Freed Gaza detainees allege abuse, mistreatment by Israel, Palestinian officials say
Cairo, Egypt Reuters Israel released 150 Palestinians detained during its military operations in Gaza back into the enclave on Monday and many have alleged they were abused during their time in captivity, Palestinian border officials said. The detainees, including two members of the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) who had been detained for 50 days, […]
First US nitrogen-gas execution may constitute torture – UN rights office
Geneva, Switzerland Reuters The UN human rights office on Tuesday called on the US state of Alabama to halt its first planned execution of a prisoner by nitrogen gas asphyxiation this month, saying it could amount to torture and violate US commitments under international law. Kenneth Smith, convicted for a murder-for-hire committed in 1988, is […]
Militants kill at least 40 in north Burkina Faso attack on Sunday – UN
Dakar, SenegalReuters Islamist jihadist militants killed at least 40 civilians during an attack in northern Burkina Faso over the weekend, the United Nations’ Human Rights Office said. The latest reported assault in an area rife with jihadist activity took place on Sunday in the town of Djibo, where many displaced people have sought refuge. Fighters […]
Civilian death toll in Ukraine tops 10,000 – UN Human Rights Office
Geneva, SwitzerlandReuters More than 10,000 civilians have been killed in Ukraine since Russia invaded in February, 2022, with about half of recent deaths occurring far behind the front lines, the UN Human Rights Office said on Tuesday. The UN human rights mission in Ukraine, which has dozens of monitors in the country, said it expects […]
Mali’s troops, foreign partners target women to ‘spread terror’ – UN report
United NationsReuters Mali’s troops and its foreign security partners, believed to be Russia’s Wagner mercenaries, are using violence against women and other “grave human rights abuses” to spread terror, UN sanctions monitors said in a report seen by Reuters on Monday. The monitors also warned in their report to the UN Security Council that the […]
At least 87 buried in Sudan mass grave, including women, children – UN
Geneva, SwitzerlandReuters The UN human rights office said on Thursday at least 87 people including women and children had been buried in a mass grave in Sudan’s West Darfur, saying it had credible information they were killed by the country’s Rapid Support Forces. RSF officials denied any involvement, saying the paramilitary group was not a […]
Iran situation “critical” with more than 300 killed – UN rights chief
Geneva, Switzerland Reuters The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said on Tuesday that the situation in Iran was “critical”, describing a hardening of the authorities’ response to protests that have resulted in more than 300 deaths in the past two months. “The rising number of deaths from protests in Iran, including those of two […]
Iran protests flare again as UN voices concern at detainees’ treatment
Dubai, United Arab EmiratesReuters Iranians kept up protests calling for the toppling of the Islamic Republic on Friday, as activists posted videos of crowds demanding the death of the supreme leader and the widely feared Basij militia he unleashed against them. Iran has been gripped by protests since the death of 22-year-old Kurdish woman Mahsa […]
UN rights office says evidence growing of Mariupol mass graves
Geneva, SwitzerlandReuters The head of the UN human rights team in Ukraine said on Friday that monitors had received more information about mass graves in the besieged port city of Mariupol, including one that appeared to hold 200 bodies. “We have got increasing information on mass graves that are there,” Matilda Bogner told journalists by […]
Number of civilians killed in Afghanistan – including children – reached new high in 2018, says UN report
More than 3,800 civilians – including some 927 children – were killed in the conflict in Afghanistan in 2018, accordng to newly released UN figures. The data, from the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan and the UN Human Rights Office, shows that the number of people killed rose 11 per cent on the previous year […]