MEDIA ADVISORY - UN expert on internal displacement launches first official visit to the Philippines

UN expert on internal displacement launches first official visit to the Philippines

GENEVA (16 July 2015) – United Nations Special Rapporteur Chaloka Beyani will carry out an official visit to the Philippines from 21 to 31 July 2015 to assess the situation of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in different regions of the country caused by natural disasters, conflict and development projects.

“The Philippines has a range of internal displacement issues, which include those caused in 2013 by the devastation wreaked by Typhoon Haiyan where significant progress has been made, as well as other displacement situations where challenges remain to be addressed,” he noted.

“It is my intention to assist in finding solutions as well as to share experiences with the Government,” said Mr. Beyani, who visits the country at the invitation of the Government.  

The independent expert is mandated by the UN Human Rights Council to consider the human rights of internally displaced persons in all regions. An essential element of his work is to visit countries to assess displacement situations, government responses and to promote implementation of international standards, including the Guiding Principles for Internal Displacement*.

“This visit presents a unique opportunity to consult with the national authorities and other stakeholders on progress in confronting recent and long-standing displacement challenges, remaining obstacles and efforts to ensure appropriate and durable solutions for all IDPs,” the Special Rapporteur stated.

During his ten-day mission, the human rights expert will visit Manila as well as locations where people have been internally displaced or are at risk of displacement such as Maguindanao, Zamboanga, Tacloban, and South Cotabato.

At the end of his visit, Mr Beyani will share his preliminary findings and recommendations with the media at a press conference which will be held on 31st July at 12:00 PM. at the New World Hotel, Esperaza Street corner Makati Avenue, Makati City.

The Special Rapporteur will present a comprehensive report at the time of his annual report on his visit to the UN Human Rights Council in June 2016.

(*) Check the UN Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement:  http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/IDPersons/Pages/Standards.aspx

ENDS

Mr. Chaloka Beyani, professor of international law at the London School of Economics, was appointed Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons by the Human Rights Council in September 2010. Learn more, visit: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/IDPersons/Pages/IDPersonsIndex.aspx

The Special Rapporteurs are part of the Special Procedures of Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures’ experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from any government or organization, and serve in their individual capacity.

UN Human Rights, Country Page – The Philippines: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/countries/ENACARegion/Pages/AMIndex.aspx

For more information and media requests, please contact Graham Fox (+41 22 917 9640 / gfox@ohchr.org) or write to idp@ohchr.org

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NEWS RELEASE - Bahrain: Freed from jail, now all charges against Nabeel Rajab must be dropped

Bahrain: Freed from jail, now all charges against Nabeel Rajab must be dropped

GENEVA (16 July 2015) – Three United Nations human rights experts* today call on the Bahraini authorities to drop all charges the prominent Bahraini human rights defender Nabeel Rajab, who was released from prison earlier this week for health reasons. While welcoming Mr. Rajab’s release, the experts called it “only a half measure, given that the he is still facing charges that carry up to fifteen years of imprisonment.”

Mr. Rajab, who is the president of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, was jailed in October 2014 in connection with statements made on his Twitter account and was initially charged for ‘publicly insulting official institutions.’ This was only months after he had completed a two-year prison sentence after calling for and participating in peaceful demonstrations.

Despite his recent release, Mr.Rajab’s pending charges include ‘disseminating false rumours in the time of war,’ ‘insulting public officials’ and ‘disseminating false news causing damage to the public security.’

“Criminalizing, prosecuting and imprisoning human rights defenders for carrying out their vital human rights work and enriching public debate are unacceptable under international law,” the experts stressed. “Human rights defenders in Bahrain must be able to carry out their legitimate human rights work without fear of retaliation or imprisonment.”

“We call for the immediate release of all Bahraini activists, as well as political dissidents, detained for peaceful exercise of their rights,” said the the experts, who have expressed serious concerns on a number of occasions to the Bahraini Government concerning the harassment of civil society and political activists in the country.

The UN experts continue to urge the authorities to review domestic laws and practices to ensure compliance with Bahrain’s obligations under human rights law, in particular the freedoms of expression and association and the right not to be arbitrarily deprived of liberty.

(*) The UN experts: Michel Forst, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders; David Kaye, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression; and Maina Kiai, Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association.

ENDS

The Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures’ experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.

Learn more, log on to:

Human rights defenders:

Freedom of expression: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/FreedomOpinion/Pages/OpinionIndex.aspx

Freedom of peaceful assembly and of association: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/AssemblyAssociation/Pages/SRFreedomAssemblyAssociationIndex.aspx

UN Human Rights, Country Page – Bahrain: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Countries/MENARegion/Pages/BHIndex.aspx

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NEWS RELEASE - Burundi: UN experts call for determined Security Council action to prevent mass violence in the Great Lakes region

Burundi: UN experts call for determined Security Council action to prevent mass violence in the Great Lakes region

  

GENEVA (16 July 2015) –  A group of United Nations human rights experts* today urged the Security Council to take immediate action to prevent Burundi from sliding back into violent conflict ahead of presidential elections, a crisis which will not leave the other countries in the region, including Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, unaffected. Thus far, 145,000 persons have fled to neighbouring countries in fear for their lives.

“The world is witnessing an escalating pattern of politically motivated violence in Burundi, enabled by the country’s decades-long tradition of impunity,” the experts warned. “The international community must not simply stand by and wait for mass atrocities to unfold, thereby risking a major conflict of regional proportions before it finally decides to act,” the Special Rapporteurs added, pointing to repeated cycles of mass violations that Burundi and the Great Lakes region have witnessed in recent history.

The situation in Burundi has already involved serious human rights violations. “It is accumulating the well-known and visible marks of a society which previously suffered divisions leading to grave violence. This can escalate into major conflict through the use of outright repression against, and intimidation of, the population at large, the instrumentalization of the police, the closure of independent media, as well as the detention of the opposition and other civic leaders. We also witness efforts to coerce the judiciary, some of whose highest members have fled the country claiming their lives were at risk. In the meantime, armed militias, with the collaboration of authorities, exercise violence against civilians. In these circumstances, it is not surprising that the results of the 29 June elections have generally not been endorsed,” the experts raised alarm.  

“The absence of independent media and a climate of repression and fear to exercise civil rights and express opinions, notably by peacefully taking to the streets, have marred the recent elections and will also be defining the forthcoming presidential elections, now scheduled for 21 July. The postponement by six days of the presidential elections does not remedy this blatant deficiency,” the mandate-holders stated.

“If the government persists in holding presidential elections under the current circumstances – something even the former first Vice-President objected to after also having fled the country – they will in no way confer any legitimacy on the to-be-elected authorities. On the contrary, the elections are highly likely to result in major instability and confrontations in Burundi, with the potential to spread to the region,” the experts warned.

On 9 July, the situation on Burundi was most recently discussed by the Security Council. The seven independent experts strongly echoed the call made by the High Commissioner for Human Rights to immediately disarm the youth militia Imbonerakure which is spreading major violence and intimidation among the population. The experts join the High Commissioner in recalling that the people of Burundi “have a right to go about their lives peacefully, in freedom, equality and dignity; without fear, and with equitable access to their country's many resources and opportunities.”

“The Security Council has a unique role for peace and security and for preventing conflicts worldwide. This is a crisis that is eminently preventable – everyone can see the risks. What is lacking is action,” underscored the independent experts. “Given the painful history of Burundi and the region, the long engagement of the United Nations in the country to re-build peace, the Security Council must be all the more alerted to the increasing potential of an escalation of massive violence,” the experts added.

“Burundians, who live in the world’s third poorest country must be spared another cycle of violence, with the misery and destruction that violence always leave on its wake. They look to the Security Council to live up to its unique role in the prevention of mass atrocities,” the experts urged.

(*) The experts: Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence, Pablo de Greiff; Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Christof Heyns; Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, Gabriela Knaul; Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders; Michel Forst; Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of freedom of opinion and expression, David Kaye; Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Maina Kiai; and the Chairperson of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, Seong-Phil Hong.

ENDS

The Special Rapporteurs and Working Groups are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures’ experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.

Statement of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on Burundi at the Security Council briefing (9 July): http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=16221&LangID=E

Learn more, log on to:

Truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/TruthJusticeReparation/Pages/Index.aspx  

Summary executions: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Executions/Pages/SRExecutionsIndex.aspx

Independence of the judiciary: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Judiciary/Pages/IDPIndex.aspx

Human rights defenders: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/SRHRDefenders/Pages/SRHRDefendersIndex.aspx

Freedom of opinion and expression: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/FreedomOpinion/Pages/OpinionIndex.aspx

Freedom of peaceful assembly and of association: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/AssemblyAssociation/Pages/SRFreedomAssemblyAssociationIndex.aspx

Arbitrary detention: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Detention/Pages/WGADIndex.aspx

UN Human Rights, Country Page – Burundi:  http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Countries/AfricaRegion/Pages/BIIndex.aspx  

For further information and media enquiries, please contact Julia Raue (+41 917 9118 / jraue@ohchr.org) or write to srtruth@ohchr.org

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NEWS RELEASE - “Lawyers need to be protected not harassed” – UN experts urge

“Lawyers need to be protected not harassed” – UN experts urge China to halt detentions

GENEVA (16 July 2015) – United Nations human rights experts* today called on the Chinese authorities to stop what appears to be targeted police harassment and intimidation of lawyers and those working closely with them. “Lawyers are essential to ensure the rule of law; they need to be protected not harassed,” they said.

The independent experts expressed dismay at the ever growing number of lawyers and persons associated with their work, including law firm personnel, legal assistants and human rights defenders, who have been arrested and detained, including incommunicado, or summoned and questioned since 9 July 2015.

More than 100 lawyers have been arrested and detained or interrogated over the last few days in direct connection with their professional activities, according to the information received by the experts. Most of the lawyers are believed to have been working on human rights-related cases, in particular cases where they represented well known political dissidents, journalists and artists.

“If no charges are pressed, the authorities should immediately release all persons detained; alternatively, if they are officially charged with criminal offences, all due process guarantees should be provided, in particular the immediate and adequate access to an independent legal counsel,” they stressed.

“We are particularly concerned about the physical and mental integrity of 10 individuals, including 6 lawyers, who are currently held in police custody or under ‘residential surveillance’ in unknown locations, in most cases incommunicado since their arrests,” they said.

The experts expressed further concern that these persons may have been arbitrarily arrested and detained in contravention of not only the UN Basic Principles of the Role of Lawyers and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, but also the Chinese Criminal Procedure Code.

“The fate and whereabouts of another 12 persons, including 3 lawyers, who have disappeared in unknown circumstances, are also worrying,” they noted.  “We call on the Chinese authorities to investigate these cases urgently and provide full disclosure on the results.”

“In societies governed by the rule of law, lawyers advocate within the legal system on behalf of clients, even where their personal views may differ from the clients’ views,” the independent experts stated. “Lawyers should never have to suffer prosecution or any other kind of sanctions or intimidation for discharging their professional duties.”

The experts underscored that, “as one of the three main actors of an independent justice system, lawyers have an essential role to play in protecting human rights, in particular due process and fair trial guarantees, and ultimately contribute greatly to ensuring respect for the rule of law.”

The experts are in contact with the Chinese authorities to clarify the issues in question.

(*) The experts: Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, Gabriela Knaul; Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders; Michel Forst; Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of freedom of opinion and expression, David Kaye; Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Maina Kiai; and the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Juan E. Méndez.

ENDS

The Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures’ experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.

Learn more, log on to:

Independence of the judiciary: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Judiciary/Pages/IDPIndex.aspx

Human rights defenders: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/SRHRDefenders/Pages/SRHRDefendersIndex.aspx

Freedom of opinion and expression: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/FreedomOpinion/Pages/OpinionIndex.aspx

Freedom of peaceful assembly and of association: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/AssemblyAssociation/Pages/SRFreedomAssemblyAssociationIndex.aspx

Torture: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Torture/SRTorture/Pages/SRTortureIndex.aspx

Check the UN Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/IndependenceJudiciary.aspx

For more information and media requests please contact Amanda Flores (+41 22 917 9186 / aflores@ohchr.org) or write to srindependencejl@ohchr.org

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NEWS RELEASE - “Cambodia’s NGO Bill threatens a free and independent civil soci

“Cambodia’s NGO Bill threatens a free and independent civil society” – UN expert urges Senate to reject it

GENEVA (15 July 2015) – United Nations human rights expert Maina Kiai today called on the Cambodian Senate to reject the draft Law on Associations and Non-Governmental Organisations (LANGO) that “unequivocally threatens the very existence of a free and independent civil society in Cambodia.”

The NGO Bill will soon be examined by the Senate, after being approved on Monday 13 July by the Cambodian National Assembly. The Bill was unanimously adopted by the 68 parliamentarians belonging to the ruling party, while the 55 parliamentarians in the opposition boycotted the vote.

 

“Should the draft law be adopted, any group advocating for human rights, basic freedoms and good governance can be shut down and criminalized. It will ultimately have a disastrous impact on Cambodian citizens’ democratic participation in furthering the development of their country,” the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association warned.

“I urge the Senate to reject entirely the Bill as it falls significantly short of international human rights norms governing freedom of association, in particular Article 22 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights* which Cambodia acceded in 1992,” Mr. Kiai said.

The Special Rapporteur highlighted that, under the draft law, the authorities can de-register local and international associations and NGOs if they consider them as not ‘politically neutral’. They can similarly deny registration on the vague grounds that the purpose and goal of the associations or NGOs ‘endanger the security, stability and public order or jeopardize national security, national unity, culture, traditions, and customs of Cambodian national society’. Associations and NGOs operating without registration in Cambodia will face criminal liability.

“Equally troubling is the fact that there was no meaningful and transparent consultation with civil society throughout the drafting process. Despite repeated requests from a wide range of stakeholders, no draft was publicly released for several months until after the text was already approved by the Council of Ministers and submitted to the National Assembly. The half-day ‘National Workshop on Understanding the Draft LANGO’, convened by the National Assembly on 8 July 2015, did not allow for meaningful substantive exchanges on the detailed content of the draft”, Mr. Kiai underscored.

“Transparency, public participation and accountability are the bedrock of any legislative process in a democratic society,” the human rights expert stressed.

“More than ever, I reiterate my offer of assistance to the Government and legislator, made on numerous occasions since the beginning of my mandate in 2011, to help ensure that the draft law complies with international human rights law,” the Special Rapporteur noted. “It is not too late to reverse the course of action.”

Mr. Kiai’s present appeal has been endorsed by the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Michel Forst, and the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom or opinion and expression, David Kaye.

(*) Check the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights:  http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/CESCR.aspx

ENDS

Mr. Maina Kiai (Kenya) was designated by the UN Human Rights Council as the first Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association in May 2011. Mr. Kiai has been Executive Director of the International Council on Human Rights Policy, Chair of the Kenya National Human Rights Commission, Africa Director of the International Human Rights Law Group, and Africa Director of Amnesty International.

The Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures’ experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity. Learn more, log on to:

Freedom of association: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/AssemblyAssociation/Pages/SRFreedomAssemblyAssociationIndex.aspx

Human rights defenders: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/SRHRDefenders/Pages/SRHRDefendersIndex.aspx

Human rights in Cambodia: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/SP/CountriesMandates/KH/Pages/SRCambodia.aspx

UN Human Rights, Country Page – Cambodia: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Countries/AsiaRegion/Pages/KHIndex.aspx

For more information and media requests please contact Guillaume Pfeifflé (Tel: +41 22 917 9384 / gpfeiffle@ohchr.org) or write to freeassembly@ohchr.org.

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NEWS RELEASE: “Now comes the time to focus on human rights in Iran,” UN expert

“Now comes the time to focus on human rights in Iran,” UN expert welcomes opportunity created by nuclear deal

  

GENEVA (15 July 2015) – United Nations Special Rapporteur Ahmed Shaheed  today called on the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the international community to seize the opportunity created by the agreement on Iran’s nuclear programme to address the human rights situation in the country.  

Mr. Shaheed congratulated all parties to the negotiation for reaching an agreement on Iran’s nuclear programme, and noted that the lifting of economic sanctions will have a beneficial multiplier effect on the human rights situation in the country, especially on the enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights. “Peace, development and human rights are deeply interlinked,” he stressed.

Since 2012, the expert has been warning about the apparent ineffectiveness of humanitarian safeguards against the impact of economic sanctions on the country’s human rights situation in his reports* to the UN General Assembly and the Human Rights Council. The reports outline Iran’ s increasing economic hardships and point to staggering inflation, among other issues, as cause for serious concern about protections for the rights to food and health in the country.

“Economic sanctions have directly or indirectly affected all sectors of the country,” Mr. Shaheed remarked. “They appear to have contributed to the conditions of austerity including the rising costs of basic commodities, and have seemingly impacted access to medicines, and medical supplies. These circumstances have had a dramatic effect on the standard of living and likely further undermined the full enjoyment of a range of civil, social and economic rights. ”

“It is my sincere hope that the successful conclusion of the nuclear talks, which will enable the lifting of economic sanctions, will allow President Hassan Rouhani to focus on his other campaign pledges, specifically those to promote the enjoyment of all human rights by the Iranian people,” Mr. Shaheed said.

The Special Rapporteur urged the Government of Iran to spare no effort in addressing long-standing human rights concerns repeatedly raised by the UN human rights mechanisms, especially the alarming surge in executions this past year, increasing restrictions on freedom of expression and peaceful assemblies, women’s rights, discrimination against religious and ethnic minorities, and the ongoing prosecution of journalists, lawyers and human rights defenders.

Mr. Shaheed renewed his call on the Iranian authorities to engage constructively and meaningfully with his mandate by allowing a visit to the country, and reiterated his desire to work with the Iranian officials to address human rights challenges in Iran.

(*) Check all the Special Rapporteur’s reports: http://ap.ohchr.org/documents/dpage_e.aspx?m=183

ENDS

Ahmed Shaheed (the Maldives) is a Visiting Professor at Essex University, UK; a former member of the Maldivian presidential Commission Investigating Corruption; and a foreign policy advisor to the President of the Maldives. Mr. Shaheed was Foreign Minister of the Maldives from 2005 to 2007 and from 2008 to 2010. He led the country’s efforts to sign and ratify all nine international human rights Conventions and to implement them in law and practice. He was appointed as the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran in June 2011 by the UN Human Rights Council. Learn more, visit: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Countries/AsiaRegion/Pages/IRIndex.aspx

The Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures’ experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.

UN Human Rights, Country Page – Iran: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Countries/AsiaRegion/Pages/IRIndex.aspx  

For more information and media requests please contact Naveed Ahmed (+41 22 928 9477 / nahmed@ohchr.org) or write to sr-iran@ohchr.org

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NEWS RELEASE - “Not at the cost of human rights” – UN expert warns against more

 “Not at the cost of human rights” – UN expert warns against more austerity measures for Greece

  

ADDIS ABABA / GENEVA (15 July 2015) – The United Nations Independent Expert on foreign debt and human rights, Juan Pablo Bohoslavsky, today urged the European institutions, the International Monetary Fund and the Greek Government to fully assess the impact on human rights of possible new austerity measures to ensure that they do not come as a cost to human rights.

“I am seriously concerned about voices saying that Greece is in a humanitarian crisis, with shortages in medicines and food,” Mr. Bohoslavsky said from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where he is currently participating in the Third International Conference on Financing for Development.

 

“I hope that the deal struck this week in Brussels will avoid a larger crisis in Greece,” the expert said. “However, further adjustment policies should respect the human rights obligations that are binding not only for the Government of Greece, but as well for the creditor countries and lending institutions. There is real legal risk that some of the harsh austerity measures could be incompatible with European and international human rights law.”

“Priority should be to ensure that everybody in Greece has access to core minimum levels of economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to health care, food and social security,” he added.

The human rights expert said there is a need to integrate social and distributional aspects in debt sustainability analysis to make fully informed decisions before new austerity measures are adopted.

“A debt service burden that may be sustainable from a narrow financial perspective may not be viable at all if one considers the comprehensive concept of sustainable development, which includes the protection of the environment, human rights and social development,” he noted.

“Greece seems to be already in a situation in which insolvency and illiquidity are indistinguishable. As the International Monetary Fund has noted on Tuesday this week, debt relief in the form of a haircut would have been the better choice to bring Greece’s debt back to sustainability. It would also reduce Greece’s unhealthy dependence on creditor institutions and reflect the principle of co-responsibility in the built-up of the public debt of Greece,” the Independent Expert argued.

Mr. Bohoslavsky stressed that interim financing for banks is now most urgently needed to ensure that the businesses can continue their economic activities. “However, I urge all parties, including the ECB, to be particularly careful when deciding on emergency credits to Greek banks, given the deep and irreversible political and social processes that a banking collapse could trigger in the country and the region,” he underlined.

“This is in particular important if such decisions are made on emergency credits immediately before referenda or parliamentary decisions to accept or refuse a bailout and adjustment programme,” Mr. Bohoslavsky said.

The expert noted that events before and after the referendum have shown that the democratic assertion that put into question austerity policies produced little positive response from official creditors.

“If this people’s democratic pronouncement becomes almost irrelevant, there is obviously a great challenge in Europe on how the democratic dialogue integrates national, regional and financial interests at stake when negotiating debt agreements without compromising human rights,” he stated.

The Independent Expert has been invited by the Government of Greece to undertake an official country visit from 30 November to 7 December 2015. He is also planning to visit Brussels to meet representatives from European institutions, the IMF and main creditor countries.

ENDS

Mr. Juan Pablo Bohoslavsky (Argentina) was appointed as Independent Expert on the effects of foreign debt and human rights by the UN Human Rights Council on 8 May 2014.  Before, he worked as a Sovereign Debt Expert for the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) where he coordinated an Expert Group on Responsible Sovereign Lending and Borrowing. Learn more, log on to: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Development/IEDebt/Pages/IEDebtIndex.aspx

The Independent Experts are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures’ experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.

Read the Independent Expert’s media statement on Greece (2 June 2015): http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=16032&LangID=E

Check the UN Guiding Principles on Foreign Debt and Human Rights: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Development/IEDebt/Pages/GuidingPrinciples.aspx

UN Human Rights, Country Page – Greece: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Countries/ENACARegion/Pages/GRIndex.aspx

For more information and media requests, please contact Gunnar Theissen (+41 22 917 9321 / gtheissen@ohchr.org) or write to ieforeigndebt@ohchr.org

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NEWS RELEASE - UN human rights expert hails nuclear deal with Iran, and calls for the immediate lifting of sanctions

UN human rights expert hails nuclear deal with Iran, and calls for the immediate lifting of sanctions

  

GENEVA (14 July 2015) – The new United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights and international sanctions, Idriss Jazairy, welcomed the nuclear agreement reached between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the group of P5+1 (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States and Germany) announced today, and called for the various sanctions and unilateral coercive measures in force against Iran to be promptly lifted.

“In addition to international sanctions authorized by UN Security Council resolutions, Iran has been subjected for years to a range of additional, unilateral coercive measures decided by a number of States individually or in the framework of various regional organizations,” Mr. Jazairy said.

“The stockpiling of sanctions and unilateral coercive measures against Iran, some of which went well beyond what was required by the Security Council, has had a significant adverse effect on the country’s economy, its population and ultimately on the enjoyment of human rights of the people of Iran, including its right to food, its right to health and its right to development,” the expert noted.

The Special Rapporteur drew special attention to the “indiscriminate character” of measures such as the ban on the use of international interbank financial telecommunications, or of measures having the effect in practice of impeding access to medicine and medical treatment.

“When a group of diverse targeted unilateral coercive measures converge on the same country, the outcome may become a comprehensive coercive measure,” Mr. Jazairy explained, stressing the fact that “the superimposition of unilateral coercive measures on legitimate Security Council sanctions may distort the purpose of the latter, putting their initial balance out of kilter.”

The independent expert urged all countries which have imposed coercive measures on Iran to lift them promptly and with immediate effect, in line with the commitment contained in the agreement to comprehensively lift UN Security Council, multilateral and national nuclear-related sanctions, including steps on access in areas of trade, technology, finance, and energy.   

“I hope this is a vessel of a trend. We are witnesses of the fact that change is possible,” the Special Rapporteur said referring to the new developments on lifting sanctions and unilateral coercive measures. “I believe that this approach should be increasingly considered and that finally diplomatic negotiated settlements should be given prominence over unilateral coercive measures.”    

The UN Human Rights Council established the new Special Rapporteur’s mandate in September 2014, in response to increasing concern by the UN human rights system and the international community about the negative impact of sanctions, including unilateral coercive measures, on the enjoyment of human rights, particularly their negative impact on the human rights of the civilian population of targeted.

ENDS

Mr. Idriss Jazairy was appointed by the Human Rights Council as the first Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of the unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights. He took office on 1 May 2015. Mr. Jazairy has extensive experience in the fields of international relations and human rights with the Algerian Foreign Ministry, the UN human rights system and international NGOs. He holds a M.A.(Oxford) in Philosophy, Politics and Economics, and an M.P.A. (Harvard). He also graduated from the Ecole nationale d’Administration (France). Mr. Jazairy is the author of books and of a large number of articles in the international press on development, human rights and current affairs. Learn more, log on to: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/UCM/Pages/SRCoerciveMeasures.aspx

 

The Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures’ experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.

UN Human Rights, Country Page – Iran: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Countries/AsiaRegion/Pages/IRIndex.aspx  

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OHCHR PRESS BRIEFING NOTE - (1) Turkey, (2) Israel / Occupied Palestinian Territory, (3) Yemen

Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: Rupert Colville

Location: Geneva

Subject:        (1)        Turkey

                    (2)        Israel / Occupied Palestinian Territory

                    (3)        Yemen

(1) Turkey

We are deeply concerned by recent attacks, discriminatory treatment and incitement to violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in Turkey. In the past two weeks alone, reported incidents include the appearance of posters in Ankara encouraging the murder of LGBT people; a violent homophobic attack against a group of young gay men in Istanbul; as well as rape, assault and robbery against Kemal Ördek, a human rights defender and founder of the Red Umbrella Sexual Health and Human Rights Association. We are further concerned about allegations that in the last case, police officers trivialized the attack, used discriminatory language, tried to dissuade the victim from filing a complaint, and did not provide protection from additional threats by the alleged perpetrators. These incidents follow reports that the police used unwarranted force against individuals who were peacefully assembling and participating in the 13th Istanbul LGBT Pride Parade.

Everyone is entitled to the same fundamental human rights without discrimination or arbitrary restrictions of any kind, including the rights to life, liberty, physical integrity, privacy, equality before the law, freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. We call on the Turkish authorities to take active measures to combat homophobic and transphobic violence and discrimination, to uphold the rights of LGBT people to peacefully assemble and express themselves and to ensure that LGBT victims of crimes are treated with respect and dignity and have access to protection mechanisms and effective remedy. This includes publicly condemning violence and hate speech against LGBT people, ensuring that legislation on discrimination and incitement to hatred and violence explicitly includes sexual orientation and gender identity, and adopting policies to overcome discriminatory attitudes among public officials, including the police and judiciary.

It is critical for authorities to prevent impunity for these human rights violations through prompt, effective, independent and impartial investigations and prosecution in line with fair trial norms and standards. In that regard, we welcome the commitment by Turkey during the Universal Periodic Review to ensure the investigation, prosecution and punishment of serious human rights violations motivated by the victim’s sexual orientation or gender identity. The UN Human Rights Office stands ready to support efforts to this end.

(2) Israel / Occupied Palestinian Territory

We welcome the recent release of Khader Adnan who had been on hunger strike since 5 May 2015 in protest at his continuing administrative detention by the Israeli authorities since 8 July 2014. We reiterate our call, last made in April, on Israel to end its practice of administrative detention and to either release without delay or to promptly charge all administrative detainees, affording them all the due process guarantees required by international human rights law and standards.  At the end of March 2015, 396 Palestinians including one woman were reportedly held in administrative detention in Israel Prison Service (IPS) facilities.  Administrative detainees are held without charge or trial, often on the basis of secret evidence, for periods of up to six months, which are extendable indefinitely. The Secretary-General, the UN Human Rights Office and the Human Rights Committee have called for this practice to end.

On 14 June 2015, the Israeli cabinet approved a bill that would permit the force-feeding of Palestinian hunger-striking prisoners. We are concerned that the bill is now advancing towards final approval by the Knesset. When a similar bill was proposed in the Israeli Knesset last year, both the High Commissioner and a group of Special Procedures mandate holders expressed concerns that the implementation of such a law could breach international human rights standards. We reiterate those concerns today.

We are also seriously concerned at the situation of another Palestinian hunger striker, this time being detained by the Palestinian authorities. Islam Hasan Jameel Hamed has been protesting since 11 April 2015 at his continued detention by the Palestinian General Intelligence Services despite a Palestinian court ruling that he has served his sentence – originally imposed in 2011 – and should be immediately released. Hamed is in his fourth month without food and his condition is now very serious. We urge the Palestinian authorities to respect the court ruling and release Islam Hamed.

(3) Yemen

Between 3 and 13 July, at least 142 civilians, including 36 children and 27 women, were killed, and 224 others injured. This brings the total civilian death toll since 26 March to 1,670. Another 3,829 were injured during this period. Civilian infrastructure has also suffered, with at least 187 sites partially or completely destroyed as a result of the armed conflict.

On one particularly deadly day, 6 July, two markets in different provinces were hit by airstrikes. In a market in Afiosh area in Lahj Governorate, 40 civilians including 12 children and seven women were killed while 17 other civilians were injured. In a popular market in Amran Governorate, an airstrike killed 36 civilians, including eight women and nine children and injured another 21 (including five children).

ENDS

For more information and media requests, please contact  Rupert Colville  (+41 22 917 9767 / rcolville@ohchr.org) or Ravina Shamdasani (+ 41 22 917 9169 / rshamdasani@ohchr.org ) or Cécile Pouilly (+41 22 917 9310 / +41 79 618 34 30/ cpouilly@ohchr.org).       

NEWS RELEASE - UN experts: Corporations must contribute to sustainable development by respecting human rights

UN experts: Corporations must contribute to sustainable development by respecting human rights

GENEVA (14 July 2015) – The United Nations Working Group on business and human rights today urged Governments across the world to ensure that corporations do not undermine sustainable development, and called for greater transparency and accountability for how businesses address human rights risks and impacts.  

“States must set a clear vision for connecting the increasing role of the private sector and businesses in development with accountability and agreed standards for business practices aligned with human rights,” the independent expert group said in a letter* to lead negotiators as they enter the final stages of negotiating the ‘Post-2015 Sustainable Development Agenda.’

Last week, two key outcome documents were made public after months of negotiations: the draft Action Agenda of the Third International Conference on Financing for Development, being held in Addis Ababa from 13 to 16 July 2015; and the final draft outcome document for the UN Summit in New York in September 2015.

“The goals are ambitious, as they must be, calling for ‘a world of universal respect for human rights and human dignity,’ ‘free of poverty, hunger, disease and want,’ and ‘free of fear and violence,’” said Margaret Jungk, who currently heads the Working Group, applauding the Agenda and its message about the need for all parts of society to contribute.

In their letter, the experts highlight that the draft outcome documents stress the critical importance of engaging all relevant stakeholders, including business and the private sector, in implementation of the new Agenda. However, they caution that business activities can also undermine respect for human rights if not properly regulated.

“It is critical to ensure that recognition of the increased role of business in development is coupled with adequate accountability,” the human rights expert said.

“A simple way of addressing this in the draft outcome documents would be to reference the UN Guiding Principles on Business on Human Rights, the authoritative framework to prevent and address adverse human rights risks and impacts of business activities, agreed to by UN member states in 2011,” Ms. Jungk added.

(*) See letter of the Working Group: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Business/Pages/2015Activities.aspx

END

The Working Group on human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises (also known as the Working Group on Business and Human Rights) was established by the UN Human Rights Council in June 2011. Its five members are: Ms. Margaret Jungk (current Chairperson-Rapporteur), Mr. Puvan Selvanathan (Vice Chair), Michael Addo, Mr. Dante Pesce and Mr. Pavel Sulyandziga. The Working Group is independent from any government or organization. It reports to the Human Rights Council and to the UN General Assembly. For more information visit: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Business/Pages/WGHRandtransnationalcorporationsandotherbusiness.aspx

The Working Groups are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms. Special Procedures mandate-holders are independent human rights experts appointed by the Human Rights Council to address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. They are not UN staff and are independent from any government or organization. They serve in their individual capacity and do not receive a salary for their work.

See the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Business/Pages/Tools.aspx  

For additional information and media requests, please contact: +41 22 917 9323 / wg-business@ohchr.org.

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