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International Peace & Security Section
South Sudan: Army Retakes Key Town in Upper Nile State from White Army Militia
Vietnam: Rights Group Warns of Intensified Crackdown on Peaceful Dissent
Myanmar: Junta Extends Temporary Ceasefire to Support Earthquake Relief Efforts
Sudan: At Least 30 People Killed in Attack by RSF Militants on the Darfur Region
Benin: 54 Soldiers Killed in Attack by Al Qaeda Affiliate JNIM
Sudan: WFP to Reduce Food Support in Sudan Due to Lack of Funding
Gaza: Israeli Airstrike Kills 13 Palestinians as Gaza Faces Imminent Famine and Humanitarian Crisis
Iran: Chemical Explosion at Iran’s Largest Port Kills 18 and Injures Over 700
Türkiye: Swedish Journalist to Face Trial for Terrorism Charges in Türkiye
On 23 April 2025, Turkish authorities charged Swedish journalist Joakim Medin with insulting the president and committing terror-related offences, potentially facing up to 12 years in prison. Medin, a reporter for Dagens ETC, allegedly promoted pro-PKK sentiments on social media and possessed promotional material supporting the group. The charges stem partly from Medin’s coverage of a 2023 protest in Stockholm, where demonstrators associated with the PKK hung a figure of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan upside down. Following the protest, Turkish authorities launched an investigation into Medin’s activities. Dagens ETC has firmly rejected the accusations. Editor-in-chief Andreas Gustavon defended Medin, stating he was carrying out his journalistic duties. Medin’s lawyer, Veysel Ok, also argued there is no concrete evidence to justify the charges, emphasising that Medin’s work falls under the protection of freedom of expression guaranteed by Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). Evidence cited against Medin reportedly includes his 2016 book Kobane about Kurds in Syria, various articles he has published on Türkiye and the Kurdish issue, and his social media activity. The Turkish government links Medin to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), an organisation designated as a terrorist group by Türkiye, the EU, and the US, which has been in armed conflict with Türkiye since 1984. Medin’s trial is scheduled to begin on 30 April 2025, in an open courtroom. Dagens ETC welcomed the decision for a public trial. The case comes at a time of heightened tensions in Türkiye, where mass protests are ongoing following the recent arrest of Istanbul’s opposition mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu. The UN has also criticised Türkiye for the continued misuse of counter-terrorism laws to target journalists, human rights defenders, and lawyers.
EU: Council of Europe Reports Systemic Abuses and Informal Hierarchies in Prisons across Europe
On 24 April 2025, the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) released its 34th General Report, raising serious concerns about prison conditions and psychiatric care practices across Europe. The report highlights ongoing problems with overcrowded prisons, the persistence of informal inmate hierarchies, and the overuse of medication in psychiatric institutions. The CPT condemned the practice of delegating internal prison control to high-ranking inmates, particularly in post-Soviet countries where such figures, known as smotriaschij, wield significant power. The Committee warned that these informal systems often result in the inhumane treatment of prisoners, creating rigid castes of informal leaders, ordinary prisoners, and “untouchables” — the latter suffering severe exclusion and abuse. Overcrowding remains a major concern, especially in Western Europe, limiting prisoners’ access to rehabilitation programs and hindering reintegration efforts. In psychiatric care, the CPT criticised the excessive reliance on pharmacological treatments, highlighting the need for more psycho-social therapy and investment in community-based mental health services. CPT President Alan Mitchell urged governments to pursue urgent reforms in criminal justice systems, invest in new infrastructure, and dismantle informal prisoner hierarchies to better protect the rights and safety of all detainees. The report also traced the roots of current prison hierarchies back to Tsarist and Soviet-era practices, which continue to influence prison systems in countries like Georgia, Armenia, and Ukraine today.
Russia: Former Major General Sentenced to Prison After Criticising Military Leadership
On 24 April 2025, Russia’s Tambov Garrison Military Court sentenced Major General Ivan Popov to five years in prison and stripped him of his rank. Popov, who had publicly criticised the Russian military’s operations in Ukraine, was convicted of large-scale fraud and service forgery. Investigators allege that between January 2023 and June 2023, Popov and other officials stole over 1,700 tons of metal intended for military use, causing more than 100 million rubles in damage. Popov, who commanded the 58th Army in Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, claims he was targeted for speaking out against military leadership. In court, he denied wrongdoing but admitted to “mistakes.” His lawyer plans to appeal. Popov’s case highlights a broader crackdown within the Russian military: garrison court convictions have tripled in 2024, driven by a surge in serious crimes and the enforcement of censorship laws silencing critics of the war in Ukraine.
Tunisia: Court Issues Harsh Sentences in “Conspiracy Case” Against Opposition Figures
On 24 April 2025, it was reported that a Tunisian court sentenced 40 opposition activists to prison terms ranging from 13 to 66 years under counter-terrorism laws, accusing them of conspiring against the state’s internal and external security. Some defendants were arrested, while others remain at large. The case stems from arrests beginning in February 2023, targeting political activists, business figures, media leaders, and diplomats, including Khayam Turki and Noureddine Boutar. President Kais Saied had urged swift accountability, claiming evidence was overwhelming. Critics, including opposition leaders and NGOs like Amnesty International, condemned the trial as politically motivated and lacking transparency. Protests erupted outside the court, and defence lawyers denounced the proceedings as flawed and unconstitutional. An appeal to the Court of Cassation is being considered. The verdict comes amid ongoing concerns over Tunisia’s democratic decline following President Saied’s controversial re-election in 2024.
Poland: President Sends Hate Crime Bill to Constitutional Tribunal for Review
On 24 April 2025, Polish President Andrzej Duda sent a bill expanding hate crime protections to the Constitutional Tribunal, questioning its compliance with free speech rights. The bill, approved by parliament in March 2025, adds sexual orientation, gender, age, and disability to the list of protected categories under Poland’s Penal Code. Duda said the measure could lead to censorship and argued that lawmakers failed to prove existing protections were insufficient. LGBTQ+ rights advocates condemned the move, warning it strips vulnerable groups of crucial legal safeguards. Poland’s stance on LGBTQ+ rights has drawn international criticism, and tensions remain high following a 2023 European Court of Human Rights ruling against the country’s policies. Whether Poland will move forward with recognising same-sex civil partnerships also remains uncertain.
ICC: Appeals Chamber Partially Upholds Israel’s Challenge on Jurisdiction, Dismisses Second Appeal
On 24 April 2025, the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Court (ICC) delivered its judgment on two appeals brought by the State of Israel. The first appeal concerned Israel’s challenge to the Court’s jurisdiction, which had previously been rejected by the Pre-Trial Chamber as premature. The Appeals Chamber found that the Pre-Trial Chamber had committed a legal error by not properly addressing Israel’s right to raise a jurisdictional challenge under Article 19(2)(c) of the Rome Statute. As a result, the Appeals Chamber reversed the earlier decision and sent the matter back to the Pre-Trial Chamber for a fresh ruling on the substance of Israel’s jurisdictional challenge. Consequently, Israel’s request to suspend the effects of two arrest warrants issued after the original decision was dismissed as moot. In the second appeal, Israel contested the Pre-Trial Chamber’s refusal to order the Prosecutor to issue a new notice under Article 18(1) of the Statute. However, the Appeals Chamber, by majority, dismissed this appeal as inadmissible, concluding that the Pre-Trial Chamber’s decision was not a ruling on admissibility within the meaning of Article 82(1)(a). Judges Luz del Carmen Ibáñez Carranza and Solomy Balungi Bossa dissented from this part of the judgment. The Appeals Chamber handling these matters was composed of Judges Tomoko Akane (Presiding), Luz del Carmen Ibáñez Carranza, Solomy Balungi Bossa, Gocha Lordkipanidze, and Erdenebalsuren Damdin.
ICJ: Serbia Seeks to Intervene in Genocide Convention Case Between Sudan and UAE
On 24 April 2025, Serbia submitted a declaration of intervention in the case Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in Sudan (Sudan v. United Arab Emirates) at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Relying on Article 63 of the ICJ Statute, Serbia asserted its right to intervene, as the case involves the interpretation of a treaty — the Genocide Convention — to which Serbia is also a party. Under Article 63, states party to a convention under judicial interpretation may intervene, with the Court’s judgment being equally binding on them. Following this development, the ICJ has invited Sudan and the United Arab Emirates to submit written observations regarding Serbia’s intervention, in accordance with Article 83 of the Court’s Rules.
https://www.icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/198/198-20250425-pre-01-00-en.pdf
US: Federal Agents Arrest Wisconsin Judge Over Alleged Immigration Obstruction
On 25 April 2025, federal agents arrested Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan for allegedly interfering with an immigration arrest outside her Milwaukee courtroom. According to FBI Director Kash Patel, Dugan “misdirected” ICE agents who were waiting to detain an undocumented immigrant appearing before her. The individual was later arrested elsewhere. Patel said the judge’s actions “created increased danger to the public.” The arrest sparked immediate criticism. US Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) called it a “gravely serious and drastic move,” warning that arresting a sitting judge could breach the constitutional separation of powers. Baldwin accused the Trump administration of attacking the judiciary and undermining democratic values, even though details of the case remain limited. In a related development, Homeland Security agents also arrested former New Mexico Magistrate Judge Joel Cano on 24 April 2025. Cano is accused of harbouring members of the Tren de Aragua gang, but he denies any wrongdoing, claiming the asylum seekers he hosted had valid documents stating they were not subject to removal. The Trump administration has a history of hostility toward the courts. Trump previously called for the impeachment of federal Judge James Boasberg after his administration defied a court order regarding deportations. Trump was also fined during his 2023 civil fraud trial for violating a gag order meant to protect New York Judge Arthur Engoron’s staff from threats. Concerns over threats to judicial independence have been growing. The American Bar Association (ABA) has reported that threats against judges have doubled since 2019.
https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/25/politics/fbi-director-wisconsin-judge-arrested/index.html
South Sudan: Army Retakes Key Town in Upper Nile State from White Army Militia
On 21 April 2025, South Sudan’s army announced it had recaptured a key town in Upper Nile state from the White Army, an ethnic Nuer militia. In March, South Sudan’s army lost the town of Nasir to the White Army after intense fighting which led to the arrest of First Vice President Riek Machar. In 2018, a fragile power-sharing agreement was reached for a government with President Salva Kiir and Vice President Machar that ended the civil war between loyalists to both men which resulted in thousands of deaths. Machar’s detention after trying to stir up a rebellion through his alleged support for the White Army militia has sparked concerns internationally that the ethnic conflict in the country could be reignited. Machar and his party have denied supporting the militia group. Spokespeople for South Sudan’s army and the White Army confirmed Nasir was recaptured on Sunday. This month, Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni met with Kiir following his deployment of Ugandan troops to assist in securing South Sudan’s capital Juba as political tensions increase. Uganda claims their troops have killed 1,500 White Army fighters, who fought alongside Machar’s forces during the civil war. This month, divisions within Machar’s SPLM-IO party have emerged. One faction announced a temporary replacement for Machar as party chairman, while the group’s armed section expressed loyalty to Machar as leader.
Vietnam: Rights Group Warns of Intensified Crackdown on Peaceful Dissent
On 21 April 2025, it was reported that the Vietnamese government intensified its crackdown on dissent, increasingly punishing citizens for peacefully criticising state policies and officials, according to a new Human Rights Watch (HRW) report released today. The report, titled ‘We’ll All Be Arrested Soon’: Abusive Prosecutions under Vietnam’s ‘Infringing of State Interests’ Law, focuses on the misuse of Article 331 of the Vietnamese penal code, which criminalises the so-called “abuse of democratic freedoms.” HRW describes the law as a vague and powerful tool to silence independent voices. Between 2018 and February 2025, at least 124 people were convicted under Article 331, marking a fourfold increase compared to the previous six years. Those targeted include activists, journalists, grieving family members, and ethnic minority advocates. Among the cases highlighted is Dao Ba Cuong, sentenced to two years in prison after protesting his son’s death in police custody, and lawyer Tran Dinh Trien, who faces charges for online criticism. The crackdown has notably intensified since 2021, with political prisoners continuing to fill Vietnam’s jails. Despite its international economic rise and its seat on the UN Human Rights Council since 2023, Vietnam has maintained tight surveillance over critics and imposed severe restrictions on civil society, undermining commitments made in agreements such as the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement. Human Rights Watch has called on international partners to pressure Vietnam to release political prisoners and abolish Article 331, warning that peaceful criticism increasingly risks imprisonment.
https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/04/21/vietnam-crackdown-dissent-intensifies
Myanmar: Junta Extends Temporary Ceasefire to Support Earthquake Relief Efforts
On 22 April 2025, Myanmar’s military junta announced it had extended a temporary ceasefire in its conflict with rebel groups to 30 April 2025. The prolonged ceasefire is to allow for further assistance and rebuilding efforts after last month’s earthquake. Last week, Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim engaged in talks with junta chief Min Aung Hlaing and a prominent rebel group in an effort to negotiate a pause in fighting and support for humanitarian aid operations. Last month’s 7.7 magnitude earthquake had its epicentre near Mandalay city in Myanmar and has killed at least 3,700 people and destroyed some key infrastructure in the country. Myanmar has been embroiled in conflict since 2021 after a military coup leading to widespread protests and a civil war. According to state media, the ceasefire was extended by the junta “out of sympathy and understanding for the people of the country affected by the Mandalay earthquake.” Despite the initial ceasefire announcement on 2 April 2025, the UN and other groups have said the junta continued military operations in some areas.
Sudan: At Least 30 People Killed in Attack by RSF Militants on the Darfur Region
On 22 April 2025, it was reported the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) attacked el-Fasher city in western Darfur, resulting in at least 30 deaths and leaving dozens more injured. The RSF militants began fresh attacks on the Darfur region on Monday, shelling residential buildings and markets in the city. El-Fasher is located more than 800 km (500 miles) southwest of Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, and is currently controlled by the Sudanese military, which has been fighting against the RSF in a civil war for over two years. Over the last year, the RSF has been trying to seize el-Fasher to gain complete control over the entire Darfur region. During this time, it has launched multiple attacks on the city and two displacement camps on the city outskirts. It is estimated El-Fasher is hosting more than one million people who have been displaced by the ongoing war. In the past few months, the RSF attacks on el-Fasher have escalated as the militant group has endured setbacks on the battlefield in Khartoum and other regions. This recent attack comes after a two-day attack by RSF last week on el-Fasher, where assaults on the Zamzam and Abu Shouk displacement camps killed over 400 people. Last week’s attack forced up to 400,000 people to evacuate the Zamzam camp, the largest displacement camp in Sudan, which is now cut-off to aid workers, according to the UN.
https://apnews.com/article/sudan-war-military-rsf-darfur-e3b3c58966ff9ac2693764140eec85df
Haiti: Hospital Closes Due to Escalating Gang Violence
On 23 April 2025, it was reported a key hospital in central Haiti’s city of Mirebalais had closed due to gang attacks and the worsening security situation. Pierre-Marie Cherenfant, the University Hospital of Mirebalais’ (UHM) deputy executive director, said the hospital had effectively shut down at the beginning of April when it began moving patients to other hospitals. The hospital in Mirebalais is located about 55 km (34 miles) northeast of Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince. It was a key hospital for providing healthcare in areas ranging from COVID-19 to advanced cancer treatments. At the end of March, the Viv Ansanm gang alliance began attacking Mirebalais, prompting UHM to begin transferring patients to other hospitals. Recently, Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) ceased services in Port-au-Prince till at least the end of June as the security situation continues to deteriorate. In the first part of this year, the armed gangs have made significant advancements as the security forces have struggled to cope with the escalating violence. This week, Maria Isabel Salvador, the UN’s special representative to Haiti, expressed to Security Council members that without “sufficient and predictable funding, even a minimal UN presence may become unsustainable.”
https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/key-hospital-central-haiti-closes-due-insecurity-2025-04-22/
Benin: 54 Soldiers Killed in Attack by Al Qaeda Affiliate JNIM
On 24 April 2025, Benin’s government announced 54 soldiers were killed in an attack last week by Al Qaeda affiliate JNIM. This death toll is lower than was originally reported by the jihadi group, who said it killed 70 soldiers during attacks on two military posts in north Benin. In recent years, both Benin and its coastal neighbour Togo have experienced an increase in terrorist activity, as groups associated to Islamic State and al Qaeda have expanded from the Sahel region into northern regions. The Sahel insurgency originated from a Tuareg rebellion in northern Mali in 2012, which then expanded into neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger. Recently, the jihadi groups have spread north into coastal West African countries such as Benin. The conflict has resulted in thousands of deaths and the displacement of millions, while also spurring five military coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger between 2020 and 2023.
Sudan: WFP to Reduce Food Support in Sudan Due to Lack of Funding
On 25 April 2025, the World Food Programme (WFP) warned it was facing a massive funding deficit that would make it difficult for them to continue supporting people facing severe food shortages in Sudan. The WFP has reported a funding shortfall of US$698 million out of the nearly US$800 million it requested from donors to assist seven million people from May 2025 through to September 2025. The WFP warned that by May 2025, food shortages could arise for products such as cereals, pulses and ready-to-use food as the trend of global donors cutting humanitarian funding continues. The organisation said that rations in famine-stricken areas have been reduced to 70% of a standard WFP ration (equal to 2100 kcal per day). The war in Sudan began in April 2023, when fighting broke out between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The WFP have said support is being mobilised nationwide, including to some of the 450,000 people who were displaced from the Zamzam camp in the North Darfur region after RSF seized control of it this month. In March 2025, the WFP reported it had assisted 4 million people in Sudan, the highest monthly figure since the outbreak of the conflict. Also, the organisation said it can now access more regions in the country, having overcome bureaucratic disputes and insecurity issues. It also said more aid trucks are expected to arrive in the coming days.
Gaza: Israeli Airstrike Kills 13 Palestinians as Gaza Faces Imminent Famine and Humanitarian Crisis
On 26 April 2025, at least 13 Palestinians were killed after an Israeli airstrike leveled a building in Gaza City’s Sabra neighborhood, with dozens more believed trapped under the rubble. Residents, lacking proper rescue equipment, were forced to dig through the debris with their bare hands. Gaza’s civil defence agency said efforts to reach those buried were severely hampered after Israeli forces earlier destroyed 40 engineering vehicles vital for rescue operations. Israeli air raids also struck other areas of Gaza, including al-Mawasi and Khan Younis, exacerbating a catastrophic humanitarian crisis. After 18 months of relentless Israeli military operations, resulting in over 51,000 Palestinian deaths, the United Nations warned that conditions in Gaza are now “probably the worst” they have ever been. The World Food Programme (WFP) reported that the entire Gaza Strip faces imminent famine, with community kitchens—already struggling due to a two-month-long blockade—expected to run out of food within days. Despite having enough aid positioned to feed one million people for four months, the WFP stressed that no deliveries can occur unless Israel lifts its blockade. UN officials, including the heads of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and the World Health Organisation (WHO), condemned the crisis as a “man-made” disaster, with calls mounting for urgent international pressure on Israel to allow humanitarian aid through. Meanwhile, the UN rapporteur on the right to food accused Israel of deliberately using starvation as a weapon. Since Israel resumed its military campaign on 18 March 2025, at least 2,062 Palestinians have been killed, adding to the more than 50,000 deaths recorded in Gaza since 7 October 2023. Hamas’s attack on Israel in October 2023 killed 1,218 people, most of them civilians.
Iran: Chemical Explosion at Iran’s Largest Port Kills 18 and Injures Over 700
On 26 April 2025, a chemical explosion at Iran’s largest port, Rajaei Port, near Bandar Abbas, resulted in at least 18 deaths and over 700 injuries, according to state media. The blast, which caused a massive cloud of black and orange smoke to rise above the port, shattered windows up to 16 miles away. Social media footage showed severe damage, including an office building with its doors blown off. Iran’s interior minister confirmed 14 fatalities, while the head of the country’s rescue organization reported over 700 injured. Emergency teams were seen rescuing victims amid the wreckage, and injured people were gathered outside nearby hospitals. The explosion was linked to chemicals stored inside containers at the port, though further details on the exact cause were not provided. Rajaei Port, located on the Strait of Hormuz, is Iran’s largest, handling 80 million tonnes of goods annually. While industrial accidents are common in Iran due to aging infrastructure and international sanctions, this explosion follows another fatal workplace accident in Bandar Abbas in 2023. The Iranian government has launched an investigation into the incident, with reports suggesting poor handling of flammable materials as a contributing factor. This tragedy coincided with the third round of UN negotiations in Oman regarding Iran’s advancing nuclear program.
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