News

Our weekly round-up of human rights stories from around the world. ‘Shoot to Kill’: Accounts of Brutal Crackdown Emerge From Iran

The EU's new trade deal with Mercosur could be referred to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) depending on the outcome of a vote by MEPs. Sinn Féin has called on Irish MEPs to back a resolution which would effectively put the deal on hold pending a legal review by EU judges.

Shops and businesses would be required to allow disabled customers to use staff toilets if needed under a private member's bill introduced to the Dáil. The Equal Status (Access to Toilet Facilities) Bill 2026 was introduced yesterday by Labour TD Mark Wall.

A high-tech facial recognition system introduced by the mayor of São Paulo has led to his own sister's identification and arrest for an alleged crime. The introduction of the "Smart Sampa" system was one of the key policy achievements of Ricardo Nunes' administration, which has run the city s

Nearly 100 Americans sought asylum in Ireland last year, according to new figures. A total of 94 US citizens applied for international protection in 2025, up from 22 in 2024, The Irish Times reports.

A new analysis has set out what powers exist in Ireland to investigate illegal online content such as the sexually-explicit images generated by Elon Musk's Grok AI chatbot. The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) and Digital Rights Ireland (DRI) have put together the 16-page document, which exa

A formal complaint has been lodged against a judge who branded cyclists "a nightmare" as he ruled on a personal injury claim brought by a cyclist who suffered a brain injury in a collision. Judge James O’Donohoe said he was taking judicial notice of his own experience as a motorist as he ruled

Walkers has welcomed newly-qualified associates Emma Jackson, Dylan Kirwan, Conor McCabe, Aoife O’Leary and Coleen Wegmann to its Ireland office. The five lawyers are set to qualify as solicitors following their successful completion of the firm's 24-month training programme, which has now sup

Northern Ireland solicitor Jenny Moore has donated £11,000 to cancer charity Marie Curie NI after a fundraising effort in memory of a late friend.

Northern Ireland personal injury law firm JMK Solicitors has named Air Ambulance NI as its official charity partner for 2026. A joint charity partnership announcement was made by the law firm alongside accident management company CRASH Services and serviced office and meeting room provider Granite E

The detail of the European Union’s long-awaited accession to the European Convention on Human Rights is like a “three-dimensional puzzle” because of the several vital and interlocking elements which need to be agreed, a new study suggests. The Treaty of Lisbon created an obligation

Philip Lee LLP is to merge with Cork-based corporate law firm BHK Solicitors LLP next month, the firms have announced. Taking effect from 1 February 2026, the combined firm, which will trade as Philip Lee LLP, will have more than 50 partners in a significant milestone.

Matheson has appointed Rachel Barry, Paula Collins, Anna Crowley, Maeve Delargy, Andrew Dixon, Laura James, Shane Kennedy, Mary Elizabeth Mahony and Kathryn Rice as partners.

Italy's most famous social media influencer has been acquitted in a fraud trial relating to a Christmas cake and Easter egg scandal. Prosecutors had sought a prison sentence for Chiara Ferragni, who has more than 28 million followers on Instagram, following "pandorogate".

Government officials are still considering the recommendations of two rival reports on civil legal aid reform published more than six months ago, Jim O'Callaghan has said. The justice, home affairs and migration minister told a major conference on Monday that reform was on its way, but said he was u