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U.N. human rights experts called on Saudi Arabia on Wednesday to free three young Shi’ite Muslims whose death sentences for taking part in protests as minors have been commuted, citing allegations of torture and unfair trials.

Washington has also expressed repeated concern over rights and freedoms. The lawmakers’ letter said Erdogan and his party have weakened Turkey’s judiciary, installed political allies in key military and intelligence positions, and wrongfully imprisoned political opponents, journalists and members of minority groups.

China’s policy of transferring hundreds of thousands of Uighurs and other ethnic minorities in Xinjiang to new jobs often far from home is leading to a thinning out of their populations, according to a high-level Chinese study seen by the BBC.

Amid warnings that a papal visit is the last chance to save them, Iraq’s rapidly dwindling Christian community has worked hard to prepare for Francis’s arrival, hoping that he can end their persecution.

Raif Badawi has been in a Saudi prison cell since June 2012 for insulting Islam by promoting liberal views on his blog

“We are disturbed by reports that a Russian court sentenced Valentina Baranovskaya and her son, Roman Baranovsky, to terms of two and six years in a Russian penal colony, respectively, simply for being practicing Jehovah’s Witnesses.”