Category: Europe

Cyprus has been divided for more than four decades, and leaders from its Greek and Turkish communities last met three years ago at a UN-facilitated conference in Crans-Montana, Switzerland.  Discussions in the alpine village centred around six main issues, including security and guarantees, new territorial boundaries, and power-sharing. Greece, Turkey and the United Kingdom served as guarantors, with the European… Read More

With help from our friends In a pre-recorded video address, Mr. Džaferović thanked those who came to the aid of Bosnia and Herzegovina during the crisis, and expressed his appreciation for the EU’s decision to include the country in its public procurement programme, which means that it has been able to purchase material needed to combat COVID-19, such as personal… Read More

“The pandemic caught the world at a time when it was having difficulties in coping with various challenges” in globalization, rules-based international system and multilateralism, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, encouraging the delegates to look at both “the full and empty parts of the glass”. Half empty glass The Turkish President underscored the need to reform multilateral organizations, particularly the UN. … Read More

The case, concerning Rubén, a child with Down syndrome, was brought before the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2017 by the child and his father. Rubén was sent to a special education centre by Spanish authorities, despite his parents’ objections.  It was also alleged that Rubén was ill-treated and abused by his teacher. Criminal charges were… Read More

The draft legislation, currently before the Swiss Parliament, expands the definition of terrorism and no longer requires the prospect of any crime at all, they said, in a plea for a last-minute reversal by legislators.  ‘Expansive’ definition of terrorism  Citing international standards, the experts defined terrorism as the intimidation or coercion of populations or governments through violence that causes death… Read More

According to ILO, six trade unionists were detained by the authorities after participating in peaceful protests and industrial action.  I wrote to the President of Belarus today to urge Mr. Lukashenko to prevent human rights violations and ensure full respect for workers’ rights and freedoms. I raised concern over the charges against six trade unionists detained during peaceful protests. https://t.co/0gZ7RKWKGQ… Read More

Within a short span of time, three separate fires broke out at the Moria Reception and Identification Center (RIC) on the Greek island of Lesbos, according to local fire chief Konstantinos Theofilopoulos, who spoke to State television.  While initial reports suggested there were no fatalities, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said that over 12,600 migrants and refugees have been… Read More

At a regular press briefing on Tuesday, Rupert Colville, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, (OHCHR), quoted Agnes Callamard, the UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Executions, in saying, “They came at the end of a process which was neither fair nor just, or transparent”. #JamalKhashoggi: 1.The Saudi Prosecutor performed one more act today in this parody of… Read More

Mr. Navalny, a prominent anti-corruption activist, remains in a coma two weeks after falling violently ill during a flight from the town of Tomsk, in Siberia, to Moscow. He was later airlifted to Berlin for treatment, after Russian authorities allowed him to be moved.  The German government reported on Wednesday that toxicology tests conducted by a special military laboratory revealed… Read More

Thousands have been detained in the eastern European country, where largely peaceful rallies to demand the resignation of longtime authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko – whose recent re-election to a sixth term opposition leaders believe was rigged – have prompted a heavy crackdown by security forces.  “We are extremely alarmed at the hundreds of allegations of torture and other ill-treatment in… Read More