What We Get Wrong About Consent: India’s ‘Promise-to-Marry’ Rape Jurisprudence
Indian criminal law, under s 69 of India’s new Penal Code (BNS), classifies ‘promise-to-marry’ sexual intercourse as a special offence. The offence is committed where a man promises marriage to...
Penal Code of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan: The End of a Dream or the Beginning of a Nightmare – Part 2
This blog continues the author’s prior analysis of the Penal Code of the Islamic Emirate by examining some of its key ambiguities and omissions. Part 1 of this blog can...
Penal Code of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan: The End of a Dream or the Beginning of a Nightmare – Part 1
Introduction 15 Jadi 1404 (January 5, 2026) may be remembered as a turning point in the development of Afghanistan’s criminal law under Taliban rule, but one that raises serious concerns...
Un enfoque de derechos humanos para abordar el crimen organizado: la resolución de la Comisión Interamericana
En marzo de 2026, la Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos (CIDH) presentó la Resolución 1/26, que proporciona a los Estados de las Américas cincuenta recomendaciones para abordar el crimen organizado....
Towards a Human Rights-Based Approach to Organised Crime: The Inter-American Commission’s Resolution
In March 2026, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) presented Resolution 1/26 providing states in the Americas with 50 recommendations to address organised crime. At its core lies a...
The Shadow of ‘Honour’: Persistent Violence and the Imperative of Human Rights in South Asia
The fragility of the right to life in Pakistan was starkly highlighted on July 21, 2025, when Pakistani authorities reported the arrest of 11 individuals in connection with the ‘honour...
Sexual Offences Will Never Be The Same Again: The Embrace Projects tackles the definition of rape in South Africa (Part 2)
In Part 1 of this blog, I explained how the High Court of South Africa came to decide that certain provisions of the Sexual Offences Act were “unconstitutional…to the extent...
Sexual Offences Will Never Be The Same Again: The Embrace Projects tackles the definition of rape in South Africa (Part 1)
In The Embrace Project v Minister of Justice, the High Court of South Africa in Pretoria declared unconstitutional an unreasonable belief in consent when prosecuting sexual offences in South Africa....
Discarding the Marital Rape Exemption: From Fundamental Rights to Vulnerability Theory
Recently, in Gorakhnth Sharma v. State of Chhattisgarh, the Chhattisgarh High Court acquitted a man, who allegedly forced anal intercourse on his wife resulting in fatal injuries, of all charges...
Individual Criminal Responsibility of the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh for Crimes Against Humanity
Regrettably, the former government of Bangladesh, under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, committed serious human rights violations between 1 July and 5 August 2024, including but not limited...
Application of the ‘Secretary Problem’ in Transitional Justice: A Mathematical Approach to Optimize the Selection of High-Responsibility Individuals in the Special Jurisdiction for Peace
Due to its inherently temporary nature, the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) must prosecute the most significant crimes committed during the Colombian armed conflict by selecting the highest-ranking perpetrators and...
The Role of Social Media in Russia’s War in Ukraine: Durov’s Arrest as a Catalyst for Global Social Media Accountability?
The recent arrest of Pavel Durov, CEO of Telegram, on charges of allegedly aiding and abetting criminal activities through the platform, has cast a renewed spotlight on social media platforms’...
