Blindfolded, Hands Tied and Executed in Libya: Daily Brief

Video recordings posted online appear to show forces loyal to the Libyan National Army carrying out unlawful executions of “extremists” and desecrating corpses. Yesterday, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Mahmoud al-Werfalli, commander of the unit that seems to be behind the executions, for the war crime of murder, in a wake-up call to other abusive commanders in Libya. Good news for millions of people affected by mercury: the UN Minamata Convention on Mercury, under which governments are obligated to protect citizens from the harmful effects of the toxic metal, has just come into effect. Mercury attacks the central nervous system, can result in lifelong disability, is very harmful to children, and can be lethal in higher doses. US President Donald Trump has once again stirred up criticism, after blaming both sides for the violence in Charlottesville, where one person died and others were injured. Meanwhile, an anti-racism tweet by former US President Barack Obama has become the most liked ever on Twitter... It appears the Justice Department has obtained a search warrant for information about visitors to a website that coordinated protests at President Donald Trump’s inauguration, raising alarms among activists. On Thursday, a Court of Appeal in Hong Kong will rule on the Department of Justice’s request to give prison sentences to three student leaders for their roles in a peaceful protest, barring them from upcoming elections. The government should quash the 2016 convictions against Alex Chow, Nathan Law, and Joshua Wong, who should never have been prosecuted in the first place. Thai authorities should immediately drop charges against a prominent academic and four conference participants for violating the military junta’s ban on public assembly at a conference at Chiang Mai University in July. Over the past three years, thousands of activists, politicians, journalists, and human rights defenders have been arrested and taken to military camps across Thailand for hostile interrogations known as “attitude adjustment” programs. After years of effort, the door may be opening for activists to achieve marriage equality in the Czech Republic. On October 20 and 21, national parliamentary elections will be held in the country, and same-sex marriage is on the agenda. Cholera outbreak in Yemen is the world’s biggest one, with half a million people sick this year. The country is battered by conflict, hunger and disease, and health workers face impossible conditions.