Two gay men fled to Russia after escaping alleged torture in Chechnya. On February 3rd, they were seized by Russian police and taken back to Chechen police.
Human rights activists commend Indonesia’s decision to mandate public schools to allow students autonomy when choosing their attire. The schools’ practice of forcing women to wear religious clothing is now banned as of February 3rd.
Loujain al-Hathloul, the Saudi activist who gained international attention as she publicly opposed the ban on women drivers in the country, was placed in custody by the Saudi government in May 2018 due to her activism.
Four students, who attend Istanbul's Bogazici University in Turkey, were arrested due to artwork depicting LGBT rainbow symbols alongside an image of Islam’s most sacred site, the Kaaba.
Some news outlets report the indistinct description of “LGBT rainbow symbols” alongside the Kaaba. To be more precise, four different flags were portrayed in each corner, featuring the iconic rainbow flag, and three others individually representing the lesbian, transexual, and asexual community.
Last week, lawmakers in France debated a bill aiming to rout out only “radical” Islam. These laws hope to prevent radical beliefs from seeping through to the community that will affect the whole country with plans that undermine national values.
The bill’s sponsor, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, says the laws are designed to stop “an Islamist hostile takeover targeting Muslims.” He insists that “we are not fighting against a religion,” though many Muslims are worried the amendments will increase stigmas against them.
According to state-run media, an Egyptian court overturned the sentences of two women who were previously convicted on charges of “violating family values” and “inciting debauchery” as a result of acquiring significant fame on TikTok.
Recent court documents reveal two decades of sexual abuse of orphaned children by the very institution charged with their protection. The plaintiffs, survivors of horrific sexual abuse at a covenant in Speyer, Germany, described how 175 orphans — mostly boys ranging from age 7 to 14 — were ‘pimped’ out by the nuns to perverted businessmen and clergymen.
Rihanna, one of the top-selling music artists of all time, poured out her support to farmers protesting on the borders of India’s capital, New Delhi. Aside from music, Rihanna is also known for her involvement in humanitarian causes, as well as entrepreneurship.
She supports the farmers protesting three new agricultural laws enacted by India’s central government late last year. In her tweet, she asked why more people aren’t talking about the new laws. She advocated for other countries to highlight the farmers’ grievances.
Belgium officials are deporting a Turkish imam for ‘sowing the seeds of hatred’ with homophobic comments on a popular social media platform that facilitates the power to affect public opinion.
