Faced with jail for defending Kremlin opponents, Russian lawyers are leaving | The Wall Street Journal

Lawyers and rights defenders say the departure of lawyers from Russia or the legal profession means there are fewer people able to chronicle the closed trials of President Vladimir Putin’s most committed opponents.

Rights lawyer, activist wife forced from Beijing home following utilities shutoff | Radio Free Asia

A human rights lawyer and his family were forced to move out of their home after their landlord shut down their water and electricity – a tactic used recently on other activists as authorities seek to drive dissidents and rights lawyers out of Beijing.

UN body demands release of Guantánamo prisoner who was tortured by the CIA | The New York Times

A UN human rights panel has urged the United States to immediately release Abu Zubaydah, a prisoner at Guantánamo Bay and the first detainee waterboarded by the CIA after the September 11, 2001, attacks.

China steps up use of ‘exit bans’ against government critics | Al Jazeera

Human rights lawyer Tang Jitian is among those affected by China stepping up the use of exit bans against human rights defenders and their families and expanding legislation authorising their use to anyone under investigation or anyone connected to an investigation.

UIA-IROL condemns suspension of human rights lawyer M. Ravi | The Online Citizen

The Union Internationale des Avocats (UIA-IROL) has issued a strongly-worded statement condemning the suspension of prominent Singapore human rights lawyer M. Ravi by the Singapore Supreme Court.

Russian anti-torture NGO raided by authorities for third time in a month | The Moscow Times

Authorities in the southern Russian city of Krasnodar have raided the office of prominent human rights NGO The Crew Against Torture (CAT).

The campaign against the UN’s human rights official on Palestine | Al Jazeera

A strong campaign in support of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territory Francesca Albanese has emerged in response to an ongoing campaign to sack her.

Egypt takes lead role on global counter-terrorism network despite rights fears | Middle East Eye

Egypt has assumed the co-leadership of an influential global body shaping counter-terrorism policies despite condemnation of its appointment over Cairo’s “abuse of international counterterrorism norms”.

Six Libyans face death penalty for converting to Christianity | The Guardian

Six Libyans are facing the death penalty for converting to Christianity and proselytising under laws increasingly being used to silence civil society and human rights organisations, say activists.

Turkey hands pop star Gulsen jail sentence over religious schools joke | Al-Monitor

Turkey’s pop star Gulsen was given a 10-month jail sentence by an Istanbul court over a joke about religious schools, in a trial that is being widely slammed as politically motivated.