Austrian lawmakers on Thursday voted to approve a law banning headscarves in schools for girls under 14 by a large majority, a move that is now facing criticism from experts and human rights groups. The only party to oppose it was the opposition Green Party, which argued that the law was unconstitutional. The ban was The post Austria approves school headscarf ban for girls under 14 appeared first on JURIST – News.

The Ecuadorian government’s financial agency froze indigenous and environmental groups’ bank accounts using secret intelligence information in an apparent effort to silence protests, Human Rights Watch said on Tuesday. Juanita Goebertus, Americas director at Human Rights Watch, commented that the measures in question constitute a misuse of anti-money laundering mechanisms, which “should be used to The post Ecuador criticized for freezing indigenous and environmental group bank accounts appeared first on JURIST – News.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported on Tuesday that Tunisian authorities have arrested three prominent activists following a “sham trial.” The organization urges authorities to immediately overturn the “unjust convictions” and release those detained. Bassam Khawaja, deputy Middle East and North Africa director at HRW, highlighted the political significance of the detentions by saying: The arrests The post Rights organization urges Tunisia authorities to release detained activists appeared first on JURIST – News.

UN anti-racism experts on Tuesday raised “grave concerns” about ethnically motivated human rights violations and abuses in Sudan. The Committee urged Sudan to act to put an end to these violations and prevent further escalation. The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination issued this decision under early warning and urgent procedures mechanisms. The experts The post UN Committee warns Sudan must address escalating ethnic violence appeared first on JURIST – News.