leading figure in the field, was subjected to a civil defamation ruling, resulting in a substantial financial penalty. The case stemmed from an innocuous post he shared on Facebook. Although the two incidents are not officially linked, they starkly illustrate the forms of retaliation faced by human rights defenders in Uzbekistan, where their work has grown increasingly fraught with risk. Mr. Tashanov serves as the head of the Ezgulik Human Rights Society, one of the few officially registered organisations dedicated to human rights within the country. He utilizes his widely followed Facebook platform to document a...

  Mrs. Esther Balogun, a child rights activist affiliated with the Jofunmi Loving Heart Foundation, has cautioned children to remain vigilant against sexual predators, many of whom, she noted, are often individuals within their immediate family or close relations. Speaking during an outreach organized to commemorate Children’s Day in the Eleja Alagbayun community, Ewekoro Local Government Area of Ogun State, Mrs. Balogun highlighted the dangers of remaining silent in the face of abuse, a silence she lamented as deeply rooted in African cultural norms. "The purpose of this outreach is to equip children with the necessary awareness to recognize and resist inappropriate behavior from pedophiles," she stated. She continued, “Each individual has parts of their body that are private. These private parts must remain private and should not be touched or exposed regardless of who the person is. Even if the individual is a relative, no one has the right to violate your privacy.” Mrs. B...

  Despite a recent public pledge to refrain from targeting civilians, separatist insurgents in Thailand’s southern border provinces continue to carry out deadly attacks, Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported on Wednesday. The Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN), a Malay Muslim separatist group, has been responsible for numerous assaults on civilians—both Thai Buddhists and Malay Muslims—since the resurgence of armed conflict in January 2004. On 5 May 2025, the BRN issued a rare statement expressing regret over recent civilian casualties. While reaffirming its support for the right to self-determination for Malay Muslims, the group declared that it holds no policy of targeting civilians and remains committed to upholding international human rights and humanitarian law. In response, HRW acknowledged the statement but urged the BRN to take concrete action to end its attacks on non-combatants. “The BRN has taken an unprecedented step in publicly pledging not to target civilians after terrorisi...

  A Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna has awarded ₦900 million in damages against the former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, and five others for the unlawful detention of Adara elders in 2019. The ruling was delivered on Tuesday by Justice Hauwa’u Buhari in a suit brought before the court by Awemi Dio Maisamari and eight other elders from the Adara community in Southern Kaduna. The court found that El-Rufai had personally authorised the arbitrary arrest and detention of the applicants, thereby violating their fundamental human rights. As a consequence, he was held directly liable for the ₦900 million in compensation. In addition, the court ordered the Nigeria Police Force, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Commissioner of Police for Kaduna State to jointly pay ₦10 million in general damages and another ₦10 million in special damages. Counsel to the applicants, Gloria Mabeiam Ballason, welcomed the verdict, describing it as a landmark in the fight against ...

  Bosnia and Herzegovina’s treatment of detained migrants should raise concerns for governments considering sending additional migrants to the country, Human Rights Watch said today. Processing delays, limited access to lawyers, and concerns over conditions and access to services have placed migrants at risk. The UK government proposed Bosnia and Herzegovina, together with Serbia and Albania, as potential Balkans locations for a return hub. Asylum seekers from other countries whose claims had been rejected would be sent there while arrangements would be made to return them to their countries of origin or other third countries. “Prolonged detention of migrants without adequate safeguards puts people at risk of rights violations,” said Hugh Williamson, Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “Adding rejected asylum seekers from the UK, or potentially the EU, to Bosnia’s already troubling detention system would only exacerbate existing issues and worsen abuses.” The Eu...

  The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) have called for a full and transparent investigation into the killing of 13-year-old Kehinde Alade by a police officer in Ibadan, Oyo State. Kehinde was reportedly struck by a stray bullet while inside his father’s car on Tuesday, reigniting nationwide concerns about police brutality and the persistent lack of accountability in Nigeria’s security forces. At the time, Kehinde was one of five occupants in the vehicle driven by his father. His older brother, Emmanuel, was on his way to take the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE). NBA President Afam Osigwe condemned attempts to justify the shooting by referencing the father’s alleged traffic violation. “It is deeply disturbing that the loss of an innocent child is being excused by citing a traffic offense. There is no excuse for such a tragedy,” Osigwe stated. “Police officers have no right to discharge their weapons a...

Russia’s Actions by Using Deadly Strikes Against Ukraine is Condemned: UN News: 26/5/2025 The United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine has condemned a recent surge of Russian missile and drone attacks that reportedly resulted in the deaths of at least 13 civilians and injuries to 65 others. In a statement released on Sunday, it was emphasized that these assaults shows the severe dangers posed by the deployment of high-powered explosive weapons in a highly populated areas.  The United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, said the overnight assault from Saturday into Sunday is one of the largest since the war began in February 2022. That it has resulted in civilian casualties and caused damage to homes and infrastructure across 10 regions of Ukraine, the capital, Kyiv inclusive. Three children were killed and nine injured. The HRMMU is investigating to ascertain the casualties caused and the impact of the attack. It was reported that at least 78 people...

Sit-at-Home Protests Have Caused 700 deaths in the Southeast of Nigeria  News: 26/5/2025 The order of sit-at-home order by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in southeast has caused over 700 deaths in the last four years. IPOB started the sit-at-home protest in the year 2021 (August) as a means to demand the release of Nnamdi Kanu (their leader), who is currently facing terrorism charges in court. While the protest had been suspended the protests, some factions and allied armed groups are still in the business of enforcing the orders, thereby causing violence and attacks on facilities belonging to the government and civilians. The police have linked IPOB to several violent incidents, though the group denies responsibility. The protest has caused loss of life and economic damage that exceed 7.6 trillion naira, by stopping all kinds of activities every Monday. Photo Credit: Unsplash 

  Human Rights Watch has raised concerns over recent legislative actions by Bangladesh’s interim government, warning that they may erode basic civil liberties and democratic norms. The watchdog has called for the protection of human rights and a return to constitutional governance. Despite earlier pledges to reform the justice system and ensure accountability for past abuses, the interim administration led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus appears to be adopting repressive measures reminiscent of its predecessor. On 12th May, the government imposed a "temporary" ban on the Awami League party under sweeping new powers conferred by a controversial amendment to the Anti-Terrorism Act. This prohibition extends to public gatherings, printed materials, and online expressions of support for the party. Simultaneously, a draft law purportedly addressing enforced disappearances has drawn criticism for falling short of international human rights standards and for fa...

  The High Court of Akwa Ibom State, sitting in Uyo, has ordered a legal practitioner, Mrs. Sifon Akpaetor, alongside four others, to pay the sum of ₦2.2 million in damages for the infringement of Mr. Ekemini Akpanekpo’s fundamental human rights. In delivering judgment in Suit No. HU/FHR.200/2023, Justice Edem Akpan held that Mr. Akpanekpo’s arrest and detention, which occurred between 4th and 16th June 2023, were illegal, unconstitutional, and arbitrary. The court further declared null and void an undertaking allegedly signed by the applicant under duress, which prohibited him from accessing the property of his uncle, Mr. Iniobong Ubong Ntuk a subject of dispute. Justice Akpan found that the applicant had been detained without being formally charged before any competent court of law, thereby violating his constitutional rights to personal liberty and freedom of movement. In addition, the court issued a restraining order against Mrs. Akpaetor, Inspector Ndifreke Edem, Superintenden...

On 22nd May 2025, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights concluded its 83rd ordinary session, which saw the State periodic reviews of Ethiopia and Zimbabwe, panels on the repression of human rights defenders, the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, and reparations for Africans and people of African descent, as well as the launch of ISHR’s report on the situation of defenders in African island States and a new e-learning module on the African Commission. The 83rd ordinary session was held in person in Banjul (The Gambia) and ran from 2 May to 22 May 2025, with the public session in particular – open to State representatives, national human rights institutions, and civil society – running from 2 May to 12 May. This session’s theme was ‘Justice for Africans and people of African descent through reparations’, in line with the theme of the year of the African Union.  A total of 570 participants attended the session, including: 142 representatives from 28 States, 15 African Union repre...

  A Ugandan human rights activist, arrested in Tanzania after travelling to the country to support an opposition politician at a trial for treason, has been tortured and dumped at the border, according to an NGO. Ugandan rights group Agora Discourse said on Friday that activist and journalist Agather Atuhaire had been “abandoned at the border by Tanzanian authorities” and showed signs of torture. Atuhaire had travelled to Tanzania alongside Kenyan anticorruption campaigner Boniface Mwangi to support opposition leader Tundu Lissu, who appeared in court on Monday. Both of them were arrested shortly after the hearing and held incommunicado. Tanzanian police had initially told local rights groups that the pair would be deported by air. However, Mwangi was discovered on Thursday on a roadside in northern Tanzania near the Kenyan border. Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan has been accused of increasing authoritarianism, amid rising concerns regarding democracy across East Africa. Se...

  A proposed bill introduced by a member of Hungary’s ruling Fidesz party poses a grave threat to civil society, free expression, and democratic governance, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW). The legislation, titled On the Transparency of Public Life, seeks to establish a government-appointed body—the Sovereignty Protection Office—with broad authority to monitor and penalize organisations receiving foreign funding. This includes media outlets and civil society groups, even those supported by the European Union. Should the bill pass, such organisations could be designated as threats to national sovereignty, placed on a state-maintained watchlist, and subjected to severe restrictions. These include the loss of eligibility to receive donations via Hungary’s 1% income tax designation scheme—a critical source of funding—and the obligation to submit legal declarations for every donation affirming the absence of foreign influence. Moreover, any foreign funding would require pre-approv...

  The International Labour Organization (ILO) has acknowledged the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to reshape global labour markets. However, it has stressed the urgent need for comprehensive worker protections to prevent the exacerbation of existing inequalities, according to a newly released report. Entitled Generative AI and Jobs: A Global Perspective on Risks and Opportunities, the report was jointly published by the ILO and Poland’s National Research Institute. It introduces an innovative framework for assessing the impact of generative AI across economies of varying levels of development. The report is designed as a strategic resource for governments, with a particular focus on developing nations. It provides guidance on managing the transition towards an AI-integrated economy, highlighting examples such as Nigeria’s rapidly expanding digital sector. “It is easy to be swept up in the excitement surrounding AI,” noted Janine Berg, Senior Economist at t...

TRAFFICKING AND MODERN-DAY SLAVERY IN NIGERIA: LESSONS FROM THE MUGAMBE CASE Introduction Human trafficking and modern-day slavery are not abstract ideas for Nigeria; they are lived realities that travel our highways, across our borders, and haunt our courtrooms. The 2025 conviction in the United Kingdom of a Ugandan High-Court judge, Lydia Mugambe who trafficked and enslaved a young woman she had promised an education highlights how power, privilege and weak enforcement can converge to rob a person of their fundamental right of freedom. Mugambe’s fall is a warning for Nigeria: sound laws alone do not stop trafficking; only laws that are enforced without fear or favor combined with survivor-focused support and smart border management makes a lasting difference. When Ugandan High-Court judge Lydia Mugambe was convicted in the United Kingdom on 13 March 2025 for exploiting a young domestic worker, many Nigerians were jolted into remembering that modern slavery is not just an overseas sca...

The Reason Why Teenage Pregnancy is High in Nigeria: Mrs. Roseline Akinlabi  News: 21/5/2025 Osun State Primary Health Care Board Mrs Roseline Akinlabi, said the reason for teenage pregnancy is child marriage and peer pressure. This was said during a programme that was organised by The Challenge Initiative (NGO). She narrated that sexual violence, rape, and early menstruation were also the cause for adolescent pregnancy. She further made reference to the United Nations Children’s Fund data, that said Nigeria has one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates worldwide. The data also shows that about 19 per cent of adolescent girls between the years of 15 and 19 has started childbearing. She added that: “Teenage pregnancy causes complications during childbearing like eclampsia, puerperal endometritis and systemic infections, induced hypertension, gestational diabetes, infections, dropping out of school, hindering future educational and career opportunities. It cause stress and traumatic...

ECOWAS Court Dismissed a Human Rights Suit Brought Against the FG of Nigeria   News: 21/5/2025 The ECOWAS Community Court of Justice dismissed a human rights suit that was brought against the Federal Government of Nigeria by a group called the Lawyers Alert Initiative for Protecting the Rights of Children, Women, and Indigent. The court said they lack of jurisdiction and the victims cannot be identified. The group in their process asked the court to declare some sections in the Penal Code Act and Criminal Code Act, particularly Sections 401, 405(1)(c), 405, 246, 224, and 250 unconstitutional under the regional human rights frameworks. That the provisions, aids unnecessary arrests and detentions of specific group of persons, sex workers also because of vagrancy laws. They further said the laws violate the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights as it relates to the protection liberty, dignity, equality, fair trial, and freedom of movement. Hon. Justice Ricardo Goncalves, H...

  SAFEGUARDING THE RIGHT TO DIGITAL PRIVACY IN NIGERIA INTRODUCTION With the increasing technological advancement and the various innovations of smart devices, the world is increasingly becoming a connected global village. Both organizations and individuals have their respective personal information and data which are basically received by digital platforms, websites and software applications. These information and collected data are essential for personal use and data protection have become a top priority for many countries, which Nigeria is not an exception.  As a result of which several countries and international institutions have implemented data privacy and protection regulations. This is to ensure that there is an established guideline for processing personal data and also considering the rights and interests of data subjects such as individuals, businesses and organizations. However, irrespective of the fact that technological advancements have offered numerous conveni...

  IBADAN — A secondary school student preparing to sit the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) was tragically killed by a stray bullet allegedly fired by a police officer in Ibadan on Tuesday. The incident occurred along Gbagi Market Road in Egbeda Local Government Area of Oyo State, when police officers reportedly opened fire during a chase involving a fleeing suspect. According to eyewitnesses, the deceased was riding on a motorcycle with his father and twin brother en route to his examination centre when the fatal shot struck him. “A police officer opened fire while pursuing a fleeing vehicle,” said an eyewitness identified as Ajani. “One of the bullets hit the student. He was rushed to the hospital but was confirmed dead on arrival. Another source corroborated the account, stating that the deceased had been on his way to write an exam when the tragic incident occurred. In response, a group of aggrieved youths carried the student’s body to the Oyo...

  LAGOS — Renowned human rights advocate and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr Femi Falana, has denounced a proposed bill seeking to make voting compulsory in Nigeria, describing it as a violation of fundamental rights enshrined in the 1999 Constitution. The bill, sponsored by Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, prescribes a six-month jail term or a fine of ₦100,000 for eligible citizens who fail to vote in elections. Speaking on Monday, Falana argued that the proposal is legally untenable and inconsistent with constitutional provisions. “I doubt that the Speaker and his colleagues paid sufficient attention to the relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution,” Falana said. “Otherwise, they would have realised that compulsory voting is constitutionally invalid in every material particular, as it contradicts Sections 37, 38, 77(2), 135(5), and 178(5).” He maintained that these sections guarantee Nigerians the right to privacy, freedom of thought and consc...

  Azerbaijani authorities last week detained Gunel Guliyeva, making her the 25th reporter imprisoned on spurious charges in 18 months as the government moves to extinguish dissenting media voices. Guliyeva is the 11th journalist arrested in the wide-ranging probe of Meydan TV, Azerbaijan’s largest exile-based independent outlet. The entire Meydan newsroom has been in pre-trial custody since December 2024. When questioned in January 2025, Guliyeva was placed under a travel ban, she denies any employment with Meydan TV, adding that such work would not be criminal in any case. Renowned for her independent coverage, Guliyeva served as Voice of America’s Azerbaijan correspondent until February 2025, when officials revoked VOA’s accreditation. Her recent reports covered the trials of opposition veteran Tofig Yagublu—sentenced to nine years in March 2025—and of journalists from the now-exiled Abzas Media. Press-freedom advocates have condemned the escalating crackdown and are calling for ...

  Between January 2024 and January 2025, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) recorded 86,633 violations of children’s rights nationwide, its latest dashboard data reveal. Offences logged at the Commission’s 38 offices and via its Human Rights Observatory include: Child labor, sexual abuse, trafficking and abandonment, denial of schooling, homicide, assault, torture and other violence, harmful traditional practices and abductions. NHRC Executive Secretary Dr Anthony Ojukwu attributed the sharp rise in reported cases to heightened public awareness and easier complaint procedures, noting that “with every passing month, citizens better understand when a child’s rights are breached and are increasingly willing to seek redress through the Commission.”

  Migrant workers in Saudi Arabia are dying in distressing and preventable circumstances at their workplaces, including through falls from great heights, electrocution, and, in some reported cases, decapitation, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW). The international rights organisation asserts that Saudi authorities have failed to adequately safeguard workers from fatal accidents, to properly investigate such incidents, or to provide timely and sufficient compensation to bereaved families—despite legal obligations concerning life insurance and survivors' benefits. In a separate but corroborative report released by Fairsquare, a grave lack of effective governmental oversight and procedures for determining the causes of migrant worker deaths was also highlighted. The situation is reportedly deteriorating as the Kingdom accelerates construction efforts for its 2034 FIFA World Cup preparations and other so-called “giga-projects.” Families of deceased workers have spoken of receiving ...

  A coalition under the auspices of Operation Save Nigerian Children has entered into a strategic partnership with the United States Institute for Diplomacy and Human Rights (USIDHR) to organise a Child Rights Summit for young people in the Niger Delta region. This collaboration was confirmed in a formal letter dated 2 May 2025, signed by the Country Director of USIDHR Nigeria, Ambassador Ibrahim Abubakar Sani, and addressed to the Convener of Operation Save Nigerian Children, Comrade Ighorhwunu Aghogho. Copies of the correspondence were made available to journalists in Warri on Monday. According to the USIDHR, the forthcoming summit is designed to "celebrate excellence and innovation in child education and rights advocacy." The letter further stated: “The summit will raise awareness on the importance of inclusive and equitable education for all children. It will also strengthen support for the ‘Education for Every Child’ campaign and the 'Let Her Lead' initiative in ...

  DAKAR, Senegal (AP) – Government forces in Burkina Faso are alleged to have killed at least 100 civilians in a brutal assault in March near the western town of Solenzo, according to a new report by Human Rights Watch. Drawing on survivor testimony and videos circulated on social media, the human rights organisation identified the perpetrators as members of Burkina Faso's special forces, in collaboration with the Volunteers for the Defence of the Homeland—a pro-government militia. The victims were predominantly from the Fulani community, a pastoralist ethnic group historically accused by the government of harbouring sympathies for Islamist militants. An earlier, inconclusive report had suggested possible government involvement, citing video evidence. In response, the Burkinabè authorities issued a forceful denial, condemning what they termed "fake information" and "images inciting hatred and communal violence" intended to destabilise national cohesion. However,...

  In the early hours of 19 April, a Tunisian court concluded a mass trial involving 40 lawyers, opposition figures, and critics of President Kais Saied. In a deeply troubling development, 37 of the defendants were handed severe prison sentences—some extending up to 66 years—after a mere three court sessions. During these proceedings, the accused were denied the opportunity to adequately present their defence or be meaningfully heard. The charges—conspiracy against state security and terrorism—were primarily linked to political activities, including meetings with European diplomats such as the French and Italian ambassadors. Now widely referred to as the "Conspiracy Case," the trial underscores Tunisia's alarming regression from its role as the birthplace of the Arab Spring to a nation once again defined by political repression and the imprisonment of dissenters. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights strongly condemned the convictions and urged Tunisian aut...

Indonesian Court Restricts Criminal Defamation Lawsuits News: 8/5/2025 In an important step towards protecting online speech, Indonesia’s Constitutional Court on April 29 issued two rulings that provide important clarifications to the country’s Electronic Information and Transaction Law, used to regulate the internet. For decades, government officials and powerful private actors, including companies and religious groups, have brought criminal defamation lawsuits under the internet law to silence their critics. According to the advocacy group Safenet, hundreds of cases have been filed, with 170 defamation claims in 2024. But the court’s recent rulings restrict how the law’s defamation clauses can be used going forward. The first ruling said that the law’s definition of “public unrest” is limited to physical space, not “digital/cyber space,” rejecting lawsuits involving online posts. The second stated that government agencies, companies, or “groups with specific identities,” including re...

A Glimmer of Hope in Police Killings Cases in Brazil News: 8/5/2025 On May 7, Brazil’s National Council of Prosecutors (CNMP, in Portuguese) published a resolution that seeks to improve investigations into police abuse, including killings by police. Every year, Brazilian police officers kill more than 6,000 people, with people of African descent being three times more likely to become a victim than white individuals. Human Rights Watch has documented how inadequate investigations into those killings result in impunity for abuses in Brazil. A major reason is that the police investigate themselves. There were some changes last month. On April 3, Brazil’s Supreme Court ordered prosecutors to lead investigations whenever there is “suspicion” of the involvement of law enforcement agents in an unlawful killing. Then, on April 29, the CNMP passed a resolution that detailed how prosecutors should carry out those investigations. The resolution was published on May 7. For many years, Human Righ...

  Journalists and civil society representatives in Nasarawa State have been urged to collaborate in exposing and addressing violations of digital rights and data privacy to better protect residents across the state’s 13 local government areas.   This call was made on Thursday in Lafia, the state capital, during a one-day Digital Rights Roundtable Engagement for Media Practitioners and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), organized by Accountability Lab Nigeria.   Blessing Anolaba, the Storytelling Development Officer of Accountability Lab Nigeria, implored participants to remain resolute in condemning social injustices, including harassment, intimidation, and extortion perpetrated by both government and private actors.   Anolaba further cautioned media professionals against the proliferation of fake news, stressing its detrimental impact on national development.  

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Court of Justice has reiterated its steadfast dedication to safeguarding the rights of women and children throughout the region. The Court highlighted its reliance on robust legal frameworks, landmark judgments, and sustained initiatives to address pressing issues such as gender-based violence, child marriage, and systemic discrimination.   Speaking at a public sensitization forum held at the Eko Hotel and Suites in Victoria Island, Lagos, on Tuesday, Mrs. Marie Saine, the Court’s **Registrar of Judicial Records, Archives, and Publications, underscored the critical importance of protecting these rights to foster inclusive development and uphold human dignity in West Africa.   “Women and children continue to endure significant adversities, including gender-based violence, child marriage, discrimination, and restricted access to opportunities,” Saine remarked.   She further emphasized that the Court’s man...

NHRC Commends Kano State Police on the Protection of Rights of Vulnerable People News: 8/5/2025 The National Human Rights Commission has commended the Kano State Police for their help in protecting human rights. The State Coordinator of NHRC Mallam Shehu made the commendation when he visited the Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, at Police Headquarters, Bompai Kano. He mentioned the importance of promoting human rights, specifically when it comes to investigating cases that has to with vulnerable groups eg women, children and people with disabilities, considering their health status and sexual orientation. The focus of the said visit was on potential collaboration opportunities in training to enable the command’s capacity to uphold human rights while ensuring public safety and order. Furthermore, Mr. Bakori took the coordinator and his team to the Complaint Response Unit (CRU) of the command, where they discussed with officers and had a productive conversation and also sh...