Tanzanian President Samia Hassan Suluhu defended the police’s use of force during election protests in October, claiming protesters intended to overthrow the government. She asserted the government deployed necessary force to quell what she characterized as violent acts, not mere protests. Furthermore, President Hassan criticized international bodies, including the European Union, for condemning the violence, accusing them of colonialist attitudes. The October election was marred by an internet shutdown, opposition candidate disqualifications, and a brutal crackdown on protesters, with numerous fatalities reported and condemned by international observers.
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A formal complaint has been filed with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) against the United States, marking the first of its kind concerning attacks against alleged drug-running boats. The complaint, filed by the family of Colombian fisherman Alejandro Carranza, who was identified by President Petro as a civilian killed in a U.S. strike, accuses Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth of ordering the attack. The petition alleges the U.S. violated human rights by carrying out an extrajudicial killing and violating the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man. With over 80 casualties from the military campaign, the IACHR will now review the case and make recommendations.
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On November 26th, ICE agents arrested a Chinese father, Fei, and his 6-year-old son, Yuanxin, at a check-in at 26 Federal Plaza. The father was subsequently sent to an Orange County Jail, while the son’s whereabouts remain unknown. Advocates reported the separation occurred after the family was detained, with the father stating he was not informed of his son’s destination. The incident is part of a growing trend, with data revealing an increase in child arrests by ICE, including other families being apprehended at check-ins.
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On Tuesday, the Taliban publicly executed a man in Khost stadium, convicted of murdering 13 members of a family, including children. This execution, the eleventh since the Taliban’s 2021 takeover, followed a death sentence approved by the Supreme Court and Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada. The execution was carried out by a relative of the victims, who had rejected reconciliation. The UN condemned the execution, citing its cruelty and violation of international law, and highlighted concerns about due process within the Taliban’s justice system.
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The family of a Colombian fisherman, Alejandro Carranza, killed in a US strike in the Caribbean has filed a complaint with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR). The petition alleges Carranza’s extrajudicial killing violated his human rights, and names US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth as responsible, also claiming President Trump ratified his conduct. Since September, the US has conducted multiple strikes on alleged drug trafficking boats, and the petitioners seek compensation for Carranza’s family and an end to such killings. The IACHR is now involved and has expressed concerns about the US strikes.
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In a recent ruling, two former apartheid-era police officers in South Africa were found guilty of murder in the 1987 killing of activist Caiphus Nyoka. The conviction, handed down by the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg, comes decades after the incident, highlighting the impunity that once shielded perpetrators of apartheid-era abuses. This trial was sparked after a former police officer confessed to Nyoka’s murder in 2019, leading to a reexamination of the case and the subsequent trial of several other officers. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission had previously investigated such cases, but few were prosecuted, leading to continued pressure for accountability and renewed investigations into other apartheid-era deaths.
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A Colombian family has filed a petition with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) alleging that Alejandro Carranza Medina was unlawfully killed in a US airstrike on September 15th. The complaint marks the first formal challenge to the Trump administration’s airstrikes against suspected drug boats, authorized under a novel legal interpretation. The petition, filed by a human rights lawyer, identifies US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth as responsible and cites statements by President Trump ratifying the actions. A White House spokesperson responded by accusing media of supporting “foreign terrorists.”
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In Khost, Afghanistan, the Taliban executed a man in a public stadium on Tuesday for the murder of 13 family members, including several children, as affirmed by the Supreme Court. The execution, attended by tens of thousands, including the victims’ relatives, was the eleventh carried out since the Taliban’s 2021 takeover. This action has drawn criticism, with the U.N. Special Rapporteur for Afghanistan condemning public executions as inhumane and against international law. The Taliban’s enforcement of a strict interpretation of Sharia law includes such public executions, alongside restrictions on women and girls’ education and employment.
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Evidence gathered by the BBC suggests Georgian authorities used a World War One-era chemical weapon, “camite,” against anti-government protesters. Protesters reported severe and long-lasting symptoms, including burning skin, breathing difficulties, and vomiting, corroborated by medical studies. Experts and former police officials identified the likely use of this obsolete chemical agent, which was mixed into water cannons. The Georgian government denies the findings, but the BBC’s investigation highlights the potential use of a dangerous substance with lasting effects, raising concerns under international law.
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The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) civil rights oversight, particularly within its Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL), has been significantly dismantled, shrinking from 150 staff members to just nine. This drastic reduction, coupled with an aggressive immigration enforcement agenda, has raised serious concerns from former federal oversight officials and human rights organizations. Cases of alleged abuse, like those within immigration detention centers, which were previously under investigation by the CRCL, may now go unaddressed. Critics fear this gutting of oversight creates a system where human rights violations can occur with impunity.
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John Q. Hosedrinker
ICE Abducts Father, Separates and “Disappears” Child: Outrage and Calls for Action
On November 26th, ICE agents arrested a Chinese father, Fei, and his 6-year-old son, Yuanxin, at a check-in at 26 Federal Plaza. The father was subsequently sent to an Orange County Jail, while the son’s whereabouts remain unknown. Advocates reported the separation occurred after the family was detained, with the father stating he was not informed of his son’s destination. The incident is part of a growing trend, with data revealing an increase in child arrests by ICE, including other families being apprehended at check-ins.
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