Weekly News Recap (26 January – 1 February 2026) © Photo by United Nations Photo via Flickr International Justice Section ICC: Pre-Trial Chamber Rules Duterte Fit to Stand Trial ICC:...
Weekly News Recap (5 - 11 August 2024)
© Photo by U.S. Indo-Pacific Command via Flickr
- Germany: Federal Court Upholds Conviction of Former Syrian Intelligence Officer
- UK: 5 Environmental Activists Jailed Over Protests
- Türkiye: Activists File Lawsuit Against Government Instagram Ban
- Israel: Supreme Court Considering Alleged Prison Abuse against Palestinian Prisoners
- US: Alleged January 6 Rioter Arrested For Threats Made on Social Media
- DRC: Military Court Sentences 25 People to Death
- Bulgaria: Parliament Approves Amendment Prohibiting Educational Promotions of LGBTQ+ Views
- UK: Shamima Begum to Appeal to European Court of Human Rights After UK Supreme Court Decision
International Peace & Security Section
- Bangladesh: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Resigns Amidst Dictatorship Allegations
- Mali: Diplomatic Ties with Ukraine Severed Amidst Escalating Tensions
- UN: Israeli Strikes on Schools in Gaza Escalated Significantly
- UN: Security Council Authorises MONUSCO to Support SADC Mission in Congo
- South China Sea: The Philippines and Allies Launch Joint Military Exercise Coinciding with Chinese Air and Sea Patrol
- Niger: US Hand Over Military Base in Niger Amidst Growing Russian Influence
- Cameroon: UN Human Rights Chief Appeals for Access to Cameroon’s Anglophone Regions
- Middle East: US F-22 Jets Arrive in Middle East to Counter Regional Escalation by Iran
- Russia: Lipetsk Region Evacuated After Ukrainian Drone Attack
- Sudan: Sudanese Government to Initiate First Proper Attempt at Ceasefire Talks
International Justice Section
Germany: Federal Court Upholds Conviction of Former Syrian Intelligence Officer
On 6 August 2024, the German Federal Court of Justice upheld the conviction of Anwar Raslan, a former Syrian intelligence officer, rejecting his appeal and maintaining his 2022 life sentence for crimes against humanity. Raslan, who entered Germany in 2014, was found guilty of overseeing the torture, rape, and murder of detainees during the Syrian government’s response to the 2011 Arab Spring protests. As a colonel in Syria’s General Intelligence Directorate, Raslan managed Al-Khatib prison in Damascus, where at least 27 prisoners, including a child, died under torture between April 2011 and September 2012. His appeal, which argued procedural errors and claimed immunity, was dismissed by the court, affirming that the prosecution correctly used UN statements and that his actions met the criteria for crimes against humanity. The 2022 conviction marked the first international case addressing state torture in Syria, highlighting Germany’s commitment to prosecuting international crimes under its Code of Crimes against International Law, which aligns with the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. The UN and human rights officials praised the verdict as a crucial step toward accountability for the Syrian regime’s actions during the conflict.
https://www.bundesgerichtshof.de/SharedDocs/Pressemitteilungen/EN/2024/2024158.html?nn=17683472
UK: 5 Environmental Activists Jailed Over Protests
On 6 August 2024, five supporters of the environmental group Just Stop Oil were remanded in custody, bringing the total number of UK activists jailed for climate protests to 26. They appeared in Manchester Magistrates’ Court, charged with causing public nuisance after arrests near Manchester Airport and in Birmingham. Greater Manchester Police stated the activists were found with items intended for causing disruption at the airport. Chief Superintendent Mark Dexter emphasised efforts to prevent disruptions and keep the airport operational. Just Stop Oil is demanding a Fossil Fuel Treaty to end oil, gas, and coal use by 2030. Recent protests included actions at Gatwick and Heathrow Airports. Activist Indigo Rumbelow stated that despite the arrests, the movement would continue fighting against climate change.
Türkiye: Activists File Lawsuit Against Government Instagram Ban
On 6 August 2024, two Turkish law professors and cyber-rights activists, Yaman Akdeniz and Kerem Altiparmak, filed a lawsuit against the Turkish government’s Instagram ban. The professors, from the İstanbul-based Freedom of Expression Association, claim the ban violates constitutional rights. The lawsuit, filed in Ankara’s 13th Administrative Court, follows the government’s August 2 decision to block Instagram, as announced by the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK). The activists argue that the ban infringes on freedom of expression and access to information, criticising the lack of transparency in the BTK’s decision-making. The government defends the ban, citing Instagram’s alleged censorship of condolence messages for former Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. Fahrettin Altun, Head of Communications, stated the government will protect freedom of speech. Negotiations between Meta and the Turkish government continue, but disagreements over “terrorism content” have kept the ban in place. Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, indicated the ban could be lifted if their requirements are met.
Israel: Supreme Court Considering Alleged Prison Abuse against Palestinian Prisoners
On 7 August 2024, the Israeli Supreme Court began to consider whether there are grounds to close a desert military prison, Sde Teiman, following months of controversy. The Sde Teiman prison holds many Palestinians that were detained in Gaza, following the Israel-Hamas war and October 7 attacks. Several human rights groups have been petitioning for this prison’s closure since June 2024, as they allege that prison conditions are unsuitable for detainees and that prisoners suffer from abuse by Israeli soldiers that guard the prison. The human rights groups have submitted testimonial evidence from released detainees and whistleblowers. In late July 2024, the Israeli military police arrested 10 soldiers from the prison after a physician reported that a ‘detainee appeared to have been seriously sexually abused’. A new video that allegedly records a sexual assault by a soldier against a Palestinian detainee surfaced this month and has ramped up pressure for legal action by the Supreme Court.
https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-abuse-detention-22e9fa04a39198603c0021543e721be6
US: Alleged January 6 Rioter Arrested For Threats Made on Social Media
On 7 August 2024, a suspected participant in the January 6 Capitol riot, Bradley Nelson, was arrested and detained and is now currently awaiting his trial. The arrest is supposedly due to a series of threatening statements that Nelson made on social media, targeting public officials, including Supreme Court Justice Amy Barrett and Attorney General Merrick Garland. For instance, one post targeted Justice Barrett after her dissenting opinion in the Fischer v United States case. Nelson was one of the 300 defendants in that case, where the prosecutors used the federal obstruction statute to charge January 6 rioters for storming into the Capitol. Justice Barrett’s dissent argued for a narrower (and less favourable, for the defence) interpretation of the statute. The prosecutors have now submitted a motion to remove Nelson’s bail after unearthing social media posts from July 2024, which included an alleged threat on Attorney General Garland’s life.
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/supreme-court-rules-favor-jan-6-defendant-dispute/story?id=111405443
DRC: Military Court Sentences 25 People to Death
On 8 August 2024, a military court in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) sentenced 25 people to death following a month-long, public, televised trial. Only five defendants appeared in court, as the other 20 are currently on the run. The in absentia defendants included Corneille Nangaa, the leader of a rebel coalition called Alliance Fleuve Congo. This movement was founded in December 2023 to rally armed groups and political factions against the Congolese government. He was found guilty of war crimes, participating in an insurrection, and treason.
https://apnews.com/article/congo-afc-m23-corneille-nangaa-trial-d439f6dfe4f90e93cfa0be525e326c06
Bulgaria: Parliament Approves Amendment Prohibiting Educational Promotions of LGBTQ+ Views
On 7 August 2024, Bulgaria’s National Assembly approved an amendment to the Pre-School and School Education Act, banning the promotion of LGBTQ+ views in schools. Introduced by the far-right, pro-Russian party Vazrazhdane, the amendment passed with 135 votes in favour, 57 against, and eight abstentions. The law prohibits promoting, inciting, or propagandising non-traditional sexual choices and gender identities in education. It defines non-traditional sexual choices as those differing from Bulgaria’s legal notions of attraction between opposite sexes. The amendment sparked peaceful protests organised by feminist and LGBTQ+ groups. NGOs and human rights organisations criticised the law, with LGBTQ+ NGO Forbidden Colours calling it a “blatant attack on children’s rights” and likening it to laws in Russia and Hungary. Bulgaria does not recognise same-sex marriage and ranks third-worst among EU Member States for LGBTQ+ rights protection, according to ILGA-Europe’s Rainbow Map.
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20240808-bulgaria-parliament-bans-lgbtq-promotion-in-schools
UK: Shamima Begum to Appeal to European Court of Human Rights After UK Supreme Court Decision
On 8 August 2024, the UK Supreme Court refused to hear Shamima Begum’s appeal against the revocation of her British citizenship on national security grounds, prompting her to take her case to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). The Supreme Court ruling prevents Begum, who was born in Tower Hamlets, East London, from contesting the 2019 decision to strip her citizenship after joining the Islamic State (IS) in Syria. Begum’s lawyers plan to petition the ECtHR, although the process may take years. Begum travelled to IS-controlled territory as a 15-year-old in 2015, married an IS fighter, and had three children, none of whom survived. She is currently in a refugee camp in northern Syria. Although she held Bangladeshi citizenship until age 21, Bangladesh has refused to accept her. She has sought to return to the UK to challenge her citizenship revocation since 2019. Begum’s legal team criticised the indefinite detention of British women and children in Syria, noting, “all other countries in the UK’s position have intervened and achieved the return of their citizens and their children.” The Supreme Court ruled that Begum’s appeal did not raise an arguable point of law, including her right to make representations to Sajid Javid, the Home Secretary at the time. Begum previously lost a Court of Appeal challenge in February 2024 and a Special Immigration Appeal Commission challenge in February 2023. The UK is subject to the ECtHR but has resisted some of its rulings, such as blocking the deportation of radical cleric Abu Qatada in 2012 and stopping a flight under the UK’s Rwanda asylum plan in 2022. Maya Foa, director of the legal charity Reprieve, urged the government to repatriate Begum, arguing, “exiling British nationals like Ms. Begum is about politics, not the law. If Shamima Begum has committed crimes, she can be charged and prosecuted in a British court.”
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/08/07/shamima-begum-loses-final-bid-citizenship/
International Peace & Security Section
Bangladesh: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Resigns Amidst Dictatorship Allegations
On 5 August 2024, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stepped down from office and fled to India. Hasina has been in office for 15 years and is a daughter of Bangladesh founding father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. In the early 2024, Hasina won her unprecedented fourth election despite the accusation of muzzling opposition forces and other forms of dissent, orchestrating disappearances and extrajudicial killings. The opposition and students label her as a “dictator”. In Bangladesh, protests against quotas for government jobs spread nationwide and the clashes between the security officials and anti-government demonstrators have been escalating since July 2024. Hasina called the protesters “terrorists” and the crackdown of the protests intensified within these weeks.
Mali: Diplomatic Ties with Ukraine Severed Amidst Escalating Tensions
On 5 August 2024, it was announced that Mali has severed diplomatic ties with Ukraine amidst escalating tensions since Mali accused Kyiv of involvement in an attack that killed dozens of Russian Wagner mercenaries and Malian soldiers in July 2024. This attack was claimed to be one of Wagner’s heaviest defeats since its involvement in Mali started in 2021. Andriy Yusov, a spokesman for the Ukrainian military intelligence, stated that the Mali rebels had received the information to prompt the reaction. The tensions between Mali and Ukraine have been non-negotiable, with accusations that Ukraine is allegedly violating sovereignty and engaging in acts of terrorism. However, Ukraine has denied the accusations. The incident underscores the strong bonds between Mali and Russia.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/8/5/mali-breaks-off-diplomatic-ties-with-ukraine
UN: Israeli Strikes on Schools in Gaza Escalated Significantly
On 6 August 2024, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNOHCHR) reported an escalation of Israeli Defence Force strikes on schools in Gaza, which have killed at least 163 internally displaced Palestinians, including children and women, in the past month. According to the office, at least 17 schools have been hit, seven of these have been reported to serve as shelters for internally displaced persons, while one was serving as a field hospital. This raises serious concerns about compliance with principles of international humanitarian law, including distinction, proportionality and precaution. The Israeli military claims that five of these schools were being used by “Hamas operatives”. However, it does not exclude Israel’s obligations to strictly follow the international humanitarian law when carrying out military operations. Israel, as the occupying power, is also obliged by law to provide the evacuated populations with basic humanitarian needs, including safe shelter.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/08/1152886
UN: Security Council Authorises MONUSCO to Support SADC Mission in Congo
On 7 August 2024, it was reported the UN Security Council had approved a resolution to authorise the UN Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) to provide operational and logistical support to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Mission in DR Congo. The resolution was put forward by France and Sierra Leone, with all 15 members of the Council voting in favour. Sierra Leone’s UN Representative, Michael Imran Kanu, outlined the resolution strives to ensure the effective implementation of ongoing regional peace efforts. He stated the resolution emphasises the importance of cooperation between MONUSCO, SADC and SAMIDRC.
South China Sea: The Philippines and Allies Launch Joint Military Exercise Coinciding with Chinese Air and Sea Patrol
On 7 August 2024, the US, Australia, Canada and the Philippines staged a joint military exercise in the South China Sea, as China launched its own patrol in the region. The South China Sea is disputed between China and the Philippines, as well as Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei. China claims nearly the entire South China Sea as its own territory. In a joint statement, the Philippines, US, Canada and Australia stated the two-day exercises are aimed at “upholding international law and the rule-based order.” They added the training will enhance “cooperation and interoperability between our armed forces.” The joint military drill coincided with China launching its own military exercise near the Scarborough Shoal. The shoal is located 240 km west of the Philippines’ main island of Luzon and 900 km from the nearest Chinese province of Hainan. China’s Southern Theater Command stated their planned air and sea patrol tested the “reconnaissance and early warning, rapid mobility and joint strike capabilities of theatre troops.”
https://www.dw.com/en/us-china-stage-concurrent-exercises-in-the-south-china-sea/a-69876216
Niger: US Hand Over Military Base in Niger Amidst Growing Russian Influence
On 7 August 2024, it was reported that the US handed over its last military base in Niger to local authorities. The handing over of Airbase 201 in the city of Agadez comes after US troops departed earlier this month from Airbase 101 in Niger’s capital, Niamey. In March 2024, Niger’s ruling junta ended an agreement with the US allowing troops to operate in the country. In a joint statement, officials announced the US would depart the West African country by 15 September 2024. Niger had become one of the last nations Western countries could work with in the region to counter increasing jihadi insurgencies. The US and France had more than 2,500 military personnel in Niger and had also invested millions in military support. In recent months Niger has moved away from its Western partners, instead looking to Russia for security. In April 2024, Russian military personnel came to Niger in an effort to strengthen the country’s air defences. Niger’s removal of US troops following a coup last year has resulted in the US abandoning two strategic military bases used for counter-terrorism operations in the Sahel, a vast region of the Sahara Desert where terrorist organisations operate from.
Cameroon: UN Human Rights Chief Appeals for Access to Cameroon’s Anglophone Regions
On 8 August 2024, it was reported that UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, appealed for better access to Cameroon’s separatist regions and called for revisions to an anti-terror law that rights groups claim has been used to silence opposition. Since 2017, secessionist groups have been fighting government forces in Cameroon’s two English-speaking regions. The fighting has resulted in thousands of deaths and has displaced nearly 800,000 people. During a two-day visit to Cameroon, Turk called on the government to allow humanitarian access to areas affected by the conflict. He also urged the government to revise the 2014 anti-terrorism law. The controversial law which mandates the death penalty has been criticised by Amnesty International, who described the law as repressive and say it “curtails rights protected in Cameroon’s constitution.” A report from Amnesty in 2022 found that the majority of people jailed in the Anglophone regions had been sentenced under the law.
Middle East: US F-22 Jets Arrive in Middle East to Counter Regional Escalation by Iran
On 8 August 2024, US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced the arrival of F-22 fighter jets as tensions continue to rise in the Middle East. CENTCOM said the F-22 jets are part of US “force posture change” to mitigate the likelihood of regional escalation by “Iran or its proxies.” Tensions are high in the region after the killing of Hamas leader, Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran, and Israel’s targeting of senior Hezbollah commander, Fuad Shukr, in Beirut. Hamas and Iran have accused Israel of killing Haniyeh, but Israel has not confirmed or denied the claim. Iran has vowed harsh punishment for Israel in response to Haniyeh’s killing. Hezbollah, the Lebanese group, is also expected to retaliate after Shukr’s death in an Israeli airstrike. The US stated it was not aware or involved in Haniyeh’s killing and called on both Iran and Israel to refrain from escalating the conflict in the region. Washington stated it is prepared to protect Israel from Iranian attacks and said it would send additional military resources to the Middle East. The escalation in the region comes as the war in the Gaza Strip continues.
Russia: Lipetsk Region Evacuated After Ukrainian Drone Attack
On 9 August 2024, Russian state-run RIA Novosti and Tass news agencies reported that Russia had begun evacuating people from the western region of Lipetsk after a Ukrainian drone attack. These explosions have been reported to be far from civilian buildings and have damaged a local power facility. At least six people have been injured and four villages have been evacuated after the Lipetsk municipal district declared a local state of emergency.
Sudan: Sudanese Government to Initiate First Proper Attempt at Ceasefire Talks
On 9 August 2024, the Sudanese government reported that it will initiate ceasefire talks with the US which will be held in Geneva on 14 August 2024. The main goal of the talks is to end the war between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary which has been ongoing for the past fifteen months. The Geneva talks will be the first proper attempt in months to mediate between the two warring sides in Sudan. The Rapid Support Forces agreed to attend.
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