Tag: human rights

The UN rights chief called on Uganda’s President, Yoweri Museveni, not to sign the bill into law, saying that it would mean lesbian, gay and bisexual people in Uganda will become criminals simply “for existing, for being who they are“. He warned the legislation would lead to “systematic” human rights violations.  Adopted by Uganda’s parliament on Tuesday, the bill proposes… Read More

“We are gravely concerned that extreme violence continues to spiral out of control in Haiti,” said Marta Hurtado, spokesperson for UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Volker Türk. In the first two weeks of March alone, clashes among gangs left at least 208 dead, 164 injured, and 101 kidnapped. Mirroring those grave concerns, UN Haiti issued a statement early… Read More

The annual ceremony to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is held to remember the 21 March 1960 Sharpeville Massacre in apartheid South Africa.  This year’s commemoration also coincides with the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).  UN Photo/Rick Bajornas General Assembly President Csaba Kőrösi addresses the commemorative meeting… Read More

Presenting his report to the Human Rights Council, Mr. Rehman said that the “scale and gravity” of violations committed by Iranian authorities pointed to “the possible commission of international crimes, notably the crimes against humanity of murder, imprisonment, enforced disappearances, torture, rape and sexual violence, and persecution”. The expert slammed “so-called” investigations of Ms. Amini’s death that were “neither credible… Read More

Overall levels of documented violent incidents rose by 27 per cent, from 714 recorded acts of violence in 2021, to 982 last year. 2022 was marked by three distinct surges of violence, the UNMISS report said: between April and May, in southern Unity State; between July and September, in Warrap State; and between August and December, in the Greater Upper Nile region. Call… Read More

Now in its third year, Noeleen Heyzer said that “the impact of the military takeover on the country and its people, has been devasting.” She thanked Member States for renewing the resolution for the continuation of her mandate and support for an “all-stakeholder approach in promoting a Myanmar-led process, reflective of the will of the people”, to end the suffering… Read More

In a report to the Human Rights Council, Special Rapporteur Mary Lawlor, said that “States can and should do more to protect defenders”. She stressed that 25 years after States agreed on a Declaration to promote and protect the work of human rights defenders, their contributions were often ignored. The expert who champions the work of rights defenders worldwide, also reminded the Council… Read More

In his latest report to the Council, the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities, Gerard Quinn, outlined how more inclusive policy approaches and innovative private sector involvement can spur progress. “States and societies at large must move away from systems that were historically built to provide a material safety net and relegate persons with disabilities to… Read More

“The national duty to investigate torture is alarmingly, universally, under-implemented,” said Alice Edwards, UN Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment. ‘Take ownership’ “Despite the impressive growth in international criminal courts and tribunals and our collective commitment to those entities, their capacity to deal with the scale and scope of torture crimes being perpetrated today will… Read More

In a report to the latest session of the Human Rights Council, the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights while countering terrorism, Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, warned of an alarming increase in the use of “intrusive and high-risk technologies”, according to a press release issued by the UN human rights office (OHCHR). This includes drones, biometrics, artificial intelligence… Read More