Tag: Europe News

When the conflict broke out between Government forces and mostly pro-Russian separatists, Yuri Zykov and his family were forced to leave their home in Horlivka, a town in the eastern Donbas region which came under heavy fire, and was badly damaged.They headed to Vinnytsia, in central Ukraine, where Mr. Zykov found that local citizens were welcoming and happy to help.… Read More

Addressing ambassadors, the UN political affairs chief reiterated the UN Secretary-General’s appeal that “there can be no alternative to diplomacy and dialogue”.  Highlighting the “complex and long-standing security concerns and threat perceptions that have been raised”, the Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, Rosemary A. DiCarlo, repeated that any military intervention involving Russia, or NATO alliance forces which are also now on high alert,… Read More

Eight companies, including Vietnamese labour recruitment agencies and Chinese construction firms registered in Serbia, have reportedly been implicated in serious human rights abuses, they said, citing information received.   The experts have written to the businesses and are also in contact with authorities in the three countries.   Appalling conditions  “We are deeply concerned that these migrant workers may have… Read More

If adopted, the Nationality and Borders Bill would “seriously undermine the protection of the human rights of trafficked persons, including children; increase risks of exploitation faced by all migrants and asylum seekers; and lead to serious human rights violations”, Siobhán Mullally, the UN Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, said in a statement. “The bill fails to acknowledge the Government’s… Read More

UNHCR made the appeal in recommendations to France, which holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU), and the Czech Republic, which assumes the presidency in July.   Although many EU countries remain committed to international human rights and refugee laws and principles, 2021 saw the continuation of violent pushbacks of asylum seekers at EU borders,… Read More

According to the UN agency, between 21 and 24 December more than 160 people were rescued by Greece’s Hellenic Coast Guard – with support from the navy and air force, as well as merchant and private vessels.   Commending those efforts, Maria-Clara Martin, UNHCR’s representative in Greece, said “it is heart-rending that, out of despair and in the absence of safe pathways, refugees… Read More

Dominique Day, chairperson of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent, was speaking in the wake of its visit to Paris from 13 to 16 December.  Focus on development  Country visits by UN rights experts take place at the invitation of the host government and focus on fact-finding, diagnosis and recommendations.  However, the Working Group’s mission was… Read More

OHCHR again called on the two countries to address the matter in line with their obligations under international law.  This follows a visit by a UN human rights team to Poland from 29 November to 3 December.  Members were not granted access to the restricted border area, while Belarus denied a request to visit.   Dire conditions   The team… Read More

In a message on Thursday, WHO Regional Director Hans Kluge urged Europeans to “be smart, be kind, be safe this holiday season.”  The COVID-19 threat remains high across the continent, which was already the epicentre of the pandemic even before the emergence of the new Omicron variant.   Use the tools  “My message to the people of Europe and central… Read More

Addressing the Council in Geneva amid steadily increasing international tensions over Ukraine, UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada Al-Nashif, said that similar violations continued to be documented in the Crimea, which she described as having been “temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation” since 2014.    Ms. Nashif noted that the UN rights office, OHCHR, had documented 29 incidents targeting journalists,… Read More