Tag Archives: rights

World News in Brief: Rights abuses in Haiti, Sudan war sees exodus to Chad, food trade optimism

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Between 1 January and 30 May, at least 2,680 people – including 54 children – were killed, 957 injured, 316 kidnapped for ransom, and many more subjected to sexual violence and child gang recruitment.

“Alarming as they are, numbers cannot express the horrors Haitians are being forced to endure daily,” said Mr. Türk.

Conflicts on all sides

In recent months, gangs have attacked Mirebalais in the centre of the country, looting police stations, destroying property and freeing over 500 inmates from the local prison.

Meanwhile, so-called self-defence groups have targeted individuals they suspect of gang affiliation. On 20 May, at least 25 people were killed and 10 injured by a group accusing them of supporting gangs.

Law enforcement has ramped up operations against them. Since January, police have killed at least 1,448 people, including 65 during extrajudicial executions.

Mr. Türk called on the international community to take decisive action to end the violence, including renewed support for the Security Council-backed Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission and full enforcement of the council’s arms embargo.

He also reiterated his call for States to not forcibly return anyone to Haiti.  

“The coming months will be crucial and will test the international community’s ability to take stronger, more coordinated action – action that will help determine the future stability of Haiti and the wider region,” Mr. Türk added.

Outlook for food trade ‘relatively optimistic’, FAO says

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) released their annual Food Outlook report Thursday which provides a “relatively optimistic” look at international food markets.  

According to the report, production is expected to increase across almost all categories, with grain production expected to reach record levels. And while prices do remain higher this year than last, between April and May there was an overall decrease of almost one per cent. 

The report noted, however, that global trends — including rising geopolitical tensions, climate shocks and trade uncertainties — may still negatively impact production.  

“While agricultural production trends appear solid, drivers that could negatively impact global food security are increasing,” said FAO Chief Economist Máximo Torero.

Fowl, fish fraud and fertilizer flows

The report noted that outbreaks of avian influenza have become more persistent and constitute “one of the most significant biological threats to the global poultry sector.” Nevertheless, poultry exports have largely remained largely resilient so far.  

The issue of fish fraud – the misrepresentation of the location or manner of the catch – was also discussed, with FAO warning that risks are growing.  

Additionally, the report examined fertilizer flows, noting Russia’s growing exports and the decrease in fertilizer prices since the COVID pandemic.  

Overall, the report noted, the cost of imports worldwide has increased by 3.6 percent or nearly $2.1 trillion.  

Eastern Chad ‘reaching a breaking point’ as Sudan war refugees continue to arrive  

Aid teams in eastern Chad warn on Friday that host communities are reaching breaking point because of climate shocks and the pressure of hosting war refugees from neighbouring Sudan.

In an alert, the UN’s top aid official in Chad, François Batalingaya, warned that a humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding almost unnoticed by the world’s media.

“Right now, nearly 300,000 people are stranded at the border, waiting to be relocated inland,” he noted.  

“Tens of thousands, mostly women and children, are sleeping in the open without shelter, clean water and health care. These are survivors of war. They arrive traumatized, hungry, and with nothing. They recount stories of mass killings, sexual violence and entire communities destroyed.” 

Major exodus

Since the outbreak of war in Sudan in April 2023, more than 850,000 Sudanese refugees have crossed into Chad. They’ve joined the 400,000 existing Sudanese refugees who have arrived over the last 15 years.

The UN aid official explained that even before the latest Sudanese arrivals, nearly one million people in eastern Chad were in urgent need of help.  

Today, “they are sharing what little they have – food, water, and space – with those fleeing the war,” Mr. Batalingaya said.

In an appeal for international assistance, he warned that clinics are overwhelmed, malnutrition is rising and basic services are buckling.  

US decision to sanction ICC judges ‘deeply corrosive’ to justice: UN rights chief

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Mr. Türk was responding to an announcement by Marco Rubio, the US Secretary of State, on Thursday, of measures targeting the judges, who are overseeing a 2020 case of alleged war crime committed in Afghanistan by US and Afghan military forces, and the 2024 ICC arrest warrants issued against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant, the former Defence Minister.

“I am profoundly disturbed by the decision of the Government of the United States of America to sanction judges of the International Criminal Court – specifically four women judges, from Benin, Peru, Slovenia and Uganda – who had been part of rulings in the situations in Afghanistan or in the State of Palestine,” said Türk, who called for the prompt reconsideration and withdrawal of the measures.

Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, briefs a General Assembly informal meeting on missing persons.

The sanctions, the statement continues, attack the judges for performing their judicial functions, an act which, he said, runs “directly counter to respect for the rule of law and the equal protection of the law – values for which the U.S. has long stood.”

The statement by Mr. Türk follows the ICC’s strongly worded press release on Thursday, describing the sanctions as “a clear attempt to undermine the independence of an international judicial institution which operates under the mandate from 125 States Parties from all corners of the globe.”

The ICC reinforced its position on Friday with a release from the Assembly of State Parties –the management oversight and legislative body of the court – rejecting the US sanctions which, it declared, “risk undermining global efforts to ensure accountability for the gravest crimes of concern to the international community and erode the shared commitment to the rule of law, the fight against impunity, and the preservation of a rules-based international order.”

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World News in Brief: Women’s health in Sudan, childhood wasting, Belarus trade unions, Guatemala child rights violation

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As hostilities rage in Sudan, access constraints and devastating funding cuts are isolating rape survivors and pregnant women from essential health services, the UN sexual and reproductive health agency UNFPA said on Thursday. 

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Gaza: UN rights chief condemns new killings around private aid hub

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“Attacks directed against civilians constitute a grave breach of international law and a war crime,” the High Commissioner said in a statement, issued after Palestinians were reportedly killed seeking assistance for a third day running.

Mr. Türk also urged Israel to respect “binding orders” issued by the International Court of Justice to fully cooperate with the UN and ensure that aid reaches the people of Gaza “without delay” and “at scale”.

“There is no justification for failing to comply with these obligations,” he said.

Access calls denied

The controversial new aid initiative run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation bypasses the work of UN aid agencies which have repeatedly appealed for unimpeded access to Gaza in order to bring in thousands of tonnes of supplies. To date, the little aid that has been allowed into the enclave has fallen far short of what is needed.

In an update, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) insisted that it still had “teams on the ground” in Gaza ready to distribute supplies where they are needed across the war-torn enclave, if only they could be allowed to move.

“We have right now 51 trucks waiting loaded with medical supplies to go to those few hospitals that are still functional,” said WHO spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic. “We need access so that we can bring in supplies within Gaza to health facilities so they can function. Unfortunately, what is happening is just the opposite. There is no hospital in north Gaza functional anymore.”

On Monday, Mr. Jasarevic said that a WHO team went to the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza “and basically evacuated all remaining patients and medical staff…now that hospital is completely empty”. In Jabalia, also in northern Gaza, three Israeli soldiers were reportedly killed on Monday when their vehicle struck an explosive device.

Most vulnerable miss out

Critics of the US-Israeli scheme – which include the UN – have warned that it prevents children, the elderly and those with disabilities from receiving aid, since recipients often have to walk long distances to retrieve boxes of supplies distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis.

“The wilful impediment of access to food and other life-sustaining relief supplies for civilians may constitute a war crime,” Mr. Türk said.

His lengthy statement also condemned “the threat of starvation” faced by Gazans today, the “20 months of killing of civilians and destruction on a massive scale”.

Gazans have also been repeatedly displaced by evacuation orders from the Israeli military and faced “intolerable, dehumanizing rhetoric and threats by Israel’s leadership to empty the Strip”, the UN rights chief noted. All of these facts constitute elements of the most serious crimes under international law, he insisted.

‘Am I going to get shot?’

Jeremy Laurence, spokesperson for the UN human rights office, OHCHR, highlighted the High Commissioner’s call for a prompt, independent investigation into the dozens of reported killings in Gaza since the new aid hub opened on 27 May.

“I think there’s so much which has happened in the past three days apart from the tragic circumstances of human beings trying to gather food to survive and then being killed in the process,” he told journalists in Geneva. “[Gazans] are being forced to walk to these centres and now they’re terrified. Probably they go there and they’re thinking, ‘Am I going to get food or am I going to get shot?’”

Mr. Laurence noted multiple media reports on killings around the southern Gaza aid hub in recent days indicating engagement by helicopters, naval vessels, tanks and ground troops.

“We are aware of those reports,” he said, noting that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had also published an account on X of what had happened on Tuesday.

“My colleagues who are working on the ground have conducted interviews with witnesses and they do report fire from the IDF on those trying to access the food distribution centres. We’ve received reports from other organizations on the ground to a similar effect.”

He added: “We’ve gathered our own information; we’ve spoken to witnesses on the ground who have shared what they have seen, heard and felt themselves.”

Asked to explain what the High Commissioner meant when he expressed concerns that the “most serious crimes under international law” may have been committed, Mr. Laurence explained that this referred to war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

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UN rights chief calls for end to daily killings in Ukraine after deadly weekend attacks

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The majority of those killed and injured were in major cities such as Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Mykolaiv, or in populated areas in other regions.

Meanwhile, large numbers of long-range drones launched into Russia by Ukrainian armed forces injured at least 11 civilians over the weekend, according to Russian authorities.

Silence the guns

High Commissioner Volker Türk underscored the urgency for an end to hostilities.

“It is time to put an end to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, to commit to – and implement – a comprehensive ceasefire that stops the daily killing and destruction, and to start genuine peace negotiations, built on respect for international law,” he said.

He highlighted that – even amid ongoing hostilities – people deprived of their liberty must be protected. Summary executions, torture and all forms of inhumane and degrading treatment of prisoners are always prohibited, in any circumstances, and must stop immediately.

In addition, civilian detainees should be released as soon as the lawful reason for their detention ceases to exist and their protection against refoulement must be ensured, he said.

Relief, but also loss

High Commissioner Türk welcomed the recent exchange of prisoners of war and civilian detainees.

Nearly 900 prisoners of war and 120 civilians from each side were exchanged. Most of the civilians appeared to have been detainees, but details on individuals included in the exchange are not yet available, according to his office, OHCHR.

“Many families can now breathe a sigh of relief because their loved ones have finally returned home,” Mr. Türk said.

“But at the same time, other families have lost relatives and their homes, as their communities across Ukraine came under attack.”

Impact on children

In a separate statement, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) expressed deep concern for the impact of the latest attacks on Ukraine’s children.

Munir Mammadzade, UNICEF Representative in Ukraine, said that in the past three days, at least three children were reportedly killed in Zhytomyr, and at least 13 children were injured in several regions across the country.

“Ukraine’s children have suffered for far too long. How many more futures must be stolen? The senseless violence and loss of young lives must stop,” Mr. Mammadzade said.

According to UNICEF, more than 220 children were killed or injured between January and April 2025 – a 40 per cent increase compared to the same period last year.

“Attacks on civilian areas must end, and children must always be protected,” Mr. Mammadzade emphasised. “Above all, children need an end to this war.”

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UN warns of ‘catastrophic’ human rights crisis in Myanmar as violence and economic collapse deepen

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Published ahead of the Human Rights Council’s upcoming session, the report highlighted the worsening situation since the military coup in 2021, which derailed Myanmar’s democratic transition and ignited widespread armed resistance.

In the years since, military forces have targeted civilian populations with airstrikes, artillery bombardments and other forms of violence, while anti-military armed groups have gained ground, particularly in Rakhine state.

“The country has endured an increasingly catastrophic human rights crisis marked by unabated violence and atrocities that have affected every single aspect of life,” said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk.

Grim toll

The report documents a grim toll: military operations killed more civilians in 2024 than in any previous year since the coup.

In Rakhine, the Arakan Army seized control of most of the state, displacing tens of thousands, while Rohingya civilians were caught between warring factions, facing killings, torture, arbitrary arrests and widespread destruction of villages.

Some Rohingya armed groups have also been drawn into the conflict, according to reports.

Economic crisis deepening

The escalating violence has had a cascading effect on Myanmar’s economy, worsening already dire humanitarian conditions.

Myanmar’s economy has lost an estimated $93.9 billion since the coup, with the gross domestic product (GDP) not expected to recover to pre-pandemic levels before 2028.

Inflation has surged, the kyat has lost 40 per cent of its value, and over half the population now lives below the poverty line, facing food insecurity and soaring prices.

The March earthquakes further exacerbated the crisis, leaving thousands more displaced, homeless and without basic services.

Military control of revenue

Meanwhile, the military continues to control key revenue sources, including the central bank and state-owned enterprises, particularly in the extractive sector.

While targeted international sanctions slowed some revenue streams, the junta has maintained its financial lifelines through forced currency conversion, import restrictions, and a crackdown on informal money transfers.

Myanmar has also become the world’s largest producer of opium and synthetic drugs, with transnational criminal networks thriving under military rule.

Multifaceted approach needed

The report urged a multifaceted response to the crisis, including urgent humanitarian support, cross-border aid for displaced populations and increased political engagement with Myanmar’s democratic forces and emerging governance structures.

It also emphasised the need for accountability through international justice mechanisms, including a referral of the situation to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The report also identified key “constituents for change” in the country’s future – women, youth, ethnic minorities, civil society and pro-democracy actors – and highlighted the work of communities who have established local institutions and forms of governance, often with increased participation from women.

Buildings lie in ruins in Mandalay region, central Myanmar, following the devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck in March.

Hopes for a peaceful future

The report underscored the importance of planning for the day-after, ensuring human rights are central to a future Myanmar – from rebuilding systems to restoring fundamental freedoms.

“There are strong, resourceful and principled individuals and groups rallying and creating the conditions for an inclusive and democratic future,” High Commissioner Türk said. “They are a shining example of hope for a peaceful future.”

The report will be formally presented to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on 1 July.

UN rights mission deplores deadly Russian strikes in Ukraine

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According to the UN mission, the overnight assault from Saturday into Sunday – one of the largest of its kind since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 – resulted in civilian casualties and damage to homes and infrastructure across 10 regions of Ukraine, including the capital, Kyiv.

At least three children were among those killed and nine children were reported injured. The mission is currently working to verify the full extent of the casualties and the broader impact of the attack.

“With at least 78 people reported killed or injured across the country, last night’s attack tragically demonstrates the persistent deadly risk to civilians of using powerful weapons in urban areas, including those far away from the frontline,” Danielle Bell, HRMMU Head, said in a news release on Sunday.

“It is yet another addition to the staggering human toll this war continues to inflict on civilians, with more families across the country now grieving their losses.”

No place is safe

Matthias Schmale, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine, also voiced deep concern over the civilian suffering.

“I am horrified that yet again civilians – among them children – were killed in last night’s massive attacks,” he said in a statement posted on the social media platform X.

“Across Ukraine, no place is safe. Homes and civilian infrastructure were hit. Grateful to humanitarian NGOs and state services who are immediately supporting affected people. Civilians must never be a target.”

Use of long-range weapons

Ukrainian authorities reported that the Russian armed forces launched at least 367 missiles and loitering munitions during the night, in a coordinated attack with air, sea and land-based systems.

The strike followed a similar assault the previous night, which had mainly targeted the Kyiv region.

HRMMU noted that the use of long-range weapons in urban areas has been a major driver of civilian casualties in March and April. While the number of casualties in May had been somewhat lower than April before the latest attack, the toll from this weekend’s strikes will add to the monthly figures.

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UN rights chief calls on South Sudan’s warring parties to end renewed fighting

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At least 75 civilians have been killed in hostilities between the national army (SSPDF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-In Opposition (SPLA-IO) – which is both a political party and militia group loyal to First Vice President Riek Machar – and their respective allied armed groups, said UN human rights office, OHCHR, in a press release.

Thousands have been displaced from their homes.

South Sudan was plunged into civil war in 2013 between supporters of the President Salva Kiir and his rival Mr. Machar but a 2018 peace accord led to a fragile power-sharing agreement.

Escalating hostilities “portend a real risk of further exacerbating the already dire human rights and humanitarian situation,” said Volker Türk, head of the UN human rights office (OHCHR), urging all parties to the conflict to “urgently pull back from the brink.”

Intensifying hostilities

The latest armed violence erupted in February when a militia group identified as the White Army reportedly launched a series of attacks in Upper Nile State, OHCHR said.

Hostilities intensified between 3 May and 20 May with reports of indiscriminate aerial bombardments and river and ground offensives by the SSPDF on SPLA-IO positions in the states of Jonglei and Upper Nile.

Civilian displacement further increased on 21 May because of the SPLA-IO and allies’ counter-offensive in Jonglei State.

“I urge all parties to uphold the 2018 peace agreement,” said the UN human rights chief, calling for the warring parties to “ensure protection of civilians and civilian objects,” and facilitating “humanitarian access in line with their obligations under international law.”

Concern of arbitrary detention

Between 5 and 26 March, at least 55 high-ranking government officials affiliated with the SPLM-IP, among them civilians, have been arrested across the country. Notably, South Sudan’s first vice-president, ministers, members of parliament and military officers were among the dozens of politicians who have been detained.

“I am concerned that many of the detentions are arbitrary in nature,” Mr Türk said, as these arrests were conducted without warrant or due process.”

Mr Türk called for the immediate and unconditional release of those arbitrarily detained, as he urged for authorities to grant the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) access to National Security Service detention sites to assess the welfare of those detained there.

Finally, the UN also urged the authorities to take “prompt, effective and meaningful” steps to halt the spread of hate speech in the country.

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Scam centres are a ‘human rights crisis’, independent experts warn

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It’s believed that hundreds of thousands of trafficked individuals of various nationalities are forced to carry out fraud in the centres located across Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, the Philippines and Malaysia.

“The situation has reached the level of a humanitarian and human rights crisis,” said right experts Tomoya Obokata, Siobhán Mullally and Vitit Muntarbhorn. They stressed that thousands of released victims remain stranded in inhumane conditions at the Myanmar-Thailand border.

The underground operations are often linked to criminal networks that recruit victims globally, putting them to work in facilities principally in Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, the Philippines and Malaysia.  

Many victims are kidnapped and sold to other fraudulent operations, said the rights experts who are known as Special Rapporteurs, reporting to the Human Rights Council. They are not UN staff and work in an independent capacity.

They noted that workers are not freed unless a ransom is paid by their families and that if they try to escape, they are often tortured or killed with total impunity and with corrupt government officials complicit.  

“Once trafficked, victims are deprived of their liberty and subjected to torture, ill treatment, severe violence and abuse including beatings, electrocution, solitary confinement and sexual violence,” the Special Rapporteurs said.

‘Address the drivers of cyber-criminality’

The rights experts added that access to food and clean water is limited and that living conditions are often cramped and unsanitary.

The experts urged Southeast Asian countries, as well as the countries of origin of the trafficked workers, to provide help more quickly and increase efforts to protect victims and prevent the scams from taking place.  

This should include efforts that “go beyond surface-level public awareness campaigns” and which address the drivers of forced cyber-criminality – poverty, lack of access to reasonable work conditions, education and healthcare.

Other recommendations to governments included addressing the insufficient regular migration options that push people into the arms of people traffickers.

Tomoya Obokata, Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences; Siobhán Mullally, Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, and Vitit Muntarbhorn, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia, are neither staff members of the UN nor paid by the global organization. 

Proliferation of scam farms post-pandemic

The dark inner workings of scam farms were revealed in a UN News investigation last year which found that they had proliferated following the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Southeast Asia is the ground zero for the global scamming industry,” said Benedikt Hofmann, from the UN agency to combat drugs and crime, UNODC. 

“Transnational organised criminal groups that are based in this region are masterminding these operations and profiting most from them,” said Mr. Hofmann, Deputy Regional Representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, at a Philippines scam farm that was shut down by the authorities in March 2024. 

When UN News gained access to the compound, it was found to have housed 700 workers who were “basically fenced off from the outside world,” Mr. Hofmann explained.

“All their daily necessities are met. There are restaurants, dormitories, barbershops and even a karaoke bar. So, people don’t actually have to leave and can stay here for months.” 

Escaping was a near-impossible task and came at a hefty price.

“Some have been tortured and been subjected to unimaginable violence on a daily basis as punishment for wanting to leave or for failing to reach their daily quota in terms of money scammed from victims,” the UNODC official insisted.

“There are multiple types of victims, the people who are being scammed around the world, but also the people who are trafficked here held against their will and who are exposed to violence.” 

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Civilians killed in drone strike in eastern Ukraine: UN rights monitors

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At least nine people were killed and seven injured when a Russian drone struck a minibus near the town of Bilopillia in the Sumy region, according to local authorities.

HRMMU monitors are in the process of gathering additional information on the circumstances of the attack and its victims.

Preliminary reports suggest that the minibus was carrying civilian evacuees from an area close to the frontline, the majority of whom were women.

‘A stark reminder’

“With nine civilians reported killed, this would be the deadliest attack in weeks,” said Danielle Bell, Head of HRMMU.

“This is a stark reminder that civilians continue to be killed and injured on a daily basis across Ukraine.”

If confirmed, the strike would represent the deadliest attack since 24 April, when at least 11 civilians were killed and 81 injured in the capital, Kyiv.

HRMMU said that while the number of civilian casualties in May has been somewhat lower than in April, it continues to document daily civilian casualties, particularly along the frontline.

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End senseless killings in the West Bank: UN rights office

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OHCHR has urged Israel to stop all extrajudicial executions and other unlawful use of force and ensure all those responsible are brought to justice.

Over the last two weeks, Israeli security forces killed two Palestinian men in planned summary executions, while seven others were killed in conditions that raise concerns over the use of unnecessary or disproportionate lethal force, the office said in a statement.

On 8 May, Israeli undercover forces appear to have summarily executed a 30-year-old Palestinian man who was being sought in the old city of Nablus.  

CCTV footage suggests that an undercover officer killed the man while he tried to surrender and then shot him again as he lay on the ground, seemingly to “confirm the killing”, OHCHR said.

No evidence of threat

Moreover, the video evidence appears to contradict claims that the man was armed and posed a threat to the officers.

In another incident in Nablus, disguised Israeli security forces chased and killed a 39-year-old Palestinian man they were seeking out in Balata refugee camp on 2 May.  

“Although Israeli security forces claimed that they found a gun and cartridges in his car, they made no claim that he posed a threat to life at the moment he was shot,” the statement noted.

This past Wednesday, Israeli security forces reportedly fired live ammunition and injured a young Palestinian man near the Qalandiya Refugee Camp in Jerusalem. A video shows two Israeli soldiers repeatedly kicking him in the head while he lay injured on the floor from a wound to the thigh.

OHCHR said the soldiers then walked away, without carrying out an arrest or providing medical assistance to the man. 

End collective punishment

The pregnant Israeli woman, 30, was reportedly shot and killed by armed Palestinians while on the highway near Brukhin settlement, west of Salfit, on Thursday.

She was on the way to the hospital to give birth and was being driven by her husband, who was badly injured, according to media reports.

Following the incident, Israeli security forces closed several checkpoints in the northern and central West Bank. 

They also imposed severe movement restrictions particularly around Burqin and Salfit, while an Israeli minister called for the “flattening” of Palestinian villages in response. 

OHCHR said Israeli security forces must ensure that measures adopted following the attack comply with international law, including the prohibition of collective punishment.

UN deplores ‘criminalisation’ of education

Meanwhile, the UN agency that assists Palestine refugees, UNRWA, reported that its schools in East Jerusalem remain empty after Israeli forces enforced their closure last week, affecting nearly 800 students.

“Schools that have been providing education for decades now stand silent, and the daily life of these children has been shattered,” the Director of UNRWA Affairs for the West Bank, Roland Friedrich, said in a tweet on Friday.

He said Israeli forces returned to the schools at the Shu’fat camp and forced their way inside “in a clear attempt to verify that no educational activities were taking place.”

Heavily armed personnel also roamed the schoolyards searching for children and teachers, he added.

“The criminalisation of education at UN schools in East Jerusalem by Israeli authorities is reprehensible at all levels,” said Mr. Friedrich, calling for classrooms to be re-opened immediately. 

US deportations raise serious human rights concerns

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His Office, OHCHR, has received information that over 100 Venezuelan deportees are being detained at a notorious prison in El Salvador. 

OHCHR said 142,000 people were deported from the US between 20 January and 29 April, according to official data.

Harsh treatment in detention

In particular, the fate and whereabouts of at least 245 Venezuelans and some 30 Salvadorans sent to El Salvador remain unclear. 

Many were deported under the US Alien Enemies Act as alleged members of criminal groups and have reportedly been detained at the Centre for Terrorism Confinement (CECOT) in the Central American country.

Detainees at the maximum-security prison are treated particularly harshly, without access to legal counsel or family members and have no contact with the outside world.

Serious rights concerns

OHCHR has received information from family members and lawyers regarding more than 100 Venezuelans believed to be held in CECOT. 

The reports indicate that many were not informed of the US Government’s intention to deport them to be detained in a third country.  

Furthermore, many had no access to a lawyer and were unable to challenge the lawfulness of their removal before being flown out.

“This situation raises serious concerns regarding a wide array of rights that are fundamental to both US and international law,” Mr. Türk said.

They include the rights to due process, protection from arbitrary detention, equality before the law, and protection from exposure to torture or other irreparable harm in other States.

Families feel powerless

Neither the US or Salvadoran authorities have published official lists of the detainees, and their legal status in El Salvador remains unclear. 

Many family members interviewed by OHCHR voiced deep distress at not knowing where, and in what circumstances, their loved ones are being held. Some only became aware when they recognized their relatives from videos on social media of them in or being taken to CECOT. 

“Families we have spoken to have expressed a sense of complete powerlessness in the face of what has happened and their pain at seeing their relatives labelled and handled as violent criminals, even terrorists, without any court judgment as to validity of what is claimed against them,” said Mr. Türk.

“The manner in which some of the individuals were detained and deported – including the use of shackles on them – as well as the demeaning rhetoric used against migrants, has also been profoundly disturbing,” he added.

The High Commissioner welcomed the essential role that the US judiciary, legal community and civil society are playing to ensure the protection of human rights in this situation.

“I have called on the US Government to take the necessary measures to ensure compliance with due process, to give prompt and full effect to the determinations of its courts, to safeguard the rights of children, and to stop the removal of any individual to any country where there is a real risk of torture or other irreparable harm,” he said. 

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UN rights body rules Guatemala failed displaced Mayan Peoples

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The landmark decision, announced on Thursday, also considered the harm caused to succeeding generations.

“Forced displacement is permanent in nature until the victims benefit from a safe and dignified return to their place of habitual residence or are voluntarily resettled elsewhere,” said Committee member Hélène Tigroudja.

Conflict, displacement and violations

The Committee found that the 269 members of the K’iche’, Ixil and Kaqchikel Mayan Indigenous Peoples were violently uprooted from their traditional lands and forced to seek refuge in the capital, Guatemala City, in violation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

They were forcibly displaced during “scorched earth” operations amid internal armed conflict in the 1980s.

Mayan leaders approached the Committee in 2021, claiming their rights under the UN treaty were violated.

Although they had reached a settlement with the Government and agreed on several reparation measures under the 2011 National Compensation Programme – which foresaw, in particular, the resettlement and construction of alternative housing – it was never implemented.

‘Stripped of cultural identity’

The UN Committee’s decision noted that while in the capital city, Mayans were also forced to conceal and ultimately change their identities, representing another violation.

“The uprooting of the victims from their natural environment and lands had a deep, devastating, and lasting impact as they were irremediably stripped of their cultural identity,” Ms. Tigroudja said. 

“They had to abandon their cultural practices, stop wearing their traditional clothing and stop speaking their language, which also constitutes an irreparable loss for their children and grandchildren,” she added.

Transgenerational trauma

In a new approach, the Committee considered that the State violated not only the rights of those who were forcibly displaced but also the rights of third-generation children born in displacement, thus transmitting the trauma of being uprooted. 

“Indigenous Peoples’ rights are, by definition, intergenerational.  Transmission is a key condition for the continuity of Indigenous Peoples’ existence and cultures,” Ms. Tigroudja said.

The Committee also highlighted that the forced displacement and accompanying violence resulted in the victims having to leave behind the buried bodies of their relatives. 

Burial rites disrupted

Moreover, they were unable to perform funeral rituals for family members who died or were executed or forcibly disappeared during the conflict, in violation of their right not to be subjected to torture and inhumane treatment. 

“In Mayan culture, not performing funeral rites is considered a moral transgression which can lead to spiritually caused illnesses that can manifest as physical diseases and can affect the entire lineage,” Ms. Tigroudja explained. 

“These are not only performative ceremonies and rituals but an integral part of the physical, moral and spiritual integrity of members of the communities as well as of the communities as a whole,” she added.

Action by authorities

The Committee requested Guatemala to search for and hand over the remains of the disappeared family members so that funeral rituals can be carried out in accordance with cultural requirements. 

The Government is also urged to undertake other measures, including providing victims, their children and grandchildren with the necessary medical, psychological and/or psychiatric treatment; and publicly acknowledging responsibility.

About the Committee

The Human Rights Committee comprises 18 independent experts who monitor implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

More than 170 States are party to the UN treaty. Committee members are elected by States parties and serve in their personal capacity. They are not UN staff and do not receive payment for their work. 

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Afghanistan’s socioeconomic crisis deepens amid crackdown on women’s rights

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As the Afghan economy faces stalled local production and weak job creation, Afghanistan continues to heavily rely on imports and international assistance.

“UNDP’s current analysis and new data indicate the continuation of a deeply troubling trajectory for the Afghan people, who have been grappling with extreme vulnerability over the past decade,” said Kanni Wignaraja, UN Assistant Secretary-General and head of UNDP for the Asia-Pacific region.

Systemic challenges

In the past year, political uncertainty, an ongoing economic crisis, shrinking international aid and climate disruptions have compounded existing vulnerabilities, limiting the economy’s ability to regain momentum.

As Afghanistan heavily relies on foreign assistance, the current reduction in international aid is likely to have a significant impact on humanitarian operations and the delivery of basic services.

“UNDP stresses the need for targeted interventions to address these challenges, recognising that humanitarian assistance alone is not enough, and sustainable longer-term economic and social solutions are needed,” said Stephane Rodriques, UNDP Resident Representative in Afghanistan.

Restriction on women’s rights

As repressive laws continue to erode women’s rights, safety and access to basic services such as education and employment, Afghanistan’s socioeconomic crisis has seen the gender gap widen further, pushing women deeper into social exclusion and poverty.

With only seven per cent of Afghan women working outside of the household in 2024, restrictions on women and girls are projected to cost the Afghan economy nearly $920 million between 2024 and 2026, according to UNDP.

UNDP called for Afghanistan to lift restrictions on women and girls and for comprehensive support to women-led businesses to be provided.

Returnees

In 2024, Afghanistan also faced a major influx of returnees from Pakistan and Iran, as these neighbouring countries hardened their stance on Afghan refugees and migrants.

The UN expects the rate of returnees to increase in 2025, with an estimated 600,000 to 1.5 million people expected to return to Afghanistan.

“With the anticipated arrival of hundreds of thousands of returnees this year and a marked reduction in international support, Afghan communities will have to navigate substantial challenges that will increase pressure on an already highly tenuous daily subsistence,” said Ms. Wignaraja.

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Sudan: UN rights chief appeals for greater protection of civilians in besieged El Fasher

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“The horror unfolding in Sudan knows no bounds,” Volker Türk said in a statement calling for an end to the war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and former ally the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), now in its third year.

He noted that three days ago, the RSF launched coordinated attacks from multiple directions on the North Darfur capital El Fasher and nearby Abu Shouk camp, killing at least 40 civilians.

Fear of more bloodshed

This brings the confirmed number of civilians killed in the region to at least 542 in just the last three weeks, he said, although the actual death toll is likely much higher.

“My fears are all the greater given the ominous warning by the RSF of ‘bloodshed’ ahead of imminent battles with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and their associated armed movements,” Mr. Türk said.

“Everything must be done to protect civilians trapped amid dire conditions in and around El Fasher.”

Stop the fighting

Furthermore, reports of extrajudicial executions in Khartoum state are also extremely disturbing, he added.

The High Commissioner said he has personally alerted both leaders of the RSF and SAF to the catastrophic human rights consequences of the war. 

“These harrowing consequences are a daily, lived reality for millions of Sudanese. It is well past time for this conflict to stop,” he said.

Diplomatic efforts continue

Meanwhile, the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Sudan, Ramtane Lamamra, was in Cairo this week where he met with senior Egyptian officials, including Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, to discuss the Sudan crisis. 

“They shared the view that an inclusive Sudanese-led political path is needed to restore peace in the country, preserving the unity of Sudan, its sovereignty and territorial integrity,” said UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, speaking on Thursday in New York.

Mr. Lamamra also exchanged views with Ahmed Aboul Gheit, the Secretary General of the League of Arab States, on coordinating efforts between the UN, the Arab League and concerned multilateral organizations to advance a lasting peace in Sudan.  

 

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Afghanistan: Taliban restrictions on women’s rights intensify

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The mission continued to receive reports that Afghan women are being denied the opportunity to join the workforce, are unable to access services without a male relative while girls are still deprived of their right to education.

Since the Taliban took over the country from the democratically-elected Government in August 2021, women and girls have been systemically excluded from equal participation in society, the report confirms.

UNAMA, whose mandate includes monitoring human rights, also reported public floggings, shrinking civic space, and brutal attacks on former government officials.

Beauty salons shuttered

Officials have reportedly shut down beauty salons run by women in their homes and women’s radio stations in various provinces, UNAMA said.

In the province of Kandahar, de facto inspectors asked shopkeepers in a market to report women unaccompanied by a guardian (mahram) and deny them entry into their shops.

At one hospital, authorities ordered staff not to provide care to unaccompanied female patients.

Forced conversions

Taliban authorities have also increased enforcement of repressive restrictions on media outlets, ramped up corporal punishment, and the clampdown on religious freedom and re-education.

Between 17 January and 3 February, in Badakhshan province in northeastern Afghanistan, at least 50 Ismaili men were taken from their homes at night and forced to convert to Sunni Islam under the threat of violence, the report details.

More than 180 people, including women and girls, have been flogged for the offences of adultery and practicing homosexuality during the reporting period, in public venues attended by Taliban officials.

Taliban claim support for women’s rights

Despite documented evidence from the report that de facto authorities are continuing to violate international norms and rights protections, Taliban officials disagree.

“Ensuring the dignity, honor, and Sharia-based entitlements of women remains a paramount priority for the Islamic Emirate,” Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said in a social media post on March 8, International Women’s Day.

“All fundamental rights afforded to Afghan women have been safeguarded in strict accordance with Islamic Sharia law, as well as the cultural and traditional frameworks of Afghan society,” he added.

International legal action

UNAMA has called for action to restore women’s and girls’ rights at the international level.

In January, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Taliban Leader Haibatullah Akhundzada and Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqan over persecution on gender grounds, a crime against humanity under the Rome Statute.

The Taliban rejected the ruling, citing national sovereignty and religious traditions.

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Look inside, not at your competition: Google CEO Sundar Pichai advises

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In an interview at the Code Conference in Beverly Hills early this week, Google CEO Sundar Pichai retorted to a question about competition in artificial intelligence stating clearly that it’s not always the competition but lack of focus within that leads to failure.

“I have always held the view that you tend to go wrong by focusing too much on competition. Big companies, particularly, fail because they stumble internally.”

In a well-connected world, companies are often struck in their plans based on the capabilities and pursuit of their competitors than what their own assessment is. Almost every business ends up paying more attention and time about the competition than it should, which is detrimental, he elaborated.

He reiterated that big companies also fail because they make bad decisions or fail to execute decisions on time. While competition remains to be watched, it should not leverage on your own plans and future prospects. Instead, it should help you revamp inside and be prepared, he suggested.

Sundar Pichai on competition and “Dharma”

“You want to be aware of everything that is going outside. But at the end of the day, your success depends on your execution,” he reminded, which means not to be naive or ignorant of happenings around you but focus on your job first. Your job is to deliver whatever it is you do.

Here, people familiar with Hindu holybook ‘Bhagavad Gita’ can infer that Pichai was referring to Indian philosophy that a person’s “Dharma” is to do his job sincerely regardless of results or rewards. At a broader level, it encompasses ideas such as duty, rights, character, vocation, religion, customs and all behavior considered appropriate, correct or morally upright, but in this context, it entails doing one’s job properly.

Since nobody knows from where the competition might come, Pichai advised companies to focus on serving customers better and at the same time take a note of the competition. “Look, I think–the thing about being in tech is competition comes from nowhere. None of us were talking about TikTok three years ago,” he reminded the audience at the code conference.

His advise remains simple — focus on what you can control.