Today's presentation of evidence and victim's testimony underlines @elainepearson.bsky.social 's remark that this "really shows the power of human rights documentation to hold perpetrators of abuses to account"

Change in Headline

The targeting of vital body parts would certainly be unlawful, but the weapon itself is also proscribed. International law is very clear: "birdshot" is never a legitimate weapon for police to use in crowd-control contexts (see UN's Guidance on Less-Lethal Weapons, §7.5.6).

Of course if it’s not Anthropic it’ll be just another AI company who will gladly acquiesce, but it’ll be interesting to see how firm Anthropic’s red lines will be now. The bar is already quite low www.theguardian.com/technology/2...

Honoured to be invited to speak at this morning's convening organised by SA's Dept of Justice about the human rights obligations to protect individuals from sexual violence in places of detention, alongside powerful presentations from @justdetention.bsky.social -SA #JusticeBehindClosedDoors

International law meant to limit effects of war at breaking point, study finds

reposting both for underlying insight and for solid use of "zugzwang"

The second phase of the SA Human Rights Commission's inquiry into Operation Vala Umgodi is due to get underway next week, including hearing evidence from the police

We’re delighted to offer bursaries covering the cost of delegate fees and accommodation for up to 16 PhD students to attend the LEPH2026 conference (6-9 September) and Postgraduate Day (5 September 2026). Deadline: Monday 9 February 2026, 17:00 GMT Read more and apply: leph2026.org/funded-places/

Today Dr Kwanele Pakati, Head of #SouthAfrica's National Preventive Mechanism, will discuss their detailed new position paper on how NPMs can more robustly address the tools of torture, including their manufacture and trade, in line with obligations under the UNCAT & the Robben Island Guidelines

I am 100% certain that this is standard partisan views of the economy stuff. Just our partisanship is so age-structured this is how it manifests www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

Lowest murder rate in London since records began.

good (and extremely timely) first step to removing qualified immunity for all governmental actors

One for @omegarf.bsky.social…?

Yes, but it *is* also a case of business failure... www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

It's being reported that a first family of victims has sought remedy before the Inter-American Commission (I'm sure others will join): www.theguardian.com/world/2025/d... Worth noting that (I think before that news broke) the Commission issued a press release yesterday: www.oas.org/en/IACHR/jsF...

#LFJL welcomes the transfer of Khaled Mohamed Ali Al Hishri to #ICC custody after his arrest in Germany earlier this year. Al Hishri, a senior member of the Special Deterrence Force, is accused of overseeing torture, rape, and other serious crimes at Mitiga Prison.

✨ A hard copy has arrived! 📘 Excited to share my contribution "A Feminist Critique" to the @oxunipress.bsky.social Handbook of Peaceful Assembly, edited by T. Abu El-Haj, M. Hamilton. @thomasprobert.com, and S. Srinvasan! @edinburghpir.bsky.social @uoe-sps.bsky.social

📣 Torture equipment found at Paris arms fair: A team from @amnestyfrance.bsky.social & Omega discovered Chinese companies marketing illegal torture equipment at the Milipol arms & security trade fair. As a result of our intervention, fair organisers took measures against the firms involved.

A counterclaim might be an interesting idea

‘A Muslim’s rights are secondary to perceived security concerns.’ Asim Qureshi on the case of Fahad Ansari, and the uses and abuses of Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000. www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...

Police and crime commissioners to be abolished, government to announce

Amazing how a few TikToks of e-bike thieves can create a completely false impression observer.co.uk/news/nationa...

Grateful to Juliana Miranda, from CELS for the UNGA 1C statement on Torture-Free Trade. This is a human rights issue, and an export control trade issue - at the heart of it though is the prevention of torture - more action is needed from states to end the trade in tools of torture.

I’m sorry, why are we using “critics accuse” language here? These are factually, unambiguously, extrajudicial killings. It’s not an opinion. It’s not a disputed or disputable claim.

Excellent post from @davidallengreen.bsky.social on the Aston Villa and Maccabi Tel Aviv match. Underlines for me the importance of an understanding of “peaceful assembly” that incorporated sporting events. And the importance of understanding that no limitation can be an “absolute” priority

NEW Either public safety is an absolute priority at sporting events or it is not. Reflections on the Aston Villa and Maccabi Tel Aviv match By me emptycity.substack.com/p/either-pub...

Very exciting to have unboxed these earlier. Available in hard copy from next week - so do reach out to your libraries or departments to get it on their shelves, but all of the chapters are available online from @oxfordacademic.bsky.social academic.oup.com/edited-volum... #PeacefulProtest

Thanks to everyone who came and supported our first seminar of the series on #AlgorithmicGovernance last night. There are still tickets available for the forthcoming seminars. Register here: shorturl.at/l2GPO

Au Burkina Faso, deux journalistes et trois magistrats « enlevés » ou « portés disparus »

Restitution row: how Nigeria’s new home for the Benin bronzes ended up with clay replicas

✍ 7TH EDITION OF DRAW ME THE ABOLITION : REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN ! ✍ To mark the 23rd World Day Against the Death Penalty, young people from around the world are invited every three years to take part in the international graphic poster competition ‘Draw Me Abolition’. @afd-france.bsky.social

Another important statement from the UN Special Rapporteur on torture in favour of a new global treaty to regulate the trade in law enforcement equipment #Torture-FreeTrade

Another important statement from the UN Special Rapporteur on torture in favour of a new global treaty to regulate the trade in law enforcement equipment #Torture-FreeTrade

Always a pleasure to listen to Albie Sachs, this evening in conversation with @abbottkingsley.bsky.social at the @icws-sas.bsky.social His passion for the struggle is infectious, and we were delighted that he contributed a moving dedication at the start of our Oxford Handbook of Peaceful Assembly

Some people here love to dismiss ‘sportsball’ but S. African teams being banned from international competition was an important factor in ending Apartheid because it made their crimes real for non-political folk.

Useful reminder from Peter Kellner on the problems we refuse to acknowledge are getting better, and the politics of hopelessness that this breeds open.substack.com/pub/kellnerp...

CPS guidance is here. Includes section on ECHR Freedom of Expression. www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidan...

“We believe the progress states have made in their discussions means that the international community can now move to negotiating a legally binding instrument on autonomous weapons systems” – our Policy Manager @elizabethminor.bsky.social takes the floor at #CCWUN

Not sure I agree with @chrisgiles.ft.com over the delay of tax rises - especially if it implies delay in spending on improving services - but overall this is a much better analysis of the UK's fiscal state than most of the rest you'll read

I go. I try. And I will keep trying, even though it feels like a losing battle. Because I remember the whole point of the far-right astroturfing of social media is to make it feel like a losing battle, to make us give up. Anyway, a few snippets on small boat crossings and immigration.

This is a very lengthy piece, but a very interesting journey…

Using draconian penalties from broadly-cast counter-terrorism legislation to restrict basic protest rights? We should know by now where this leads

📢 Last week the EU expanded its pioneering Anti-Torture Regulation, adding more equipment used for torture and other ill-treatment to the trade ban and control lists – a key move to protect detainees, protesters and human rights defenders.

🎉🇪🇺 🎉 Great news from the EU as it significantly strengthens its measures preventing the transfer of law enforcement equipment to those who would use it for torture & other ill-treatment. 🔗: omegaresearchfoundation.org/news/europea... #torturefreetrade

The arrest of Khaled Mohamed Ali El Hishri in Germany, wanted by the ICC, marks a significant step toward accountability for grave international crimes in Libya. Authorities should transfer him to the Hague without delay. www.hrw.org/news/2025/07...

UK ban on Palestine Action at odds with international law, says UN rights chief - www.theguardian.com/politics/202... "says the Home Office proscription restricts right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly" you'd think #starmer the lawyer would understand that, but no...