PART ONE Niloufar Bayani is an Iranian researcher and conservationist who was arrested in January 2018 whilst conducting field research work in Iran as part of her role with the Persian Wildlife Heritage Foundation (PWHF). In October 2018, Ms Bayani and three of her colleagues were indicted with the charge of ‘sowing corruption on earth’, […]

Since 1999, the laws governing data protection at the European level have remained largely stagnant. The existing regime pertains mainly to data controllers – those who collect personal information. On the other hand, data processors – those who service information – are normally excluded from these regulations.[1] In addition, the current regime has glaring loopholes- […]

When all eyes were on the new Prime Minister, Theresa May, during her first speech on the 13th July 2016, something very different was happening off the coast of Lesbos. Four dead bodies were being dragged from the sea after a dinghy that was carrying migrants had capsized off the east coast. A young girl […]

In 1984, director James Cameron introduced to the world, “The Terminator”. This was a film, set in a dystopian world where society is dominated by artificial intelligence networks. Back when the film was first released, the idea of machines and computers being able to revolt against man’s control was absurd. Today, it does not seem […]

Was Orwell right? Are we now living in a real life 1984? Have we all just kissed goodbye to our privacy without knowing it? Unfortunately, the answer is possibly yes. Big Brother (or various government authorities) may soon be spying on you, if they are not already, or at least saving your personal data. The […]

It’s a familiar sight. Frightened refugees in overcrowded boats, desperately hoping for a better life in Europe. These images of sinking dinghies in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea should not be commonplace – but they are. In response to the refugee crisis, the UK government has pledged to resettle 20,000 refugees in the UK […]

The magnitude of the migrant crisis faced by Europe appears to be unprecedented. With a flow of people coming into Spain from North West Africa, Italy from Libya and Tunisia, and particularly, into Greece from Turkey, it is undoubtedly at crisis point. Every week, news reports surface of yet another boat capsizing, leaving hundreds dead. […]

Three years after Snowden’s revelations about the NSA, mass surveillance is still doing pretty well. As a matter of fact, after France and Germany, the UK has now adopted a new law on intelligence that will result in the loss of privacy. The protection of private life has taken a new turn. The Internet changed […]

The Conservative Government has taken it upon itself to introduce a Bill of Rights and repeal the current Human Rights Act introduced by the Labour Government. This is founded on the basis that the UK has lost its parliamentary sovereignty and the ECHR has developed a ‘mission creep’. The ECHR has arguably expanded into areas […]

Modern Slavery Act: Wiping out Modern Slavery in UK businesses The Modern Slavery Act 2015 is the 21st Century Europe’s first piece of legislature to explicitly combat slavery and human trafficking. In October businesses with an annual turnover of £36 million or over will have a duty to publish a statement to demonstrate the steps […]

Like most people (or at least what most people write in their UCAS applications), I was drawn to law by a desire to remedy social injustice. As I learnt more and more about human rights law through my university studies and various work placements, I realised that this area was the only possible route for […]

This is the last in the series of articles on the work of the Mental Disability Advocacy Centre (MDAC), an international organisation based in Budapest, which fights for the human rights of people with mental disabilities. People with psycho-social and intellectual disabilities are especially vulnerable to abuse and neglect, and this article will attempt to […]

On Thursday night, US President Barack Obama announced his new immigration policy. The decision has created an echo of controversy in the short time span since, especially from the Republican Party. The plan, which includes the decision to suspend the deportation of some unauthorised migrants, will protect millions of people from the threat of removal. It will […]

Per Lord Hope in R (on the application of Purdy) v DPP, ‘many people view legally assisted suicide as an appalling concept which undermines the fundamental human right to life itself. On the other hand there are those … who firmly believe that the right to life includes the right to end one’s own life […]

This week features the second article in the series on challenges in securing human rights for persons with mental and psycho-social disabilities. The right to legal capacity is logically the next topic to visit because it forms the very basis for any person to make their own valid decisions about their mental health and treatment. […]

It is perhaps highly ironic that with the advancement of medical science in areas of artificial life support and palliative care, issues regarding the appropriateness of terminating life have surfaced. Should it then be viewed as an egregious consideration that contradicts what is at the very heart of medical science: to prolong life and prevent […]

29th October 2014 marked the end of an arduous and emotional four-year battle for Gary Lim and Kenneth Chee, a couple in Singapore who have been together for 17 years. These brave individuals, joined by Tan Eng Hoon, a man arrested in 2010 for allegedly engaging in a homosexual act, spearheaded a historical campaign to […]

On the morning of the 16th of April, South Korea was struck by its worst ferry disaster since 1970. The MV Sewol was carrying 476 people, along with cargo worth approximately 200 billion Korean won, on its regular route from Incheon to Jeju. Most of the passengers were students from Danwon High School, enjoying a […]

As one of the most secretive countries in the world, it is hard for an outsider to get a true picture of what life is like for the average North Korean. Coverage of the country’s affairs in international media predominantly focuses on the state’s nuclear ambitions, its frequent scuffles with its southern neighbours, and its […]

Since the year-long Leveson Inquiry, many of us have been feeling fatigued by news stories featuring journalists, phone records and privacy issues. We have heard all the arguments on both sides. We have followed, or refused to follow, every twist of the Brooks-Murdock rollercoaster. You would be forgiven for reading this headline and rolling your […]

One in four Britons suffer from a mental health problem at some point in their life, according to a study published in The Economist. The impact of intellectual and psycho-social disabilities on society is felt in all countries across the world, and in a way that is more widespread and profound than many may realise. […]

As a city that enjoys considerable freedom, Hong Kong is no stranger to protests. However, the most recent protest in Hong Kong became a talking point across the world when the city’s police used unprecedented force to suppress protesters, leading to a furious escalation of events. The general message is clear: the crowd is fighting […]

Delegations are unique experiences which offer students the opportunity to represent an association during conferences or council sessions organised by core international organisations. Those selected are invited to sit as delegates alongside both national delegates and representatives of renowned NGOs, and in attending, are given the chance to witness how decision and policy making works […]