We must 'learn from history', UN Human Rights Council President says
Feb 28, 2022, at 12:42 am
New York: As the conflict in Ukraine deepens and the COVID-19 pandemic wears on, the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva is gearing up to hold its annual month-long session, which begins on Monday.
Rights experts condemn ‘unrelenting human rights violations’ at Guantánamo Bay
Jan 11, 2022, at 11:08 pm
New York: A group of independent human rights experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council has condemned the continued operation of the Guantánamo Bay detention facility in Cuba as a site of “unparalleled notoriety” and “a stain on the US Government’s commitment to the rule of law”.
Saudi princess released after being jailed without charge for 3 yrs
Jan 09, 2022, at 08:09 am
Riyadh: Saudi authorities have released a princess and her daughter after incarcerating them without charge for nearly three years in the capital, media reports said citing a human rights group.
Pakistani politicians express concern over worsening human rights situation in country
Dec 12, 2021, at 02:30 am
Rawalpindi, Pakistan/IBNS: Political and human rights activists from Pakistan, Pak Occupied Kashmir (POK) and Gilgit-Baltistan have expressed grave concern on the worsening human rights situation in Pakistan.
Jailed Chinese journalist, disappeared rights lawyer win Lin Zhao Freedom Award
Dec 10, 2021, at 11:19 pm
Washington: Jailed Chinese journalist Zhang Zhan and disappeared rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng have been awarded the Lin Zhao Freedom Award for their contributions in promoting civil society and advancing the rule of law.
China's nominee wins key Interpol post amidst human rights concern
Nov 27, 2021, at 03:40 am
Lyon, France/IBNS: A senior Chinese government official has been elected as one of the members in the executive committee of global crime-fighting body, International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL), despite opposition from global human rights groups and an alliance of lawmakers from 20 countries, according to South China Morning Post.
Reimagine justice and end child detentions: UNICEF
Nov 16, 2021, at 05:03 pm
New York: More than 45,000 boys and girls were released from detention during the COVID-19 pandemic, proving that child-friendly justice solutions “are more than possible”, according to new data released on Monday by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
Human Rights chief says climate action only way to ‘safeguard humanity’
Oct 29, 2021, at 11:06 pm
New York: Ahead of the UN Climate Conference COP26, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said on Thursday it was time now to act, and put “empty speeches, broken promises, and unfulfilled pledges behind us”.
Human rights ‘catastrophe’ in Myanmar: UN calls for urgent action
Sep 24, 2021, at 05:49 pm
New York: Urgent action is needed to prevent the situation in Myanmar from escalating into a “full-blown conflict”, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet warned on Thursday.
Bachelet calls for major re-think over impact of sanctions on human rights
Sep 18, 2021, at 12:13 am
New York: Unilateral and coercive sanctions imposed by governments can create severe and undue suffering for innocent people who bear no responsibility for alleged misconduct, the UN rights chief warned the Human Rights Council on Thursday.
Venezuela's justice system aiding repression: Human rights probe
Sep 17, 2021, at 11:56 pm
New York: The independence of Venezuela’s justice system has been “deeply eroded”, to such an extent that it plays a significant role in the State’s repression of government opponents, UN-appointed independent rights experts said on Thursday.
Protect human rights defenders in Afghanistan, says UN rights expert
Aug 19, 2021, at 08:44 pm
New Delhi: Afghanistan faces a “cultural disaster”, following the fall of Kabul to Taliban forces, a UN Special Rapporteur said on Tuesday, in a statement urging countries to provide urgent assistance to human rights defenders, including those working on women’s and cultural rights, as well as artists, trying to flee the country.
Human rights violations against women, girls in Afghanistan leaves Antonio Guterres deeply concerned
Aug 17, 2021, at 11:03 pm
New Delhi: UN Secretary of State Antonio Guterres on Tuesday expressed concern over the accounts of human rights violations against women and girls of Afghanistan 'who fear a return to the darkest days'.
Dissident Pakistani exiles in UK may be 'targeted': Reports
Aug 09, 2021, at 01:27 am
Islamabad/London: Pakistani exiles, who are currently living in London and had once criticised the powerful military of the country, are now facing warnings that they might be targeted.
Civilians in southern Syria ‘under siege’ – UN human rights chief
Aug 07, 2021, at 12:02 am
New York: The top UN rights official once more sounded the alarm on Thursday over the plight of civilians in Syria, as intense fighting and indiscriminate shelling by Government forces and armed opposition groups paralyze neighbourhoods in and around the southern city of Daraa.
New UN report reveals impact of COVID on human trafficking
Jul 10, 2021, at 01:52 am
New York: A new study released on Thursday by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) illustrates the devastating impact of COVID-19 on victims and survivors of human trafficking and highlights the increased targeting and exploitation of children during the course of the pandemic.
Belarus: ‘Full-scale assault’ ongoing against civil society amid massive human rights violations
Jul 06, 2021, at 09:14 pm
New York: Belarus has witnessed an unprecedented human rights crisis over the past year, the independent expert appointed to monitor the country said on Monday, calling on authorities to immediately end their policy of repression and fully respect the legitimate aspirations of their people.
Governments must protect those who help torture victims, say human rights experts
Jun 25, 2021, at 11:09 pm
New York: Top UN rights experts appealed on Thursday for all governments to ensure that victims of torture receive the rehabilitation services they need, along with guarantees that those who help them do not suffer reprisals.
Thousands on the move after brutal attacks in northern Mozambique, UN office reports
Apr 04, 2021, at 02:39 am
New York: Thousands of people in Mozambique’s northern province of Cabo Delgado are on the move in search of safety, as the security situation remains volatile, after last week’s brutal attacks by armed groups in Palma district, according to the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
Countries lack commitment to banning torture, rights expert charges
Mar 09, 2021, at 03:23 pm
New York: Governments have demonstrated a lack of credible commitment to banning torture and other cruel treatment, according to an independent expert mandated by the UN Human Rights Council to monitor the issue globally.
Iran: Human rights experts condemn execution of Baloch minority prisoner
Feb 05, 2021, at 05:30 pm
New York: United Nations independent human rights experts on Thursday, condemned the hanging of a prisoner from the Baloch minority in Iran, voicing fear that a “disturbing” recent increase in executions of community members “will continue”.
Activists feel Pakistan govt denying basic human rights to people of PoK, Gilgit-Baltistan
Feb 04, 2021, at 03:59 am
New Delhi: Human rights activists have claimed that people of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) are living like slaves and are even denied all forms of human rights.
25,000 refugees in unsettled Tigray region receive urgent UN food supplies
Dec 29, 2020, at 06:15 pm
New York: Some 25,000 Eritrean refugees, sheltering in two camps in the unsettled Tigray region of Ethiopia, have received desperately needed food aid for the first time since mid-October.
Human rights must be ‘front and centre’ of COVID-19 response: Secretary-General
Dec 11, 2020, at 04:02 pm
New York: UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called for human rights to be put “front and centre” of COVID-19 response and recovery globally in order to achieve a better future for people everywhere.
UN human rights office worried by killings in Indonesian provinces of Papua and West Papua
Dec 02, 2020, at 04:33 am
New York: Violence is escalating in the Indonesian provinces of Papua and West Papua, where meaningful and inclusive dialogue is urgently needed to address longstanding economic, social and political grievances, the UN human rights office said on Monday.
Protect civilians uphold human rights, UN tells warring parties in Ethiopia
Nov 25, 2020, at 03:36 pm
UN agencies uphold human rights considerations in COVID-19 data collection
Nov 21, 2020, at 03:56 pm
New York: The United Nations and 15 of its agencies have underlined their support for data collection during the COVID-19 pandemic which respects the right to privacy and promotes development.
UN chief appeals for urgent action to reverse ‘downward spiral’ in Central Sahel
Oct 22, 2020, at 12:04 am
New York: The world must act now to reverse the situation in Africa’s central Sahel region, where humanitarian needs are at “a breaking point”, UN Secretary-General António Guterres told a high-level conference on Tuesday to address the burgeoning crisis.
Rape is wrong but death penalty, castration, not the answer: UN rights chief
Oct 16, 2020, at 03:36 pm
New York: While perpetrators of rape and other forms of sexual violence must be held accountable, capital punishment and torture are not the answer, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said on Thursday.
Gilgit-Baltistan: Massive protest demands release of political prisoners
Oct 15, 2020, at 03:37 am
Quetta: Demanding release of political prisoners, a massive protest was held in Gilgit-Baltistan area of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) recently.