Jordanian prince becomes UN's next rights chief
The UN General Assembly Monday approved the nomination of Jordan's Prince Zeid al-Hussein as the next human rights chief, making him the first Muslim and Arab to hold the post.
US condemns Sudan over Christian woman's death penalty
US Secretary of State John Kerry criticized Sudan on Thursday for sentencing a Christian woman to hang for apostasy, urging Khartoum to repeal its laws banning Muslims from converting.
Images show farm work at N. Korea prison camp
North Korea has increased economic linkages with a prison camp where inmates are working by hand in agriculture, according to satellite imagery released Thursday by a human rights group.
Syria's Assad coasts to re-election in 'farce' polls
Bashar al-Assad has been re-elected Syria's president with 88.7 percent of the vote after a poll labelled a farce by rebels fighting to overthrow him, whose outcome was never in doubt.
Teenager test case in Maldives death penalty revival
A 16-year-old boy has been charged with murder over a fatal stabbing in the Maldives, becoming the first minor to be accused of a capital offence since the death penalty was reintroduced, officials said.
Bolivian ex-president can face rights trial in US
A judge in the state of Florida has given a green light for a human rights abuses trial to move forward in the United States against Bolivian ex-president Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada.
Kazakhstan sees 31 policemen convicted for torture
35 torture cases have been initiated and 31 policemen convicted in Kazakhstan.
HRW says 'strong evidence' Syria govt used chlorine gas
Evidence "strongly suggests" Syria's government used chlorine gas on three towns in mid-April in violation of the chemical weapons treaty it joined last year, Human Rights Watch said.
Egypt verdict expected for Islamist chief, 700 others
The Egyptian judge who sentenced to death hundreds of supporters of ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi will pass judgment Monday on another 700 people, including Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Badie.
Brunei delays introduction of tough Islamic law
Brunei has postponed its implementation of tough Islamic criminal punishments that were due to begin Tuesday and have drawn condemnation from the UN's human rights office and rare criticism at home.
Nigerian arrested for tweeting attack pictures: Amnesty
Amnesty International urged the Nigerian security forces Friday to disclose the whereabouts of a man who was arrested after tweeting pictures of an attempted jail break at the headquarters of the intelligence agency.
Obama to meet woman activist on Saudi visit
US President Barack Obama will meet a woman activist in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, when women have pledged to defy a driving ban, a US official said.
Children call Australian immigration detention 'hell'
Children held in immigration detention in Australia have described conditions as "hell" with a human rights inquiry Monday detailing many banging their heads, biting themselves and wetting their beds.
Detained China activist dies after critical illness
A Chinese human rights activist died on Friday after falling critically ill in detention after police denied her medical treatment for months, her brother said.
Nigeria gets first visit from UN rights chief
Nigeria, under fire internationally for banning gay marriage and alleged abuses while tackling Islamist insurgents, received its first visit from the United Nations human rights commissioner.
Dalai Lama says no problem with gay marriage
The celibate Dalai Lama has thrown his considerable moral weight behind gay marriage, condemning homophobia and saying sex was fine as long as it was consensual.
Human trafficking and sexual exploitation in Almaty
A man tried to sell a Kyrgyz girl in Almaty for one thousand dollars.
Cisco cleared in rights case, as tech sector watches
A US court has cleared Cisco Systems over liability for human rights abuses in China, in a case closely watched by the global technology sector and activists.
Sri Lanka family finds mass grave in garden
A Sri Lankan family has stumbled upon the remains of at least nine bodies buried in the garden of their home, police said Saturday, the latest mass grave to be discovered in the country's former war zone.
New Zealand prostitute wins sex harassment claim
A New Zealand prostitute has won substantial damages for sexual harassment by a brothel owner, with sex workers hailing the decision as a landmark ruling that shows the country as a world leader in protecting their rights.