Weekly News Recap (21 - 27 September 2026)
© Photo by United Nations Photo via Flickr
International Justice Section
ICJ: Colombia Withdraws Intervention in South Africa v. Israel Genocide Case
ECtHR: Finds No Violation of Article 5(1) in UK’s Delayed Prisoner Releases
UK: Rwandan Man Appears in Court Charged with Genocide Offences
Switzerland: Appeals Court Begins Hearing Against Acquittal in Belarus Disappearances Case
ICC: Finds Mahamat Said Guilty of Crimes Against Humanity Committed in CAR
UK: Court Sentences Arms Broker to 16 Years Over Deals with Libya and South Sudan
US: Judge Orders Restoration of White House Press Access
International Peace & Security Section
UN: Refugee Agency Warns of Worsening Displacement Crisis in Yemen
Cameroon: Hundreds Flee Homes After 15 Killed in Armed Attack in Far North Region
Global: Nearly Half a Million More Deaths Expected Due to El Nino-Related Heat
Ethiopia: Tigray Forces Launch Offensive Against Federal Government
Haiti: Prime Minister Highlights Security Crisis Ahead of Upcoming Elections
Sudan: IOM Reports More Than 308,000 Displaced from Kordofan Since October 2025
Pakistan: At Least 11 Killed in Suicide Bombing at Police Checkpoint
International Justice Section
ICJ: Colombia Withdraws Intervention in South Africa v. Israel Genocide Case
On 22 September 2026, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) announced in a statement that Colombia had withdrawn its declaration of intervention in the case concerning Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel). Colombia informed the Court on 18 September of its decision to withdraw. Colombia had filed the intervention in April 2024 under Article 63 of the ICJ Statute, which allows states party to a convention to intervene where its interpretation is at issue. South Africa commenced proceedings against Israel in December 2023, alleging violations of its obligations under the Genocide Convention in relation to Israel’s military action in Gaza. Colombia’s decision to withdraw reflects a change in policy under the new government, which is focused on restoring diplomatic and economic ties with Israel. The case remains pending before the ICJ.
https://www.icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/192/192-20260922-pre-01-00-en.pdf
ECtHR: Finds No Violation of Article 5(1) in UK’s Delayed Prisoner Releases
On 22 September 2026, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) found no violation of Article 5(1) of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) in the case Stanton and Bowen v. the United Kingdom, concerning delays in the release of two indeterminate-sentence prisoners after the Parole Board had directed their release subject to residence at designated Approved Premises. The applicants remained detained for 118 and 69 days respectively while awaiting accommodation at Mandeville House. The Court found that their detention remained lawful under domestic law and that the causal connection between their convictions and continued detention had not been broken, as the Parole Board had considered residence at Approved Premises integral to managing the risk they posed to the public. It held that delays resulting from resource considerations could be compatible with Article 5(1) where reasonable, but noted that a structural lack of capacity resulting in significant delays could violate the Convention. In the applicants’ cases, the Court found no evidence of a systemic shortage affecting their release and concluded that the individual delays were not unreasonable or arbitrary. The Court declared the applicants’ Article 5(4) complaint inadmissible and held unanimously that there had been no violation of Article 5(1).
UK: Rwandan Man Appears in Court Charged with Genocide Offences
On 22 September 2026, a Rwandan man appeared before Westminster Magistrates’ Court after being charged in the UK with offences relating to the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Vincent Brown, formerly known as Vincent Bajinya, faces one charge of conduct ancillary to genocide and six charges of conduct ancillary to murder as a crime against humanity, relating to alleged killings in Kigali between 6 and 13 April 1994. Prosecutors allege that Brown, who was then head of the Department of Family Health within Rwanda’s National Office of Population, encouraged or supervised acts of violence and ordered six killings, including those of a woman and her infant son. Brown denies involvement in the genocide and says he left Kigali in mid-April 1994. His lawyer said he welcomed the proceedings as an opportunity to clear his name. Brown is the first person to be charged in the UK for alleged offences connected to the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Brown was granted bail, but prosecutors indicated they would appeal the decision, meaning he remained in custody pending a further hearing. UK police said six other people remain under investigation, including two men arrested on suspicion of genocide and crimes against humanity.
Switzerland: Appeals Court Begins Hearing Against Acquittal in Belarus Disappearances Case
On 22 September 2026, a Swiss appeals court began hearing arguments in the case of former Belarusian security officer Yuri Harauski, who was acquitted in 2023 over his alleged involvement in the disappearances of three opponents of President Alexander Lukashenko in 1999. Lawyers representing the victims’ families urged the court to overturn the acquittal, arguing that inconsistencies in Harauski’s statements at the original trial were partly attributable to inaccurate translations, including of military terminology. Harauski had acknowledged in a 2019 interview that he participated in the detention of former Belarusian Interior Minister Yuri Zakharenko, former Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Gonchar, and businessman Anatoly Krosovsky while serving in the SOBR special police unit, but denied ordering or carrying out their killings. The three men disappeared in 1999 and are presumed to have been killed. Harauski’s initial acquittal was based partly on the court’s finding that his alleged role had not been established beyond reasonable doubt. The case is the first in which Swiss courts have applied universal jurisdiction to alleged enforced disappearances or other crimes committed in Belarus. The appeal verdict is expected in the coming weeks.
ICC: Finds Mahamat Said Guilty of Crimes Against Humanity Committed in CAR
On 23 September 2026, Trial Chamber VI of the International Criminal Court (ICC) found Mahamat Said Abdel Kani guilty of several crimes against humanity committed in the Central African Republic (CAR) in 2013, including imprisonment or other severe deprivation of physical liberty, torture, persecution, and other inhumane acts. The Chamber found that Said, a former Seleka commander, acted with the necessary intent and knowledge in his role as commander in charge of the Office Central de Répression du Banditisme (OCRB), and convicted him as a direct co-perpetrator of these crimes. The Chamber also set out the procedure for sentencing Said. Pursuant to Article 76 of the Rome Statute, the Chamber will determine the appropriate sentence based on evidence and submissions relevant to sentencing presented during the trial, while allowing the parties and participants to submit additional evidence and arguments. Requests to present additional evidence must be filed by 7 October, with responses due by 14 October. Written submissions on the sentence, including arguments concerning aggravating and mitigating circumstances, are due by 29 October. The Chamber indicated that additional evidence, particularly testimony from new witnesses, is expected to be limited given the extensive evidence already on the record. Sentencing hearings are scheduled for the week of 9–13 November, during which the parties and participants may respond orally to the written submissions and, if authorised, present additional evidence. The Chamber will subsequently deliberate and schedule a hearing to deliver its sentencing decision in open court.
https://www.icc-cpi.int/sites/default/files/CourtRecords/0902ebd180f87ae4.pdf
UK: Court Sentences Arms Broker to 16 Years Over Deals with Libya and South Sudan
On 23 September 2026, a London court sentenced UK arms broker David Greenhalgh to 16 years in prison for his involvement in the illegal supply of weapons. He was found guilty in June on 10 counts of the supply of unlicensed arms, including AK-47 rifles, battle tanks, and a large amount of ammunition. He was found to have arranged illegal deals to supply weapons to Libya and South Sudan between 2009 and 2016. Christos Farmakis, a Greek national, was also convicted of nine offences and received a 16-year prison sentence, although his current location is unknown and he was tried in absentia. Only one charge involved the direct selling of weaponry, with Greenhalgh and Farmakis selling an S-125 Pechora missile system to South Sudan. The pair also attempted to arrange deals to supply arms to Iran, Iraq, and Syria, despite arms embargoes. Prosecutors stated that Greenhalgh and Farmakis had “very close connections to senior figures” in South Sudan.
US: Judge Orders Restoration of White House Press Access
On 24 September 2026, a US federal judge ordered US President Donald Trump to restore White House press access for journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico, finding that the ban on the outlets was likely unconstitutional. US District Judge Tim Kelly also barred enforcement of the ban for 14 days while the litigation proceeds. The three outlets had sued the Trump administration, arguing that the revocation of their press passes violated First Amendment protections for freedom of speech and the press, as well as due process rights. Kelly rejected the administration’s assertion that the ban was justified by national security concerns, finding insufficient factual support for that argument. He also indicated that journalists were entitled to due process before their White House press passes could be revoked and that the outlets did not appear to have been given a meaningful opportunity to contest the decisions before their access was withdrawn. The Justice Department had argued that access to the White House was a privilege rather than an entitlement and that the President had authority to suspend access. The ruling is subject to further proceedings in the case.
https://www.reuters.com/world/judge-lifts-trumps-white-house-ban-cnn-ms-now-politico-2026-09-24/
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Constitutional Court Blocks Republika Srpska Funding for Secessionist Lobbying
On 25 September 2026, Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Constitutional Court ruled that Republika Srpska’s use of public funds to pay foreign lobbying firms to promote the entity’s independence from Bosnia and Herzegovina is unconstitutional. The ruling concerns a contract between the Republika Srpska Representative Office in Vienna and Canadian consulting firm Dickens & Madson Canada Inc., whose main political objectives included “the independence of Republika Srpska.” Denis Zvizdic, a state-level lawmaker, initiated the legal proceedings in April, arguing that the use of public funds to pay lobbyists to promote independence breached the state’s Constitution. In 2008, a ruling authorised the use of foreign firms for general economic promotion. However, the Court has now determined that financing campaigns advocating secession violates the constitutional order and prohibited further payments under the contract.
International Peace & Security Section
UN: Refugee Agency Warns of Worsening Displacement Crisis in Yemen
On 22 September 2026, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) warned of a rapidly worsening displacement and humanitarian crisis in Yemen due to recent intensified fighting. Since the start of September, more than 130,000 have fled their homes, said the agency. The south-western city of Taiz accounts for over 60% of displacement, while the vast majority are women and children. Many families remain trapped in conflict-affected areas because road closures, insecurity, and fuel shortages prevent them from reaching safer locations. Hostilities have recently worsened in Yemen, with the Iran-backed Houthis having rapidly advanced down the country’s western coast, sparking renewed conflict with Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces. Yemen already had high rates of internally displaced people, some 5.2 million, due to more than a decade of conflict and economic and humanitarian crisis. The UNHCR said that more Yemenis are now becoming refugees, with thousands recently fleeing to Djibouti and hundreds more to Somaliland and Puntland. The agency continues to face funding shortfalls for its work, despite critical and growing needs in places such as Yemen.
UN: Special Rapporteur Report Indicates US Strikes on Alleged Drug Boats May Constitute Crimes Against Humanity
On 22 September 2026, a report by a UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and counterterrorism, Ben Saul, found that US military strikes on boats suspected of drug-trafficking in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean violate international law and may be crimes against humanity. The report documented 68 strikes between September 2025 and August 2026 in which at least 223 people were killed. It rejected Washington’s justification that the strikes are acts of self-defence against “narco-terrorists,” arguing that drug trafficking does not meet the legal threshold of an “armed attack,” and that there is no evidence the targeted groups, such as Tren de Aragua, acted as proxies of the Venezuelan government. The report said the US had less-lethal alternatives in maritime interception, and concluded the killings meet the legal definition of murder as a crime against humanity given their systematic, state-organised and widespread nature. It called for the US to investigate the strikes, prosecute the responsible parties, including senior officials who ordered them, and compensate victims’ families. The report also questioned the campaign’s effectiveness, noting steady cocaine seizures at the US border, the continued use of container ships for trafficking, and the campaign’s failure to address fentanyl and opioid trafficking, while estimating its cost at US$4.7 billion by mid-2026.
Cameroon: Hundreds Flee Homes After 15 Killed in Armed Attack in Far North Region
On 22 September 2026, it was reported that hundreds of people fled their homes in Cameroon’s Far North region after an attack by an armed group killed 15 people in the village of Madegoua near Makary. The attack triggered a surge in displacement from 10 villages in the surrounding areas, with people fleeing towards towns near the Nigerian border, including Kousseri, Mora, and Waza. The influx has placed considerable strain on local health services, while displaced people also face shortages of food and humanitarian assistance. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, although a security analyst indicated that the ISIL affiliate Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) was the likely perpetrator. The Far North region has experienced years of instability and violence, with Boko Haram and other armed groups active in the Lake Chad Basin.
Global: Nearly Half a Million More Deaths Expected Due to El Nino-Related Heat
On 23 September 2026, it was reported that El Nino-related heat, and its resulting climate impacts, could cause nearly half a million deaths globally by the end of February. The University of Chicago-based Climate Impact Lab released a research report warning of the consequences of high temperatures, which will disproportionately affect poorer countries that are already experiencing high heat. The projected heat-related deaths cover the entire period of the weather phenomenon El Nino, from June 2026 through February 2027. The Climate Impact Lab found that Africa’s Sahel region is expected to be the worst-affected, with almost 67,000 more deaths. Parts of South and Southeast Asia as well as Latin America will also be heavily impacted. The report issued targeted recommendations to governments, to stem the deadly consequences of high temperatures, including heat-warning systems, hydration stations, cooling centres, increased hospital capacity, protections for outdoor workers, and focused engagement with older people and other at-risk groups. It also called for governments to proactively move resources before dangerous heat peaks. Although El Nino is a natural phenomenon, its effects and risks are intensified this year due to the human-caused climate crisis. The report noted the findings could help decision-makers globally to take life-saving action.
https://apnews.com/article/el-nino-climate-change-heat-deaths-0a6bb09c708041ec5c705093892443e8
Ethiopia: Tigray Forces Launch Offensive Against Federal Government
On 23 September 2026, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) took control of federally run airports in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. They launched what an adviser to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed described as an “all-out offensive” against government positions in the neighbouring Afar and Amhara regions. The Tigray regional government disputed this framing, saying it was defending against an “invasion” by federal forces, which it accused of carrying out bombardments using “aircraft, drones and artillery.” The offensive follows the TPLF’s announcement on 20 September that it had formed an alliance with six other armed groups to overthrow Abiy’s government. The Ethiopian government has accused Eritrea of financially backing the new alliance, an allegation Eritrea denies. The TPLF ruled Ethiopia from 1991 to 2018 and its 2020-2022 civil war with the federal government killed an estimated 600,000 people before the Pretoria Peace Agreement ended hostilities. Today, around one million people remain displaced from that conflict. Analysts warned the renewed fighting could destabilise the wider Horn of Africa region, noting Ethiopia’s deteriorating relations with Sudan and its growing involvement along the Sudanese border.
Haiti: Prime Minister Highlights Security Crisis Ahead of Upcoming Elections
On 24 September 2026, it was reported that the Prime Minister of Haiti, Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, spoke at a special UN meeting on the challenges and opportunities facing his country. Haiti faces serious security challenges, the Prime Minister said, including widespread and serious abuses by armed gangs, such as rape, kidnappings, and killings. Gangs now control large swathes of the country, including substantial areas of Port-au-Prince. The humanitarian situation is dire, with 6.4 million people requiring aid and close to 1.5 million displaced people. Meeting attendees, including Fils-Aimé himself and UN officials, reinforced their support for the UN Security Council-backed Gang Suppression Force (GSF). However, the GSF, which was established to combat gang violence, enable the flow of humanitarian aid, and protect critical infrastructure, remains significantly under-deployed. At the same time, Haitian representatives at the meeting reinforced that a meaningful response to the crisis must be nationally led. A priority area raised at the meeting was protecting children, such as those recruited by or associated with gangs. UN officials urged for a response that centres the rights of children and ensures they have opportunities for a safer, brighter future. A key moment for the country’s efforts to strengthen its democracy and stability is the upcoming general elections, scheduled for 13 December 2026, which has been pushed back since 2019. UN officials urged for free and fair elections that support the legitimacy of Haiti’s institutions.
Sudan: IOM Reports More Than 308,000 Displaced from Kordofan Since October 2025
On 24 September 2026, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that 308,179 people had been displaced from 1,327 locations across Sudan’s North, West, and South Kordofan states between 25 October 2025 and 1 September 2026. The IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) Sudan field teams recorded 118 incidents that caused displacement during the period. The largest numbers of displaced people from the Kordofan region were recorded in Khartoum state, with 123,509 displaced people, followed by North Kordofan state with 66,575. A further 40,237 were recorded in White Nile state. The three Kordofan states have experienced fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since the conflict escalated in October 2025. The SAF and RSF have been at war since April 2023, resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands and the displacement of millions.
https://dtm.iom.int/reports/dtm-sudan-focused-flash-alert-kordofan-region-7?close=true
Pakistan: At Least 11 Killed in Suicide Bombing at Police Checkpoint
On 26 September 2026, it was reported that at least 11 people were killed and approximately 30 people were injured in a suicide bombing at a roadside police checkpoint in Dera Ismail Khan district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The perpetrator reportedly detonated an explosives-laden vehicle at the checkpoint. According to local police chief Safdar Baloch, the majority of those killed and injured were security personnel and civilian bystanders. The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), also known as the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility for the attack. Pakistan has experienced an escalation in militant violence, with the TTP claiming responsibility for many such attacks. Established in 2007, the TTP maintains ties with the Taliban in Afghanistan and has carried out multiple attacks targeting security personnel, civilians, and political figures in Pakistan and Afghanistan.