UN rights expert urges US to go further with sanctions against Myanmar junta
Washington DC, US Reuters The UN human rights expert for Myanmar on Wednesday called on the United States to further tighten sanctions on the country’s military rulers to include their main revenue source, the state oil and gas enterprise. UN Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews, a former member of the US Congress, also said it was […]
UN investigator: Rights of minorities to worship undermined
United NationsAP The UN special investigator on religious freedom urged countries to repeal laws undermining the right of minorities to worship and hold beliefs, pointing as examples to China’s detention of Uighurs, 21 countries that criminalise apostasy, and sweeping surveillance of Christians in North Korea and Muslims in Thailand. Ahmed Shaheed warned that “the failure […]
Religious, civil rights groups ask US Secretary of State to request expert probe of American racism
RNS Scores of religious and civil rights organizations have asked US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to request an evaluation by a UN expert of the scope of racism in the country. “While we appreciate the US’s stated commitment to fighting racism, we believe that commitment ought to manifest itself in tangible actions rather than […]
Time to see air pollution as a human rights threat, says UN
LondonThomson Reuters Foundation Air pollution has long been an environmental and health problem – but now it should now be viewed as a human rights issue as well, according to the UN special rapporteur on human rights and the environment. Air pollution is leading to seven million premature deaths a year around the world, including […]
2019 a “crucial test” for North Korea, says UN expert
The coming year represents a “crucial test” for peace on the Korean Peninsula and for a “new stance” on human rights in North Korea, according to a UN expert. Tomás Quintana, UN special rapporteur on human rights in North Korea who has been denied access to the so-called “hermit kingdom”, said 2019 “will represent a crucial […]
Ethiopian reconciliation could improve human rights in Eritrea – UN rapporteur
World Watch Monitor As relations between Ethiopia and its neighbour Eritrea show signs of improvement, the UN’s rapporteur on human rights in Eritrea has called for the momentum to be used to improve human rights conditions in the country. “While peace is being negotiated, while rapprochement is happening, one would make sure that the centrality […]
At least 90 people on death row in Iran aged under 18, say UN experts
At least 90 people on death row in Iran are under the age of 18, says a group of UN experts who are calling for authorities in the Middle Eastern nation to immediately put an end to the execution of those aged who were under 18 at the time of sentencing. Three UN experts – Asma […]
Perception that refugees are more prone to radicalisation “must change”, says UN special rapporteur
The perception that refugees are more prone to radicalisation than others “must change”, according to a UN counter terrorism and human rights expert. Ben Emmerson, the UN special rapporteur on counter-terrorism and human rights, told the UN General Assembly in New York this week that overly restrictive migration policies – introduced because of fears over […]