By Owen Bowcott in The Hague

De facto PM defends actions of government, saying attacks were initiated by insurgents

The Nobel peace prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has defended Myanmar’s government against accusations of genocide at the international court of justice, calling the allegations an “incomplete and misleading factual picture of the situation in Rakhine state”.

Addressing a bench of 17 judges from around the world, the 74-year-old leader dismissed reports of state violence against Rohingya Muslims and blamed the conflict on an uprising by separatist insurgents.

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By John Sentamu

Repentance, reparation and remedy for the terrible damage done to the people of Bayelsa state in Nigeria is long overdue

• John Sentamu is the archbishop of York

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights begins: “All human beings … should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.” It is now widely acknowledged that human rights cannot be enjoyed without a safe, clean and healthy environment. The right to a healthy environment is enshrined in more than 100 constitutions all over the world because human and environmental rights are intertwined.

However, despite the endorsement of the UN Guiding …read more

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By Polly Toynbee

He’s targeted the BBC and Channel 4, and the Tory manifesto has plans for a constitutional upheaval and an attack on human rights

Boris Johnson is ending his despicable campaign with a “blitz” through Labour seats from Grimsby to Wrexham. Listen with fear to his message: he has distilled it down to pure Faragism, reprising the spirit of Vote Leave’s “breaking point” poster and “70m Turks”. His party’s veins flow with Brexit party poison.

In erstwhile Labour-land, Brexit is the tin-opener that gives Conservatives a chance, not with dog-whistle but foghorn. That old populist template casting honest working people as …read more

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By Lily Kuo in Beijing

Rights advocates describe event as ‘a mockery’ and condemn human rights lawyers being ‘forcefully disappeared’

As China hosts hundreds of lawyers from around the world, dozens of prominent Chinese rights lawyers remain detained, according to rights advocates who have criticised the event as “a mockery”.

On Tuesday China held the second day of the global lawyers forum, coinciding with human rights day, bringing more than 800 legal professionals including those from the International Bar Association, the International Association of Lawyers, and the Bar Council of England and Wales.

Related: China claims detained Uighurs have been freed

12月9日，世界律师大会召开的第一天，我被北京市石景山国宝、北京市八角派出所警察等十多人，限制出门。而且说10号还会继续限制我出门，请大家关注，谢谢。

9号，我被这些人推了约15次，骂了很多脏话。 pic.twitter.com/HQgasTqMcr

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By Lily Kuo in Beijing

Xinjiang governor offers no evidence of release but says ‘trainees’ have found stable jobs

China has claimed that Uighurs and other minorities believed to be detained in Xinjiang have been freed, repeating claims made previously but offering no evidence of their release.

In response to growing international criticism of the detention of as many as 1.5 million people in re-education and other internment camps, the Xinjiang governor, Shohrat Zakir, told reporters in Beijing that they had “returned to society”.

Related: ‘Allow no escapes’: leak exposes reality of China’s vast prison camp network

The Uighurs are a predominantly Muslim Turkic-speaking ethnic group, …read more

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By Mark Townsend

Human rights groups fear change of stance by Foreign Office might lead to executions

Fears are growing that the Foreign Office has paved the way for British Islamic State captives held in Syria to be handed over to the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, which is accused of war crimes including mass torture and executions.

Human rights groups argue that, as they face pressure to repatriate Britons detainedin Syria, ministers’ inaction may result in the transfer of UK nationals to Assad’s forces.

Sending Brits to Assad’s Syria would be effectively sentencing them to torture, disappearances or summary execution

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By Sean Ingle in Riyadh

Joshua v Ruiz bout exposes argument that kingdom is ‘sportswashing’ rights abuses

For boxing fans it is one of the most anticipated sporting events of the year. But Anthony Joshua’s heavyweight fight against Andy Ruiz Jr is also rapidly becoming the most controversial.

Joshua will earn a career-high fee of about £60m when he faces Ruiz in the ancient Saudi Arabian city of Diriyah, on the outskirts of Riyadh, on Saturday. He insisted this week that the country was “trying to do a good job politically”.

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By Ben Doherty

Chau Van Kham, 70, was convicted of ‘terrorism’ and jailed for 12 years. Now the Morrison government is being urged to put human rights above politics

The family of a 70-year old Australian man convicted of terrorism by a Vietnamese court say his 12-year prison term is “a death sentence” and fear they may never see him again.

Human rights advocates, lawyers and Chau Van Kham’s family say the charges against him are baseless and politically motivated, his single-day multiple-defendant trial was grossly unfair, and his failing health means he may not survive.

Related: Australian retiree convicted of terrorism and …read more

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By Jon Glover

My wife, Elaine Glover, who has died from cancer aged 75, was a feminist, activist, writer, archivist and peripatetic clarinet teacher. She also co-edited the literary magazine Stand, with a mission to fight injustice through the arts.

In the late 1960s Elaine taught English and liberal studies at Bolton Institute (now Bolton University) to motor mechanics and textile technicians. She worked with the poet Tony Connor – until they were both dismissed in 1970 for reasons of “economy”. Elaine and Tony kept on teaching their students, who raised money for classes in a local pub. Protests against their …read more

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By Agence France-Presse

Human rights office suggests 208 people killed during unrest that broke out last month

The United Nations has said that at least 7,000 people have reportedly been arrested in Iran since mass demonstrations erupted last month, and called for the immediate release of those arbitrarily detained.

In a statement, the UN human rights office also said it had obtained “verified video footage” showing security forces firing on protesters, apparently with intent to kill.

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