Abstract The tyrannical Sri Lankan Prevention of Terrorism Act (“PTA”) has been in effect for over forty years. Dating back to the decades-long civil war, the PTA has terrorized Sri Lankan citizens. The PTA authorizes the Sri Lankan government to arbitrarily detain citizens without warrants for up to eighteen months; […]
“[Police] are citizens in uniform, performing a function on behalf of other citizens and their powers thus need to be constrained.”[1] INTRODUCTION Across the globe, law enforcement officials (“police”) play a role in “protecting society from violence, enforcing justice, and securing the rights of people.”[2] Police are given a significant […]
Since 9/11, the United States has continuously used unmanned drone strikes in counterterrorism efforts in Yemen, Somalia, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.[1] Drones have become a preferred weapon as they allow for military objectives to be fulfilled without placing soldiers in physical danger.[2] Drones also allow pilots to distance themselves from the […]
Introduction “We do not want to face [atrocities] again. Every Rohingya will refuse to go [back to Myanmar (Burma)].”[1] This sentiment from a Rohingya refugee refers to the decades of systematic “disenfranchisement, discrimination, and targeted persecution that Rohingya people have faced in Myanmar’s Rakhine State.”[2] Rohingya refugees have fled to […]
Introduction You may be surprised to discover that your twelve-year-old child could get a job on a farm, working virtually unlimited hours and in hazardous conditions. However, due to loopholes in the Fair Labor Standards Act, children are exploited daily on farms across the United States. While the exact number […]
Recently, a bipartisan group of lawmakers in the House of Representatives introduced a new bill focused on strengthening the human rights standards used by the U.S. Department of the Interior in awarding international conservation grants.[1] The bill is a product of a year-long investigation by the House Natural Resources Committee […]
“A book is a loaded gun in the house next door. Burn it. Take the shot from the weapon. Breach man’s mind.”[1] Captain Beatty’s words from Fahrenheit 451 were penned by Ray Bradbury in 1953, but they still hold relevant. These words refer to the purpose of censorship—to prevent knowledge […]
On December 28, 2021, satirical writer and government critic, Kakwenza Rukirabashaija was beaten by Ugandan military officers and arrested for violation of the Computer Misuse Act.[1] His crime was criticizing the physical weight of Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the son of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, on Twitter.[2] Rukirabasaija was held for fourteen […]
“We believe that sons and daughters are equal. By increasing the marriage age of women from [eighteen] to [twenty-one], the government wants to enable ‘desh ki beti’[1] to build a career for herself and become Aatmanirbhar.[2]” These were the words stated by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in support of […]
Author’s Note: This blog was written at the beginning of March 2022. It focuses on several issues that occurred within the first three weeks of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Subsequent allegations of acts against humanity and war crimes are not mentioned in this blog. The international community is calling for […]