Weekly News Recap (7 - 13 September 2026)
© Photo by spoilt.exile via Flickr
International Justice Section
ECtHR: Finds Greece Violated Freedom of Expression of Judge Suspended for Criticising Colleagues
CJEU: Upholds Restrictive Measures Against Roman Abramovich
UK: Supreme Court Holds Child’s Views Relevant in International Abduction Case
US: Supreme Court Denies Request to Use Missouri Redistricting Map for November Midterm Elections
PCA: Cambodia-Thailand Conciliation Proceedings Scheduled to Begin on 14 September
International Peace & Security Section
Lebanon: At Least 11 Killed in Israeli Airstrikes in Southern Lebanon
UK: Announces Trade Ban with Israeli Settlements in the Occupied West Bank
Sudan: At Least 13 Killed in RSF Drone Strike on Courthouse in North Kordofan
UN: Warns of Increasing Attacks on Children’s Education Globally
UN: Climate Chief Warns of the Growing Economic and Security Emergency from Climate Change
Yemen: Houthis Gain Control of Shipping Route on Red Sea Coast
UN: Security Council Extends Sudan Sanctions Regime for One Month
International Justice Section
ECtHR: Finds Azerbaijan Violated Article 3 in Excessive Police Force and Inadequate Medical Treatment Case
On 8 September 2026, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) found Azerbaijan responsible for several violations of Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) in Abdulaliyev and Ismayilov v. Azerbaijan. The case concerned two members of the Muslim Unity movement who were injured during a police operation in the Nardaran area of Baku in 2015. The applicants alleged that excessive force had been used during their arrests, that they had not received adequate medical treatment, and that the authorities had failed to investigate their complaints of ill-treatment effectively. The Court found that the use of firearms and rubber bullets during their arrests amounted to excessive force and violated Article 3. It also found violations in relation to the lack of adequate medical treatment and ineffective domestic investigations into their complaints of ill-treatment. The Court found no separate violation of Article 3 concerning the applicants’ detention itself. It awarded each applicant €10,000 in respect of non-pecuniary damage and €1,500 in costs and expenses.
ECtHR: Finds No Violation of Article 8 in the Netherlands’ Refusal of Family Reunification for Children from Polygamous Marriages
On 8 September 2026, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) found no violation of the right to respect for private and family life in A.A. v. the Netherlands. The case concerned the Dutch authorities’ refusal to grant residence permits to five minor children of the applicant, a Yemeni refugee, who were born from his second and third polygamous marriages. The applicant argued that the refusals interfered with his family life with the children, whom he had sought to bring to the Netherlands. The Court recognised the family ties between the applicant and the children but held that those ties did not require the Netherlands to permit their admission. It found that the Dutch authorities had struck a fair balance between the applicant’s interests and those of the State. The Court also emphasised the close connection between immigration policy and public-order considerations and held that States cannot be required to recognise polygamous marriages that conflict with their domestic legal order.
ECtHR: Finds Greece Violated Freedom of Expression of Judge Suspended for Criticising Colleagues
On 8 September 2026, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) held that Greece had violated Article 10 (freedom of expression) of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) in the case Alexandros Savvas v. Greece, over the imposition of a three-month disciplinary suspension on a judge for statements made in out-of-court declarations criticising colleagues who had commented on his unsuccessful promotion. The applicant, a Court of Appeal president, had described statements made by fellow judges during his promotion proceedings as “fake” and “slanderous” and reserved the right to take legal action. Greek disciplinary authorities found that the declarations amounted to inappropriate conduct and suspended him for three months. The ECtHR found that the disciplinary sanction constituted an interference with the applicant’s freedom of expression. Although the statements were strongly worded, the Court considered them to be value judgments with a sufficient factual basis, made in response to criticism in the context of an internal promotion procedure. The declarations had not been made publicly, and the applicant’s criticism did not concern the exercise of his adjudicatory functions. The Court further found that the domestic authorities had failed to provide relevant and sufficient reasons or properly assess the severity of the sanction, which could have a negative effect on the applicant’s future expression. It awarded the applicant €5,211.15 in pecuniary damage, €6,000 in non-pecuniary damage, and €1,000 in costs and expenses.
CJEU: Upholds Restrictive Measures Against Roman Abramovich
On 9 September 2026, the General Court of the European Union dismissed Roman Abramovich’s challenge to the continuation of EU restrictive measures imposed on him following Russia’s attack against Ukraine. Abramovich had sought annulment of the measures extending his listing and compensation for alleged non-material harm. The Court held that the Council had retained its decision-making power and had not delegated it to preparatory working groups. It further found that the criteria for imposing the restrictive measures were objective, sufficiently precise and proportionate. In applying those criteria, the Court considered Abramovich’s significant holdings in Evraz and Norilsk Nickel and the importance of the steel and mining sectors to Russian government revenues. The Court also held that the measures complied with EU law and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, including the requirements applicable to restrictions on fundamental rights and freedoms.
https://curia.europa.eu/site/upload/docs/application/pdf/2026-09/cp260124en.pdf
CJEU: Rejects Hungary’s Challenge to Use of Frozen Russian Asset Revenues for Military Aid to Ukraine
On 9 September 2026, the General Court of the European Union dismissed Hungary’s challenge to a decision of the European Peace Facility (EPF) Committee allocating the first instalment of extraordinary revenues generated from frozen Russian assets to support the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Hungary had challenged the legality of the decision-making procedure, arguing, among other things, that applicable voting rules had been breached and that EU principles concerning the rule of law, equality of Member States and democratic functioning had not been respected. The General Court held that it had no jurisdiction to examine the legality of the contested decision. It found that the decision concerned political and strategic choices within the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), including the allocation of funds for military equipment and the choice of the assistance measure. The Court therefore dismissed Hungary’s action without examining the substantive legality of the allocation decision.
https://dailynewshungary.com/hungary-loses-eu-court-case-russia-ukraine/
UK: Supreme Court Holds Child’s Views Relevant in International Abduction Case
On 9 September 2026, the UK Supreme Court ruled that a child’s views can be taken into account when determining whether returning the child to another country would create a grave risk of psychological harm or place the child in an intolerable situation under Article 13(b) of the 1980 Hague Convention on International Child Abduction. The case concerned a 14-year-old boy who had travelled with his family from the United States to Scotland and whose mother subsequently decided to remain in Scotland with the children. The father sought the children’s return to the United States under the Hague Convention. The Supreme Court unanimously held that the lower court had erred in excluding the boy’s views when assessing the Article 13(b) defence, but stressed that those views were not determinative and that it was for the court to decide what weight, if any, to attach to them. However, it upheld the decision not to order his return, finding that the evidence established a grave risk that returning him to the United States would expose him to psychological harm that he could not reasonably be expected to tolerate. The Court also emphasised that the Hague Convention’s objective of securing the prompt return of wrongfully retained children does not remove the protections provided by Article 13(b).
US: Supreme Court Denies Request to Use Missouri Redistricting Map for November Midterm Elections
On 9 September 2026, US Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh denied Missouri officials’ emergency request to allow a redrawn congressional map to be used in the November midterm elections, leaving in place a Missouri Supreme Court ruling that restored the state’s 2022 congressional districts. The dispute concerns House Bill, enacted in September 2025, which redrew congressional boundaries and was challenged through a voter referendum petition. Under the Missouri Constitution, a valid referendum petition suspends challenged legislation pending a vote. The Missouri Supreme Court unanimously ruled on 3 September that the Bill had not taken effect and ordered the 2022 map restored, with the referendum question placed on the November ballot as Proposition A. Missouri officials argued before the US Supreme Court that changing the map after more than 1.2 million voters had participated in the August primaries under the new districts would create significant election-administration difficulties. Kavanaugh denied the emergency application without referring it to the full Court and without providing an explanation. The order leaves the 2022 map in place for the November elections, although a separate federal court order has created conflicting requirements regarding which map Missouri must use.
PCA: Cambodia-Thailand Conciliation Proceedings Scheduled to Begin on 14 September
On 9 September 2026, the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) announced that a five-member Conciliation Commission will hold its first meeting with Cambodia and Thailand from 14 to 16 September 2026 in Singapore, marking the next stage of conciliation proceedings under Annex V to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Cambodia initiated the proceedings on 2 June 2026 by notifying Thailand of its intention to institute conciliation under Article 11 of Annex V, and Thailand submitted its response on 19 June. The commission is chaired by Katrina Cooper of Australia, with Peter Taksøe-Jensen, Jean-Marc Thouvenin, Albert Hoffmann, and Rüdiger Wolfrum as members. The commission will assist the parties in seeking an amicable settlement by examining the legal and factual issues in dispute, identifying areas of agreement and potentially making proposals or recommendations. The PCA is acting as Registry with the agreement of both parties.
https://docs.pca-cpa.org/2026/09/2812e8e2-2026-35-pca-press-release-first-meeting.pdf
ECtHR: Finds No Violation of Right to Fair Trial After Belgian Court Refused to Hear Prosecution Witnesses in Murder Retrial
On 10 September 2026, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) held, by five votes to two, that there had been no violation of Article 6 §§ 1 (right to a fair trial) and 3(d) (right to examine witnesses) of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) in the case Lacote v. Belgium, after Belgian courts refused to hear two prosecution witnesses during the applicant’s retrial for murder. The applicant had initially been convicted in absentia in 2011. Following his arrest in Côte d’Ivoire in 2019 and transfer to Belgium, he successfully challenged the conviction and was retried in 2021. He requested that 29 witnesses be heard, including P.J. and J.M., who had given statements during the investigation concerning the victim’s financial dealings with him. Their examination was refused on the ground that it could not contribute to establishing the truth or determining his guilt. The ECtHR found that, although the witnesses’ statements carried some weight, they were neither the sole nor decisive basis for the conviction, which rested on a wider body of circumstantial evidence. The applicant had also been able to challenge the evidence, call 20 other witnesses and present his defence. Two judges dissented, finding that the refusal to hear the witnesses undermined the applicant’s defence rights.
Ecuador: Court Sentences Former President Bucaram to Nine Years in Pandemic Medical-Supplies Corruption Case
On 10 September 2026, an Ecuadorian court sentenced former President Abdala Bucaram to nine years and four months’ imprisonment for participating in a criminal organisation that fraudulently sold COVID-19 tests and other medical supplies during the pandemic. Prosecutors alleged that Bucaram, his son Jacobo Bucaram, and two others formed an organised criminal structure that obtained financial benefits from the transactions between March and August 2020, when Ecuador was experiencing a severe COVID-19 outbreak. The defendants allegedly used traffic police for security and falsely presented themselves as diplomatic personnel. Jacobo Bucaram received the same sentence, while the other defendants received different sentences, including a reduced term for cooperation. Due to his age, Bucaram may serve his sentence under house arrest. He denied the allegations, questioned the judge’s impartiality and announced that he would appeal. One of the foreign nationals involved in the transactions was subsequently killed in prison after testifying in the case.
International Peace & Security Section
Lebanon: At Least 11 Killed in Israeli Airstrikes in Southern Lebanon
On 7 September 2026, it was reported that at least 11 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon. Five others were injured in the attacks. One of the strikes targeted a three-storey residential building in Kafr Rouman, located near Nabatieh, where nine bodies were recovered from the rubble by emergency teams, including those of two infants. In a separate incident, an Israeli drone hit a civilian vehicle in Kafr Rouman, leading to the deaths of two paramedics from the Islamic Risala Scout Association. Israeli warplanes also conducted strikes on Nabatieh al-Fawqa and Arabsalim, which led to the destruction of a house. Reports indicate that the Israeli army issued an evacuation warning for a building in the town of Deir al-Zahrani, which was subsequently destroyed approximately 22 minutes later.
Syria: UN Commission of Inquiry Provides Update on Challenges and Opportunities of Country’s Transition
On 8 September 2026, the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria provided an update to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, almost two years since the fall of the Assad regime. The commission, made up of independent investigators, highlighted both the challenges and achievements of Syria’s transition out of more than a decade of conflict, dictatorship, and widespread abuses. A key challenge is creating rights-respecting institutions while also meaningfully addressing past atrocities and preventing future ones, said the investigators. They also highlighted that justice efforts have not yet been sufficient, and raised alarm over rights challenges, such as weak civic space, deaths in detention, gender-based harms, longstanding political and economic impacts, and ongoing violence and instability. Israel has also continued its military activity in Syria, including raids, searches, and the detention of people, some of whom are being held incommunicado. These acts may amount to war crimes. The commission also called attention to reported human rights violations in northeast Syria during fighting between government troops and the Kurdish-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), including killings of detainees and abusive conditions at detention camps. Despite the difficulties, the investigators highlighted Syria’s opportunity to break with past violence, solidify rights protections, and prevent future violations. They urged the international community, including the UN Human Rights Council, to support Syria during this process.
UK: Announces Trade Ban with Israeli Settlements in the Occupied West Bank
On 8 September 2026, the UK announced a ban on trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, amid what the UK described as “ethnic cleansing” against Palestinians by “settler terrorists.” The ban will cover imports of all goods from settlements, and will also ban businesses from providing services for settlements, such as construction, infrastructure, real estate, and financial services. The amount of goods produced in the West Bank settlements is low, limiting the economic impact of the ban. However, the UK’s announcement represents a firmer stance on longstanding ally Israel and highlights Israel’s increasing isolation from the international community. In response to the UK’s move, Israel warned it would shut down the British consulate in Jerusalem. France and Canada announced a similar trade ban on 8 September, saying that settlement expansion and settler violence in the West Bank are hindering a two-state solution and the establishment of a Palestinian state. Along with the UK, they join Norway, Spain, Ireland, Belgium, and the Netherlands, who have already adopted similar measures. Human rights groups have welcomed these measures, saying they align with international law and express condemnation for Israel’s serious abuses in the West Bank.
https://apnews.com/article/uk-west-bank-israel-settlement-sanctions-b4d7354221bfe0c48e4bfce7a3b7624b
https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/09/08/uk-france-canada-ban-trade-with-israels-illegal-settlements
Sudan: At Least 13 Killed in RSF Drone Strike on Courthouse in North Kordofan
On 8 September 2026, it was reported that at least 13 people were killed and 22 others injured in a drone strike by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the city of Um Rawaba, North Kordofan. The strike targeted the city’s courthouse when civilians were present. The Sudanese Doctors Network condemned the attack, describing the targeting of civilians and civilian objects as a “clear violation of international humanitarian law.” Emergency Lawyers, a human rights organisation tracking violations in Sudan, also condemned the strike, and called for an immediate end to attacks on civilian infrastructure and for an independent investigation into the attack to hold those responsible accountable. The strike is part of a broader campaign of increased RSF drone attacks across North Kordofan, including the capital El Obeid, resulting in extensive damage to infrastructure and numerous civilian casualties in recent months.
UN: Warns of Increasing Attacks on Children’s Education Globally
On 9 September 2026, it was reported that a record number of children are unable to attend school globally due to an unprecedented number of attacks on education. 258 million children across 87 countries experience disruptions to their learning, the global fund Education Cannot Wait said. The fund attributed this to rising global conflict, insecurity, and the undermining of global norms. During armed conflict, education is often targeted and schools and other learning facilities are used for military purposes, with devastating, long-lasting effects on children’s lives. 2024-2025 saw record numbers for the use of schools in conflict and attacks on education, as well as of students and staff killed, injured, abducted or harmed. The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) strengthened calls for all parties to conflict to adhere to international law and protect education from attack. The agency also stressed that at-risk children, including refugees, internally displaced children, and children with disabilities, often face the greatest challenges to attending school during crises. In an environment of intensifying global conflict, barriers to education are just some of the rights violations faced by children. Recent UN reporting has revealed that in 2025, close to 15,000 children were killed and maimed during war, with many others facing abductions, recruitments, and exposure to airstrikes and other attacks in civilian areas.
UN: Climate Chief Warns of the Growing Economic and Security Emergency from Climate Change
On 10 September 2026, Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) warned the European Parliament of the economic and security crisis driven by global warming. Stiell highlighted that political polarisation is preventing an effective policy approach to addressing the crisis and argued that climate change is no longer just an environmental concern, but also a major threat to economic stability, public safety, and national resilience. Stiell pointed to the severe impacts of recent extreme weather across Europe, including deadly heatwaves, disruptions to transport and energy systems, reduced agricultural productivity, and large-scale evacuations. He also highlighted mounting climate-related challenges beyond Europe, including severe flooding in the Himalayas, water shortages, and heat-related power disruptions in North Africa, and resulting forced migration across borders. Dependence on fossil fuels continues to expose countries to economic volatility and energy insecurity. Meanwhile, renewable energy offers significant economic and strategic benefits, Stiell said, and offers Europe “a way out.” While warning that current global policies remain insufficient to meet international temperature goals, Stiell urged for international climate cooperation to address the crisis, including stronger EU action around COP31 to be held in Türkiye later this year.
Yemen: Houthis Gain Control of Shipping Route on Red Sea Coast
On 11 September 2026, it was reported that the Iran-backed Houthis have assumed control of Yemen’s Red Sea coast, marking a rapid advance against Yemeni government forces. The move has bolstered the rebel group’s control of the Bab al-Mandeb shipping route connecting the Gulf of Aden with the Red Sea. Following the US-Iran war, Bab al-Mandeb had become an alternative shipping route due to restrictions on shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. The Houthis’ control of Bab al-Mandeb grants the group significant influence over Red Sea shipping traffic, especially a route that enables oil shipments to Europe while avoiding the Strait of Hormuz. The Houthis’ takeover of the Red Sea Coast, as well as the escalation in fighting earlier in the year against the Saudi-backed Yemeni government, has also raised concerns about an escalation of hostilities in the wider region. It was reported that Saudi strikes hit the coastal Yemeni town of Mocha, after it was seized by the Houthis. Iranian officials have called for Saudi Arabia to end its blockade of Yemen and to renew negotiations, urging regional stability.
UN: Security Council Extends Sudan Sanctions Regime for One Month
On 11 September 2026, the UN Security Council adopted a US-drafted resolution extending the existing sanctions regime on Sudan for one month until 9 October. The temporary extension maintains the current measures while allowing further negotiations over potentially expanding the sanctions regime. All 15 Security Council members voted in favour of the resolution. US Ambassador Jeff Bartos said that the existing sanctions regime is “outdated and insufficient to address the realities of today’s war.” Bartos called for the arms embargo, currently restricted to actors operating in Darfur, to be expanded across Sudan. Additionally, he proposed widening sanctions criteria to include conflict-related sexual violence, kidnapping for ransom, and attacks on humanitarian workers, as well as reinforcing the mandate of the Panel of Experts. Bartos stressed that a long-term technical rollover was “not an option” and urged delegates to negotiate to make substantive changes to the sanctions regime. Sudan’s UN Ambassador Al-Harith Idriss Al-Harith Mohamed expressed his opposition to the expansion of the arms embargo, stating that it violates Article 51 of the UN Charter, which guarantees the right to self-defence. He contended that such an expansion would weaken the government’s ability to restore control and exercise its right to self-defence, while also creating an “unfair equivalence” between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The current sanctions regime was established in 2005. Since April 2023, Sudan has been embroiled in conflict with clashes between the SAF and RSF, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of millions.