All articles tagged with #prisoners
Belarus freed 25 detainees in an interim deal with the United States, with two state firms removed from sanctions and the promise of further relief as talks continue; the move is meant to improve U.S.-Belarus relations and pave the way for more prisoner releases, even as rights groups say hundreds remain jailed and Lukashenko denies political prisoners exist.
Meduza reports that Russian authorities are weighing a new mobilization after the State Duma elections, with October as a possible start, as contract recruitment slows to about 800 signups per day in early 2026 (the lowest in three years) before rising to roughly 1,000 per day in Q2, per estimates based on budget data. Regions describe growing difficulty in recruiting, with some contracts offered to detainees or recruited through police, and many new contract soldiers being desertors or barely fit for service. The situation has spurred intensified propaganda and higher payments, and discussions range from partial mobilization to rotating reservists, though no final decision has been made. Some officials say preparatory measures have been underway for months.
Saeda al-Shrafi, a Palestinian mother from Gaza, recounts a harrowing six-week detention by Israeli forces, including beatings, threats against her children, and brutal prison conditions in Dimona, before a Red Cross–facilitated release; rights groups say thousands of Palestinians face torture and abuse in Israeli jails amid ongoing Gaza-related arrests.
Israel’s Prison Service is preparing to apply a death penalty for Palestinian prisoners, including creating a facility nicknamed 'Israel’s Green Mile' for executions and sending a delegation to study how capital punishment works elsewhere. A death-penalty bill passed its first Knesset reading and would, at least initially, target Hamas’ Nukhba and other serious attackers, with executions planned by hanging and carried out within 90 days of a final verdict. The plan would not apply to Jewish Israelis who kill Palestinians. Rights groups and UN experts have condemned the move, calling it a dangerous, unprecedented expansion of state violence.
Myanmar's military government released over 6,100 prisoners and reduced sentences to mark the country's independence anniversary, but it remains unclear if political detainees like Aung San Suu Kyi were included. The move coincides with ongoing elections and widespread political unrest, with thousands of political prisoners still detained. The release is part of traditional holiday amnesties, but critics question its sincerity amid ongoing repression.
Myanmar's military government announced the release of 6,186 prisoners, including 52 foreigners, as part of an Independence Day amnesty, amid ongoing political turmoil and a recent general election that has been widely criticized. The amnesty excludes those convicted of serious crimes, and it remains unclear if political detainees will be freed. The country continues to face conflict and unrest following the 2021 military coup.
Myanmar's military government released over 6,100 prisoners and reduced sentences to mark the country's independence anniversary, but it remains unclear if political detainees like Aung San Suu Kyi were included. The amnesty coincides with ongoing elections and widespread political unrest.
The article details the stories of two half-brothers, Bernard Joseph and Marcus Hamilton, serving life sentences for murder, who allege they were sexually abused by priests in New Orleans, highlighting a broader context of clergy abuse and its long-lasting impact on survivors and the church.
Eight Palestine Action activists are on hunger strike in UK prisons, demanding bail, lifting bans, and stopping restrictions, with serious health risks as some have been hospitalized and experts warn of potential organ failure due to prolonged fasting.
Belarusian prisoners released in a swap with the US are deported without passports, facing bureaucratic and human rights abuses, highlighting ongoing repression despite recent pardons and diplomatic efforts.
Belarusian authorities released 123 prisoners in a swap with the US, but many were deported without passports, facing bureaucratic and legal hurdles abroad, highlighting ongoing political repression and human rights abuses in Belarus.
Belarus released 123 prisoners, including Nobel laureate Ales Bialiatski and opposition leaders, as part of a deal with the US involving sanctions relief and improved diplomatic relations.
Damon Landor, a Rastafarian inmate, was forcibly shaved by prison guards, leading to a legal battle over whether he can sue for violating his religious rights under federal law, with the Supreme Court set to decide.
Iran has released two French nationals, Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris, who were detained for over three years and sentenced for spying, with their release seen as a step in ongoing diplomatic negotiations between Iran and France.
Israel has returned over 195 mutilated and disfigured Palestinian bodies from Gaza, many showing signs of torture and execution, with only 57 identified so far. The bodies, some bound and with signs of brutal treatment, were buried in Gaza after forensic examinations, highlighting the severe human rights violations and ongoing conflict consequences.