United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that the “rule of force” is increasingly replacing the rule of law, as powerful actors sideline international norms and weaken global protections. Addressing the opening of the UN Human Rights Council’s annual session in Geneva, he declared that human rights are facing a full-scale assault worldwide. He stressed that […]
UN human rights
Over 1,000 civilians killed in Darfur camp
More than 1,000 civilians were killed when Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces seized the Zamzam displacement camp in Darfur in April, the UN Human Rights Office reported on Thursday. About a third of the victims were reportedly executed summarily. The Zamzam camp, located in western Darfur, housed nearly half a million people displaced by ongoing civil […]
UN warns Pakistan: Constitutional changes threaten judiciary
ISLAMABAD: The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, expressed serious concerns over Pakistan’s recent constitutional amendments. He warned they undermine judicial independence and accountability. Türk said the changes could threaten democracy and the rule of law in Pakistan. Türk criticized the process, saying the amendments were adopted without wide consultation with legal experts […]
Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt call on Qatar to stop funding terror groups
Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt called on Qatar to stop funding terrorist groups and respect the rights of migrant workers on Wednesday. The plea came in speeches delivered by the three countries before the UN Human Rights Council at a meeting in Geneva to review the human rights situation in the Gulf state. In its […]
UNHCR issues first ever report on Kashmir, calls for immediate international inquiry
GENEVA: United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHCR) on Thursday after 30 years published its very first special report on Kashmir, calling for an immediate international inquiry. A 49-page report published by the UN Human Rights office stated that there was an urgent need to address past and present human rights violations and abuses which the […]
Pakistan officially notes UPR 2017 recommendation to decriminalise consensual sex
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan officially noted a recommendation made during third Universal Periodic Review (UPR) proposing to revoke laws barring consensual non-marital sex. The UPR recommendations given by Canada and Czech Republic, also suggested decriminalising such acts rather assuring punishment against those who invoked violence against the participants practicing pre-marital consensual sex. Pakistani officials stated that they […]