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Turkey Arrests Dozens in Crackdown on LGBTQ+ Activists

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Turkish police have arrested dozens of people amid a widening crackdown on LGBTQ+ activists and organisations. The latest detentions took place on Tuesday outside Istanbul’s main courthouse, where protesters had gathered to demand the release of activists arrested during weekend raids on gay bars and private homes.

The government has described the campaign as part of its “My Family is Safe” initiative, which it says is intended to protect family values. Rights groups, however, have reported raids on association offices, website restrictions and arrests across several provinces. Authorities have also restricted access to the social media accounts and websites of LGBTQ+, media and rights organisations.

Same-sex relations are not illegal in Turkey, but LGBTQ+ rights groups say discrimination remains widespread. Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Michael O’Flaherty expressed concern over the arrests, raids and online restrictions. Turkey’s Justice Minister said the wider operation targeted 162 individuals, nine associations and 13 businesses across 15 provinces.

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Norwegian Police Investigate Telenor Over Suspected Crimes Against Humanity in Myanmar

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Norwegian police have launched an investigation into telecom company Telenor over allegations that it aided and abetted crimes against humanity in Myanmar following the country’s 2021 military coup. Investigators raided Telenor’s headquarters in Oslo as part of the probe, which also includes suspected violations of sanctions rules. Police allege that Telenor Myanmar repeatedly handed historical customer traffic data to the military regime during a period of widespread abuses against civilians.

Telenor, which completed its withdrawal from Myanmar in March 2022, said it is cooperating with investigators and wants to help clarify the case. The company said it faced an “impossible situation” after the military takeover, arguing that employees could have faced imprisonment, torture or the death penalty if they refused military orders. Telenor also said that no individuals are currently charged or under investigation.

The investigation also covers the transfer of sanctioned surveillance equipment when Telenor sold its Myanmar business. Police are examining whether the company failed to obtain required approval from Norway’s foreign ministry for the transaction. Activist groups have welcomed the investigation, alleging that customer call logs and location data were shared with the military and that sensitive surveillance equipment was transferred to a military-linked company.

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France Apologises to US Over Human Rights Criticism

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France has expressed regret over a social media post criticising the United States for voting against extending the term of U.N. human rights chief Volker Turk. The July 25 post triggered a diplomatic dispute between the two allies.

The controversy escalated when the U.S. delegation walked out of a U.N. Security Council meeting while France was speaking. Washington also reportedly considered blocking France’s nominee for ambassador to the United States, Aurelien Lechevallier.

France said the disagreement concerned a single vote and did not question the broader defence of human rights. The U.S. State Department welcomed the statement, potentially clearing the way for Lechevallier’s approval as France’s next ambassador in Washington.

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Hungary PM Pledges to End Orban-Era Gay Adoption Restrictions

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Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar has announced plans to change legislation introduced under former Prime Minister Viktor Orban that effectively prevented same-sex couples from adopting children. The government plans to remove a system requiring adoption applications from single people to receive approval from the family affairs minister, which had effectively blocked gay and lesbian couples from adopting.

Magyar said adoption decisions should be made by qualified professionals rather than politicians, with the focus placed on determining the best conditions for children. The move would represent a significant shift in Hungary’s approach to LGBTQ+ rights following years of restrictions under Orban’s government.

Orban’s administration had introduced several measures affecting LGBTQ+ rights, including restrictions on same-sex adoption and LGBTQ-related content in schools. Magyar defeated Orban in a landslide election victory in April, and his government’s proposed changes could mark a broader effort to reverse some of the previous government’s policies.

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Five European Nations Plan Migrant Return Hubs Outside EU

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Germany, Austria, Greece, Denmark and the Netherlands have agreed on steps toward deals with non-EU countries to establish facilities for migrants who no longer have legal residency in the European Union. The five nations aim to reach agreements with host countries by the end of this year.

The countries, known as the Group of Five, have been working together on measures to reduce irregular immigration. Germany’s Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said the group wants to establish return hubs outside the EU, although no potential host countries have been named. Denmark expects to begin sending migrants to such a facility by the end of 2027.

The plan has drawn criticism from human rights organisations, which warn that offshore return centres could create serious risks for migrants and asylum seekers. The Council of Europe has also raised concerns, while the Danish Refugee Council said the focus should instead be on implementing the EU’s existing migration and asylum framework.

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Denmark Plans First Migrant Transfers to EU-External Hub in 2027

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Denmark expects to begin sending migrants without legal residency to a return hub outside the European Union by the end of 2027, Immigration and Integration Minister Morten Bodskov said on Friday. Denmark is working with Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and Greece to develop the bloc’s first partnership arrangement of this kind with a non-EU country.

The five countries are preparing concrete plans for the proposed return-centre system, although Denmark has not disclosed which country or countries could host the facilities. Bodskov said negotiations had moved closer to establishing the arrangement, which is intended to facilitate the return of migrants who do not have legal grounds to remain in the EU.

The European Parliament approved changes to EU migration rules in June aimed at speeding up deportations and allowing member states to establish detention centres abroad. Critics have warned that such arrangements could weaken protections for asylum seekers, while the Council of Europe has raised concerns over potential human rights violations, including ill-treatment and arbitrary detention.

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Forced Contraception in Greenland Violated Women’s Rights, Experts Say

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A forced contraception programme carried out in Greenland mainly during the 1960s and 1970s violated women’s human rights but did not meet the legal definition of genocide, according to two expert reports released on Friday. More than 4,000 Greenlandic women and girls, some as young as 12, were given intrauterine devices or contraceptive injections between 1966 and 1991, often without their knowledge or consent.

The reports found that administering contraception without valid consent violated women’s rights to private and family life and, in some cases, subjected them to degrading treatment. While one report found no evidence that authorities or healthcare professionals intended to destroy Greenland’s population, another said Denmark may have breached the UN Genocide Convention by failing to act after becoming aware of the serious risk posed by the programme. The experts said proving genocide would require establishing specific intent to destroy a protected group.

The findings have renewed calls for accountability and reconciliation between Greenland and Denmark. Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen proposed a reconciliation commission, while Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the two countries must confront the painful parts of their shared history. Denmark has also passed a compensation law providing 300,000 Danish crowns to each affected woman. Survivors have described lasting physical and emotional consequences, including infertility and other serious health complications.

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Migrant Women Report Sexual Harassment in Spain’s Ceuta

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Women staying in makeshift camps in Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta say they are facing sexual harassment and fear of assault while waiting to be registered by authorities. More than a dozen women are sleeping outdoors near an overcrowded migrant reception centre, which is currently sheltering around 700 people despite having capacity for about 500.

Spain’s largest police union, SUP, said 15 sexual assault cases of varying severity had been reported since July 30, although authorities have not confirmed the figure. Ceuta court authorities have confirmed three cases involving migrant women, including two minors. Health Minister Monica Garcia said medical services had treated five women for sexual violence and stressed that providing safe accommodation was an urgent priority.

Human rights organisations including Save the Children, UNICEF and Amnesty International have called for urgent measures to protect vulnerable migrant women and girls. Authorities are expanding temporary reception facilities and distributing food and hygiene supplies, but women living in the makeshift camps say they remain afraid, lack privacy and struggle to access safe toilets and showers.

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Ukrainian Prisoners Report Torture and Abuse in Russian Detention

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Former Ukrainian prisoners and officials have accused Russian authorities of systematically torturing Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilian detainees, alleging beatings, electric shocks, sexual abuse, starvation and inhumane detention conditions. Russia rejected the allegations at an informal U.N. Security Council meeting, calling them a “disinformation campaign” and making counter-allegations about the treatment of Russian prisoners in Ukraine.

Former detainee Khuan Alberto Levya Garsiya said he endured 1,183 days in captivity and experienced repeated physical and psychological abuse, including beatings, electrocution, forced exercises in freezing conditions and sexual abuse. He said two of his friends were beaten to death in detention, while overcrowding, illness and inadequate food were widespread among prisoners.

U.N. officials said their monitoring indicated that torture and ill-treatment of Ukrainian POWs and civilian detainees remained widespread and systematic. The U.N. said more than 95% of Ukrainian POWs interviewed reported torture or mistreatment, while more than half reported sexual violence. Ukrainian authorities say thousands of people remain in Russian captivity, with Kyiv identifying more than 300 detention sites in Russia and occupied Ukrainian territories.

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Heatwaves Worsen Europe’s Prison Overcrowding Crisis

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Europe’s intense summer heatwaves are exposing severe overcrowding and poor conditions in ageing prisons across France, Italy, and Belgium. Inmates, prison officials, and rights groups say extreme temperatures inside overcrowded cells have made living conditions increasingly unbearable, with many facilities lacking proper ventilation, air conditioning, or cooling equipment.

Prison occupancy rates have reached 141.3% in France, 139.7% in Italy, and 121% in Belgium, placing additional strain on ageing infrastructure. Authorities have introduced temporary measures such as increased access to water, extra showers, fans, and sun cream, while prison directors report rising tensions, more inmate clashes, and greater stress among staff during heatwaves.

Governments and prison rights groups say long-term solutions require reducing overcrowding and modernising prison facilities. Italy has pledged to expand prison capacity and introduced measures allowing some inmates with addiction issues to serve sentences under rehabilitation programmes, while officials across Europe acknowledge that ageing prison infrastructure remains a major challenge as climate change intensifies heatwaves.

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