Syrian court sentences Bashar al-Assad, brother to death for war crimes Ousted President Bashar al-Assad and his younger brother Maher al-Assad were both sentenced to death in absentia for war crimes along with several other defendants. Syria
Iran hangs 2 over alleged Mossad ties as executions mount: What to know Rights groups have warned that Iran may step up executions with the resumption of the war in the region. Iran
'Obliterated entire families': Amnesty calls for investigating Israeli strikes in Lebanon as war crimes Amnesty International has accused Israel of committing war crimes in Lebanon by wiping out entire families and killing children. Lebanon
Iran’s hard-line judicial chief Mohseni Ejei gets second term: What to know The veteran judicial official, who has been sanctioned by the United States and the European Union, has been accused of overseeing widespread human rights violations for decades. His reappointment by Mojtaba Khamenei signals continuity in Iran's hardline judicial policies and crackdown on dissent. Iran
Egypt drops decade-old charges against NGOs An Egyptian investigative judge recently dropped charges against 20 NGOs involved in the 2011 foreign funding case that has raised global condemnation, in a move seen as a gesture of goodwill to the United States in order to unfreeze military aid. Egypt
Top EU officials seek improved ties, positive agenda in meeting with Erdogan Focusing on economic cooperation, migration and human rights, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and European Council chief Charles Michel sought to improve EU-Turkey ties during a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on April 6. Turkey
Turkey blasts 'unfounded allegations' in US human rights report The annual US government report described "significant human rights issues" in Turkey. News Brief
Uyghurs in Turkey protest Chinese FM's visit Hundreds gathered in both Ankara and Istanbul in protest of what they say is a genocidal campaign against the ethnic group by Beijing. Turkey
European Council report presents roadmap for EU-Turkey ties Ahead of a European Council summit this week, a report by EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell laid out a roadmap to deepen bilateral trade despite recent setbacks in Ankara’s human rights record, while outlining economic sanctions should more turbulence arise. Turkey
Iran renews call on UK to pay off outstanding debt The Iranian government is widely accused of using the case of a jailed British-Iranian activist as a pressure tool to secure the repayment of the long-standing debt. Iran
Nawal el-Saadawi, renowned Egyptian writer, dies at 89 As a prominent Egyptian feminist, doctor and novelist who wrote more than 50 books on taboo social issues in a deeply conservative country, Saadawi fiercely campaigned for the end to the practice of female genital mutilation. Egypt
Republican congressman introduces Iran human rights bill for Persian new year The bill introduced by Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina would require investigations into alleged Iranian state human rights abuses. News Brief
Egypt sentences activist Sanaa Seif to 18 months in prison Seif, who had been in pretrial detention since June, was convicted Wednesday of spreading false news and misusing social media. Egypt
Lawsuit filed to close pro-Kurdish party after lawmaker stripped of parliamentary seat Omer Faruk Gergerlioglu, a pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party deputy known to focus on human rights abuses, was stripped of his parliament seat and a lawsuit was filed to close the party March 17. Turkey
