Category: Europe

“Mr. Assange has been arbitrarily deprived of his liberty for the past ten years”,  wrote Nils Melzer, Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. “This is a high price to pay for the courage to publish true information about government misconduct throughout the world”.  Incarcerated since the authorities arrested him inside London’s Ecuadorian Embassy… Read More

The COVID-19 pandemic, a generational global economic crisis, and faltering progress on sustainable development and gender equality were some of the challenges the Secretary-General outlined in a speech, delivered in German.  “It is clear that the way to win the future is through an openness to the world. Yet in too many places, we see a closing of minds,” said… Read More

During a joint press conference with German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas at the Bundestag, Secretary-General António Guterres recalled a global UN survey of some 1.5 million participants, in which 99 per cent of Germans “affirmed their commitment to multilateralism, and international cooperation, to solve the problems of today’s world…by far, the largest percentage” of any one nation.  I am very… Read More

“Mr. Assange is not a criminal convict and poses no threat to anyone, so his prolonged solitary confinement in a high security prison is neither necessary nor proportionate and clearly lacks any legal basis”, said Nils Melzer, UN Special Rapporteur on torture.  The WikiLeaks founder has been detained since 2010 after his site published classified diplomatic information. A decision on… Read More

A ceasefire was agreed through a joint statement by the President of Azerbaijan, Prime Minister of Armenia, and Russia’s President, on 9 November, leading to the deployment of several thousand Russian peacekeepers to the enclave and border regions, after six weeks of escalating conflict over Nagorno-Karabkh. Thousands were reportedly killed and more than 100,000 displaced. “The Secretary-General takes note of the… Read More

In a statement, OHCHR’s Rupert Colville expressed deep concern over the use of force by law enforcement officials, against Belarusians who have taken to the streets across the country in peaceful mass demonstrations to voice their grievances, since the contested result was announced of the 9 August presidential election.   Some 231 individuals, including three journalists, were reportedly detained on 1 November as suspects in a criminal case concerning… Read More

Valentin Inzko briefed ambassadors on the achievements and shortfalls of the Dayton Agreement which ended the Bosnian war following the breakup of the former Yugoslavia, among the bloodiest fighting in Europe in the past century.  While the agreement has been “a huge success” – stopping bloodshed and promoting state-building in a country divided among Bosniak, Serb and Croat communities –… Read More

The meeting is the first between the Greek Cypriot leader, Nicos Anastasiades, and the Turkish Cypriot leader, Ersin Tatar, since the latter assumed his post following elections last month. #HappeningNow: Top @UN official in #Cyprus, Ms. Elizabeth Spehar, hosts the new Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr. Ersin Tatar, and the Greek Cypriot leader, Mr. Nicos Anastasiades, for their first informal meeting… Read More

“Belarus has effectively criminalized human rights work at a time when the work of human rights defenders is more essential than ever”, said Mary Lawlor, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders.  ‘Special courage’  As the Government continues to crack down on demonstrators protesting the election, Ms. Lawlor said that “women human rights defenders are being particularly targeted”.  At least three of them have come under attack simply for doing their job during… Read More

According to media reports, gunmen opened fire Monday evening (local time) at multiple locations in central Vienna. One of the victims was killed at the scene of the shootings, while a second died of their injuries. At least fourteen wounded people are in hospitals, some with serious injuries.  I’m following with grave concern the violent attacks of terror in Vienna,… Read More