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oxhrh.bsky.social @oxhrh.bsky.social · May 26

📢New Podcast Out: Sexual Harassment & the Law in Africa 📢

In this episode, Almas Shaikh talks with Dr Anthony Ubani & Dr Wycliffe Nyachoti Otiso discussing the book ‘Sexual Harassment & the Law in Africa’.

Listen here: ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk/sexual-haras...

oxhrh.bsky.social @oxhrh.bsky.social · 1d

In the last blog of the Policing Love series, Gitanjali Joshua raises the question of queering marriage laws within the restrictive rhetoric of "love jihad" laws in India.

ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk/queering-mar...

Photo by Sneha Sivarajan on Unsplash

Two men embrace. One wears a rainbow flag around his shoulders. Image Credit: Sneha Sivarajan via unsplash https://unsplash.com/photos/a-man-holding-a-woman-s7USahtJAfQ

oxhrh.bsky.social @oxhrh.bsky.social · 2d

In Part 4 of Policing Love series, Soumya Saxena asks: Can institutions built to protect women’s rights also become instruments that curtail their autonomy?

Zooming into Bhopal's One Stop Centre, she expands the normative role of such initiatives.

ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk/from-safe-sp...

From Safe Spaces to Centres of Social Control: Regulating Love through the One Stop Centre in Bhopal, India (Part 4 of 6) | OHRH

Image depicts three women in traditional Indian dress facing the camera Image Credit: Srimathi Jayaprakash via unsplash https://unsplash.com/photos/woman-in-red-and-white-floral-dress-uO1MUMn0Xzc

ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk

oxhrh.bsky.social @oxhrh.bsky.social · 2d

In Part 3 of the Policing Love series, Swapnil Singh unpacks how Section 69 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita impacts live-in or cohabiting relationships of choice, where the law’s reach risks enabling the misuse of criminal provisions.

ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk/and-the-law-...

And the Law Comes Knocking: Section 69 and the Impact on Live-in Relationships in India (Part 3 of 6) | OHRH

Image depicts a brown closed door against a bright yellow wall. Image Credit: Charu Chaturvedi via unsplash https://unsplash.com/photos/staircase-in-front-of-wooden-door-VJY1NDOr8KQ

ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk

oxhrh.bsky.social @oxhrh.bsky.social · 3d

In Part 2 - Policing Love series, Nidah Kaiser presents India's laws against interfaith relationships which reinforce state’s patriarchal control & empowers family-religious institutions restricting individual freedom, esp women, to choose their partners.

ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk/the-intimate...

The Intimate State: India’s Legal Turn Against Interfaith Relationships (Part 2 of 6) | OHRH

Image depicts two married people holding hands during a ceremony Image Credit: Charles R via unsplash: https://unsplash.com/photos/a-close-up-of-a-person-holding-another-persons-hand-pRlBY2D3Syo

ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk

oxhrh.bsky.social @oxhrh.bsky.social · 3d

@OxHRH along with Nidah Kaiser & Saumya Maheshwari have curated a blog series on 'Policing Love: Law, Institutions and the Limits of Autonomy'.

The 6 blogs in the series engage with the question of policing of romantic sexual relationships in India.

1/6: ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk/policing-lov...

oxhrh.bsky.social @oxhrh.bsky.social · 21d

New OxHRH journal article out! 📄

Jacques Hartmann & Reem Alhasawi explore the evolution of int'l law on minimum legal age for marriage. Studying CEDAW & CRC, they identify 16 as the current de facto minimum legal age, with a move towards 18.

Read more: ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk/journal-2/

ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk

oxhrh.bsky.social @oxhrh.bsky.social · 22d

While honor-based abuse primarily focuses on women, it is important to resolve the blind spot created regarding male victims by the veil of secrecy and masculine taboo. Ritabrata Roy, Sakkcham Singh Parmaar, & Ananya Singh shed light on this issue.

ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk/when-honour-...

When “Honour” Goes Viral: Social Media, Masculinity and the Hidden Male Victims of Honour-Based Abuse | OHRH

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ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk

oxhrh.bsky.social @oxhrh.bsky.social · 23d

In July 2025, a violent vigilante attack -on rumours of a drug ring- left 3 members of a single family dead & another gravely injured in Bangladesh. Joydeep Chowdhury comments on the sharp rise of mob violence & examines the role of state to prevent them.

ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk/mob-justice-...

Mob Justice, State Failure: The Right to Life Betrayed in Bangladesh | OHRH

Image credit: Bornil Amin via Unsplash: xhttps://unsplash.com/photos/a-group-of-people-walking-down-a-street-holding-flags-Ec5chh1FvsA

ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk

oxhrh.bsky.social @oxhrh.bsky.social · 24d

A state-run institution for persons with disabilities reported 14 deaths, without any accountability from the Delhi Government. Shambhavi Singh urges for a National Disability Mortality Registry to prevent such incidents from reoccurring.

ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk/invisible-de...

Invisible Deaths: The Case for a National Disability Mortality Registry in India | OHRH

Image credit: Alejandro Ortiz via Unsplash: https://unsplash.com/photos/gray-wheel-chair-beside-wall-eFz8M6pSxr4

ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk

oxhrh.bsky.social @oxhrh.bsky.social · 25d

Karen Baker argues that a July 2025 law which 'permits’ unaccompanied children to withdraw their applications for admission if a perfunctory screening does not reveal dangers of trafficking/persecution will exacerbate existing perils.

ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk/dismantling-...

Dismantling Procedural Protections for Unaccompanied Children in the United States | OHRH

Image Credit: Riad Ahmed via Unsplash: https://unsplash.com/photos/boy-standing-beside-glass-building-wc9nBV2naNU

ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk

oxhrh.bsky.social @oxhrh.bsky.social · 25d

The recent Ukraine & the Netherlands v Russia decision by the ECtHR broadened the jurisdictional scope of the ECHR & the standard of attribution.

Atul Alexander maps the court’s treatment of the relationship between IHRL vis-à-vis IHL.

ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk/european-cou...

European Court of Human Rights Landmark Decision in Ukraine and the Netherlands v. Russia | OHRH

Image Credit: Joa70 via Pixabay - https://pixabay.com/photos/tank-map-war-kyiv-ukraine-danger-7038839/

ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk

oxhrh.bsky.social @oxhrh.bsky.social · 25d

Delhi High Court issued a dynamic injunction to block access to Sci Hub, Sci Net & its mirror websites on a complaint by Elsevier.

Apoorv KC & Rongeet Poddar argue that copyright protection has become a smokescreen for sustaining a skewed research ecosystem.

ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk/deprivation-...

Deprivation of Access to Shadow Libraries: Why the Delhi High Court’s Recent Order Dilutes Human Rights | OHRH

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ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk

oxhrh.bsky.social @oxhrh.bsky.social · 25d

In 2021, France conducted 47 million racially profiled ID checks.

In our latest blog, Samira Allioui analyses the case of discriminatory ID checks before the ECtHR. While it condemned the practice for 1 appellant, 5 other such appeals were rejected.

ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk/systemic-rac...

Systemic racism: ECHR condemns France for discriminatory identity checks in one instance, but rejects five other applications | OHRH

by Samira Allioui | Sep 2, 2025

ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk

oxhrh.bsky.social @oxhrh.bsky.social · Sep 10

Why should disaster management legislations embed a human-rights approach?

Nabeela Siddiqui & Chhaya Bhardwaj make a case for human rights based disaster management in India prioritising community participation, local realities & sustainable resilience.

ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk/the-disaster...

The Disaster Management (Amendment) Act, 2025: A Critique from a Human Rights-Based Approach. | OHRH

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ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk

oxhrh.bsky.social @oxhrh.bsky.social · Sep 10

In 2020 the Delhi Police used facial recognition during anti-CAA protests to identify & track protesters.

In the era of expanding use of facial recognition, Tripti Bhushan emphasises the need to balance this with constitutional protections of privacy.

ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk/ai-surveilla...

AI, Surveillance and Privacy in India: Human Rights in the Age of Technology | OHRH

Image Credit: David Mielimonka via Pexels - https://www.pexels.com/photo/shallow-focus-photo-of-a-flying-drone-8505365/

ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk

oxhrh.bsky.social @oxhrh.bsky.social · Sep 9

In her new publication, Prof Sandra Fredman confronts the criticism that human rights adjudication is anti-democratic & elaborates a model of bounded deliberative democracy as a basis for democracy-enhancing human rights adjudication.

Read more: doi.org/10.1017/fed....

Adjudicating Human Rights: Bounded Deliberative Democracy | Federal Law Review | Cambridge Core

Adjudicating Human Rights: Bounded Deliberative Democracy - Volume 53

oxhrh.bsky.social @oxhrh.bsky.social · Sep 8

The Right to (Queer) Family in Indian Constitutional Law

Aditya Anand Singh analyses 2 landmark judgments on the rights of individuals in non-heteronormative relationships within the broader context of Indian family law & LGBTQ+ jurisprudence.

ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk/the-right-to...

The Right to (Queer) Family in Indian Constitutional Law | OHRH

Image credit: Dibakar Roy via Unsplash: https://unsplash.com/photos/a-large-group-of-people-standing-under-a-rainbow-colored-umbrella-z1jx5MAKnaM

ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk

oxhrh.bsky.social @oxhrh.bsky.social · Sep 8

Legal recognition of a Ukrainian same-sex couple as a married relationship

Sergiy Panasyuk comments on the decision which recognises same-sex couple as a family even when the law bans same-sex marriage.

ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk/legal-recogn...

Legal recognition of a Ukrainian same-sex couple as a married relationship | OHRH

Image credit: thisisbossi via Flickr

ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk

oxhrh.bsky.social @oxhrh.bsky.social · Sep 8

Kenya’s Supreme Court Balances Islamic Law & Equality in Landmark Inheritance Ruling

Joshua Kimani exemplifies the nuanced interpretation, clarifying the interplay between religious autonomy & constitutional rights, particularly equality.

ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk/kenyas-supre...

Kenya’s Supreme Court Balances Islamic Law and Equality in Landmark Inheritance Ruling | OHRH

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ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk

oxhrh.bsky.social @oxhrh.bsky.social · Sep 5

Mahmoud v. Taylor & the Rise of White Christian Nationalism

Luke A. Boso argues that the decision offers a powerful new weapon for the right-wing arsenal in efforts to roll back liberty and equality for LGBTQ people. What a difference a decade has made.

ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk/mahmoud-v-ta...

oxhrh.bsky.social @oxhrh.bsky.social · Sep 5

Overlapping Sabotage Provisions in Hong Kong’s National Security Laws

Celeste Lo compares Hong Kong National Security Law & the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance to show the difference in legislative language & in sentencing & judicial safeguards.

ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk/overlapping-...

Overlapping Sabotage Provisions in Hong Kong’s National Security Laws: Risks and Implications on Prosecution Decisions | OHRH

by Celeste Lo | Jul 23, 2025

ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk

oxhrh.bsky.social @oxhrh.bsky.social · Sep 4

For the People, By the State: Establishing a Permanent Government Attorney Service (GAS) in Bangladesh to Ensure Human Rights & the Rule of Law

Aminul Islam examines how GAS can ensure fair trials, combat arbitrary detention, & increase access to courts.

ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk/for-the-peop...

For the People, By the State: Establishing a Permanent Government Attorney Service in Bangladesh to Ensure Human Rights and the Rule of Law | OHRH

Image credit: Bornil Amin via Unsplash: https://unsplash.com/photos/a-group-of-people-walking-down-a-street-holding-flags-3QxAVk_1uGo

ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk

oxhrh.bsky.social @oxhrh.bsky.social · Sep 4

In this 2-part blog, Elizabeth Salmón analyzes the Inter-American framework to protect liberty & explores the complementarity between IHL & IHRL regarding detention during armed conflict.

Part 1: ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk/detention-in...

Part 2: ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk/detention-in...

Detention in Armed Conflict: Exploring the complementarity between IHL and the Inter-American Human Rights System (Part I) | OHRH

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ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk

oxhrh.bsky.social @oxhrh.bsky.social · Sep 3

The Risks of Resistance: Protestors Need a Torture-Free Trade Treaty

Sarah Jaley makes an argument for a treaty which limits accessibility to kinetic impact projectiles such as rubber bullets used to suppress protests.

ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk/the-risks-of...

The Risks of Resistance: Protestors Need a Torture-Free Trade Treaty | OHRH

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ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk

oxhrh.bsky.social @oxhrh.bsky.social · Sep 3

Banking on Silence: Basel Committee’s Climate Framework Abandons Human Rights Protections?

Larisa Hazel Lee claims that the framework abdicates financial sector’s responsibilities to uphold human rights contradicting climate rights litigation worldwide.

ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk/banking-on-s...

Banking on Silence: Basel Committee’s Climate Framework Abandons Human Rights Protections? | OHRH

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ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk