“I am saddened by the persistent violence that continues to result in the tragic loss of Palestinian and Israeli lives”, said Nickolay Mladenov. “Recent incidents in the West Bank and Gaza highlight the mounting tensions across the occupied Palestinian territory and the risk of a broader escalation of the conflict,” the UN official told the Security Council. “I am concerned… Read More

“It is deplorable that Judge Afiuni continues to be subjected to arbitrary detention, the UN Special Rapporteur on Independence of Judges and Lawyers, Diego García-Sayán, said on Tuesday.  In 2009, then-President Hugo Chavez demanded that she be imprisoned for 30 years for releasing businessman Eligio Cedeño on bail, who immediately fled the country.  Judge Afiuni had issued the ruling in accordance with a decision by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which… Read More

In a statement released on Tuesday, the experts, Leilani Farha, the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing, and Surya Deva, Chairperson of the Working Group on Business and Human Rights, said that, by expending unprecedented amounts of capital on housing, these firms have converted homes into financial instruments and investments, buying up affordable properties, upgrading them and substantially… Read More

“Slavery and the transatlantic slave trade were among history’s most appalling manifestations of human brutality”, he reminded delegates from across the world gathered in the General Assembly Hall with a call for “justice and equal opportunities for all people of African descent”.  In 2007, the UN designated 25 March as a day to honour and remember those who suffered during the transatlantic slave trade: “We pay homage… Read More