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20. 01. 2017.

MEDIA ADVISORY - UN new LGBT expert launches open consultation on sexual orientation and gender identity / 24-25 January 2017 - Palais des Nations, Room



Tuesday and Wednesday 24-25 January 2017
Palais des Nations, Room XXV, Geneva

New UN expert launches open consultation on sexual orientation and gender identity
  
GENEVA (20 January 2017) – The new United Nations Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, Vitit Muntarbhorn, will convene a public consultation to engage with States, regional human rights mechanisms, UN agencies, civil society activists and others to discuss his work, set priorities and develop effective strategies for the years ahead.  

The expert on sexual orientation and gender identity will also discuss specific topics such as: decriminalization, destigmatization, legal recognition of gender identity, cultural inclusion with gender-and-sexual diversity, and empathization (more information in the concept note).

The event will take place on Tuesday 24 and Wednesday 25 January at the UN headquarters in Geneva: Palais des Nations, Room XXV.

The consultation is open to the public and to the media subject to a registration and accreditation process. Interviews with the Independent Expert can be arranged (see details below).


Click here for more information on the event.

ENDS

Mr. Vitit Muntarbhorn (Thailand), Professor Emeritus at the Faculty of Law, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand, is the first UN Independent Expert on the protection against violence and discriminationbased on sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI). He took up the mandate on 1 November 2016.

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.

For more information, media requests and on registration to attend the event, please contact: Catherine de Preux De Baets (+41 22 917 9327 / cdepreuxdebaets@ohchr.org) or write to ie-sogi@ohchr.org

For media inquiries related to other UN independent experts:
Xabier Celaya, OHCHR Media Unit (+ 41 22 917 9383 / xcelaya@ohchr.org)

You can access this media advisory online


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COMUNICADO DE PRENSA (ESPAÑOL/ENGLISH) - Indignante y absurdo el asesinato del defensor ambiental rarámuri Isidro Baldenegro López en México / Outr



English version, see below
Vea abajo la versión en inglés

Indignante y absurdo el asesinato del defensor ambiental rarámuri Isidro Baldenegro López en México
  
CIUDAD DE MÉXICO / GINEBRA (19 de enero de 2017) – El Relator Especial de Naciones Unidas sobre la situación de los defensores de derechos humanos, Michel Forst, condenó el asesinato del defensor ambientalista y de derechos humanos Isidro Baldenegro López, del pueblo indígena rarámuri.

El Sr. Baldenegro falleció esta semana por las heridas de bala recibidas en un atentado el pasado domingo en su comunidad nativa en Chihuahua, México. Su actividad de defensa pacífica ante la tala ilegal de los bosques rarámuris de su comunidad había sido reconocida internacionalmente con el Premio Goldman en 2005.

“Estoy profundamente conmocionado por el asesinato a sangre fría de Isidro, quien tan sólo deseaba para su comunidad la preservación de los bosques tradicionales en la Sierra Tarahumara”, dijo el Sr. Forst, quien se encuentra actualmente en México de visita oficial a invitación de las autoridades.

“Lamentamos la trágica pérdida de un defensor indígena comprometido y altruista. La muerte de Isidro deja un doloroso vacío no solo en su comunidad, sino en el movimiento global de los derechos humanos,” recalcó el experto.

El 18 de enero, durante una reunión en el marco de su visita oficial en curso a México, el Sr. Forst y el Gobernador de Chihuahua, Javier Corral, declararon conjuntamente: “Condenamos el indignante y absurdo asesinato del defensor ambientalista Isidro. Se trata de un trágico recordatorio de los peligros y riesgos que enfrentan defensoras y defensores indígenas en Chihuahua”.

El Sr. Corral y el experto de la ONU subrayaron la importancia de que se lleve a cabo una inmediata y efectiva investigación por parte de las autoridades competentes sobre el asesinato del defensor.  

“Humildemente me solidarizo con la familia de Isidro y con su comunidad”, concluyó el Sr. Forst.

FIN

El Sr. Michel Forst (Francia) fue nombrado como RelatorEspecial de la ONU sobre la situación de los defensores de derechos humanos por el Consejo de Derechos Humanos en junio de 2014. El Sr. Forst tiene una extensa experiencia en temas de derechos humanos, incluidos la situación de los defensores de derechos humanos, los derechos de niños con discapacidad  y personas mayores, así como pobreza extrema. Ha ocupado cargos directivos en la Comisión Nacional Consultativa Francesa de Derechos Humanos, el Comité Cimade (Comité Inter-movimientos de Ayuda a los Evacuados), UNESCO, la primera Cumbre Mundial sobre Defensores y Defensoras de derechos humanos (Paris), y  Amnistía Internacional (Francia).

Los Relatores Especiales forman parte de los ‘Procedimientos Especiales’, el mayor órgano de expertos independientes en el sistema de la ONU para los Derechos Humanos, que reúne a los mecanismos de investigación y monitoreo establecidos por el Consejo de Derechos Humanos para hacer frente a situaciones concretas en países o a cuestiones temáticas en todo el mundo. Los expertos de los Procedimientos Especiales trabajan de manera voluntaria; no son personal de la ONU y no perciben un salario por su trabajo. Son independientes de cualquier gobierno u organización y actúan a título individual.

ONU Derechos Humanos, página de país: México


Para más información sobre la Relatoría Especial sobre la situación de los defensores de derechos humanos, póngase en contacto con: Jamshid Gaziyev (+41 79 201 0119 / +41 22 917 9183 /  jgaziyev@ohchr.org / defenders@ohchr.org)
 
Para solicitudes de prensa, póngase en contacto en la Ciudad de México con: Gabriela Gorjón (+52 55 5061 6374 / +52 55 5438 1729 / ggorjon@ohchr.org)

Para consultas de prensa sobre otros expertos independientes de la ONU:
Xabier Celaya, UN Human Rights – Media Unit (+ 41 22 917 9383 / xcelaya@ohchr.org)  

Acceda a este aviso a los medios


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NEWS RELEASE

Outrageous and senseless: the murder of Isidro Baldenegro Lopez, a Raramuri environmental defender
  
MEXICO CITY / GENEVA (19 January 2017) – United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Michel Forst, condemned the murder of environmental human rights defender Isidro Baldenegro Lopez of the Raramuri indigenous people.  

Mr. Baldenegro died of wound shots earlier this week, after being attacked last Sunday at his native community in Chihuahua, Mexico. His peaceful defence of the Raramuri community’s forests from illegal logging was internationally recognized through the Goldman Prize in 2005.

“I am utterly shocked by the cold-blooded murder of Isidro, who wished for his community nothing but safeguarding their traditional forests in the Sierra Tarahumara,” said Mr. Forst, who is currently in Mexicoconducting an official visit, invited by the authorities.

“We mourn this tragic loss of a dedicated and selfless indigenous defender. Isidro’s death leaves a painful void not only for his community, but also for the wider human rights movement,” the expert stressed.  

On 18 January, during a meeting as part of his on-going official visit to Mexico, Mr. Forst and the Governor of Chihuahua, Javier Corral, jointly stated: “We condemn the outrageous and senseless killing of environmental defender Isidro. It is a tragic reminder of the dangers and risks facing environmental and indigenous defenders in Chihuahua.”

Mr. Corral and the UN expert underlined the importance of immediate and effective investigation by relevant authorities into the defender’s murder.

“I humbly stand in solidarity with Isidro’s family and community,” Mr. Forst concluded.

ENDS

Mr. Michel Forst (France) was appointed by the Human Rights Council as the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rightsdefenders in 2014. Michel Forst has extensive experience on human rights issues and particularly on the situation of human rights defenders. In particular, he was the Director General of Amnesty International (France) and Secretary General of the first World Summit on Human Rights Defenders in 1998. He is a former UN Independent Expert on the human rights situation in Haiti.

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: Mexico  


For additional information please contact: Jamshid Gaziyev (+41 79 201 0119 / +41 22 917 9183 /  jgaziyev@ohchr.org / defenders@ohchr.org)

For media requests, please contact, in Mexico City, Gabriela Gorjón (+52 55 5061 6374 / +52 55 5438 1729 / ggorjon@ohchr.org)

For media inquiries related to other UN independent experts:
Xabier Celaya, OHCHR Media Unit (+ 41 22 917 9383 / xcelaya@ohchr.org)

You can access this media advisory online

Tag and share - Twitter: @UNHumanRights and Facebook: unitednationshumanrights

NEWS RELEASE - Nigeria / IDP camp bombing: “This tragedy should never have happened” – UN expert urges greater protection



Nigeria / IDP camp bombing: “This tragedy should never have happened” – UN expert urges greater protection
  
GENEVA (19 January 2017) – The new United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons (IDPs), Cecilia Jimenez-Damary, today expressed dismay at the bombing of a camp housing internally displaced persons in Borno state in the troubled northeast region of Nigeria, in which a counter insurgency against Boko Haram is being waged.

Initial reports from the Government-run IDP camp in Rann, near the borders with Cameroon and Chad, state that over 50 people had been killed in the incident, described by officials as an ‘operational mistake’, and more than 200 injured, with the death toll including several humanitarian workers and expected to rise in the coming days.  

“This tragedy should never have happened and brings into stark focus the perilous situation that many internally displaced persons continue to experience in this region of Nigeria,” the human rights expert said. “The safety of IDPs must be guaranteed.”  

“It is imperative that those affected have immediate lifesaving assistance, medical care or be evacuated without delay, as well as access to food and water and all other necessary assistance and support,” she stressed.  

The Special Rapporteur also called for a full investigation into the incident and the adoption of urgent measures “to ensure the future safety of those IDPs and other communities remaining in the area, including consideration of their evacuation to safe locations if necessary.”

The expert described as troubling indications that humanitarian actors may not have had full access to the area for months, in order to assess the humanitarian and protection situation in a region deeply affected by the Boko Haram insurgency and counter-insurgency measures.

“I urge the Government to ensure full and unhindered access to humanitarian organisations to the region and all locations in which IDPs and other vulnerable civilian populations are living,” she said, while acknowledging security concerns.

Ms. Jimenez-Damary emphasized that the Government of Nigeria has the primary responsibility to protect internally displaced persons, who are among the most vulnerable, in line with the Guiding Principles onInternal Displacement.  

The Special Rapporteur, whose predecessor, Chaloka Beyani, and also highlighted his concern about the situation of thousands of IDPs when he visited the region in August 2016, offered her support to the Government to help improve its responses to the displacement crisis, and urged it to work in full cooperation with its international partners to ensure that all necessary steps are taken to protect IDPs.   

While noting the expressions of regret by the Government of Nigeria, including President Muhammadu Buhari, Ms. Jimenez-Damary, conveyed her deep sadness at the loss of life.

ENDS

Ms. Cecilia Jimenez-Damary (Philippines) was appointed Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons by the Human Rights Council in 2016. Ms. Jimenez-Damary is a human rights lawyer specialised in forced displacement and migration. She has held high-level positions with the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) in Geneva, the IDP Project of the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines, and the Philippine Transitional Justice and Reconciliation Commission.

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: Nigeria  

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

For media inquiries related to other UN independent experts:
Xabier Celaya, OHCHR Media Unit (+ 41 22 917 9383 / xcelaya@ohchr.org)

You can access this press release online


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NEWS RELEASE (ENGLISH/FRANCAIS) - UN human rights expert welcomes US decision to lift economic sanctions on Sudan / Un expert de l’ONU se félicite de la


La version française se trouve ci-dessous
French version, see below

 UN human rights expert welcomes US decision to lift economic sanctions on Sudan


GENEVA (19 January 2017) – The United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights and international sanctions, Idriss Jazairy, welcomed the recent decision of President Barack Obama to lift most sanctions unilaterally imposed by the United States on Sudan.  

“By lifting sanctions on Sudan, after adopting similar decisions on Cuba and Iran, President Obama will be remembered as a leader who listened to the international community and stakeholders, in particular the poor and the wretched who were the unintended main victims of such measures,” said Mr. Jazairy, who has reported extensively on the adverse impact on human rights of these sanctions since his 2015 visit to the country.

The human rights expert noted that President Obama’s decision acknowledged the fact that the Government of Sudan has adopted ‘positives actions’ over the past six months. “I urge the Sudanese authorities to intensify their efforts to enhance peace and stabilization efforts and uphold human rights,” he said.  

“The decision by the Obama administration’s to revoke sanctions, is in line with the recommendation I made in my 2016 report to theHuman Rights Council,” the Special Rapporteur said. In his report, Mr. Jazairy warned that imposing unilateral coercive measures (UCMs) on Sudan would “restrict trade and investment in the country, which in turn forces the population to face enormous challenges to their enjoyment of human rights.”  

The expert cautioned that UCMs significantly affected the right to health and an adequate standard of living, the right to food, the right to education and the right to development in the country. He also deplored that exemptions to the sanctions regime were largely ineffective “when financial transactions with the banking system in the Sudan are prohibited.”  

In his report, Mr. Jazairy made a number of recommendations to mitigate the impact of sanctions, including the full activation of exceptions or waivers to the sanctions regime with regard to the trade in agricultural products and certain life-saving drugs.

He also called for the progressive lifting of prohibitions on transfers of remittances from abroad, and for commercial transactions, starting with imports recognized to be crucial to ensure basic human rights.

Finally, the expert noted with satisfaction that his recommendation to establish a mechanism between the UN and the Sudan for the procurement of life-saving medicines had been actually followed up and implemented through its establishment -with the US approval- under the auspices of the UN Office in Khartoum in cooperation with the Sudanese Ministry of Health in March 2016.  

ENDS

Mr. Idriss Jazairy (Algeria) was appointed by the Human Rights Council as the first Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of theunilateral 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.
 
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: Sudan  

For more information and media requests, please contact Michelle Erazo (+41 22 917 9449 / merazo@ohchr.org) or write to ucm@ohchr.org

For media inquiries related to other UN independent experts:
Xabier Celaya, OHCHR Media Unit (+ 41 22 917 9383 / xcelaya@ohchr.org)

You can access this press release online


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COMMUNIQUÉ DE PRESSE

Un expert de l’ONU se félicite de la décision des États-Unis de lever les sanctions économiques sur le Soudan

GENEVE (19 janvier 2017) – Le Rapporteur spécial des Nations unies sur les Droits de l’Homme et les sanctions internationales, M. Idriss Jazairy s’est félicité de la décision récente prise par le Président US Barack Obama de lever la plupart des mesures coercitives unilatérales (MCU) ciblant le Soudan.

« En procédant à la levée des sanctions ciblant le Soudan après avoir adopté des décisions similaires concernant Cuba et l’Iran, le souvenir que laissera le Président Obama sera celui d’un leader ayant entendu les voix de la Communauté internationale et des parties prenantes, en particulier celles des pauvres et des démunis qui, bien que non visés, étaient  les victimes  de telles sanctions », a déclaré M Jazairy qui a fait état de manière détaillée dans ses rapports sur l’impact négatif sur les droits de l’homme de telles sanctions et ce, depuis sa visite dans ce pays en 2015.

La décision de l’Administration Obama de révoquer les sanctions prises par voie d’Ordre exécutif et ne nécessitant donc pas un débat au Congrès, s’inscrit dans la ligne tracée par la recommandation de M. Idriss Jazairy dans son rapport de septembre 2016 au Conseil des Droits de l’Homme.  Cet expert a développé longuement dans ses rapports les impacts négatifs sur les droits de l’homme de ces sanctions et ce depuis sa visite au Soudan en novembre 2015.

L’expert des droits de l’homme a noté que la décision du Président Obama reconnaissait le fait que le Gouvernement du Soudan avait adopté des ‘actions positives’ au cours des six derniers mois. « J’encourage les autorités soudanaises a intensifier leurs efforts en faveur de la paix et de la stabilisation et en  vue de la promotion des droits de l’homme », a-t-il ajouté.

« La décision de l’Administration Obama de révoquer les sanctions s’inscrit en droite ligne de la recommandation faite dans mon rapport 2016 au Conseil des Droits de l’Homme», a précisé le Rapporteur spécial.  Dans ce rapport, M. Jazairy avait émis une mise en garde quant à l’imposition de mesures coercitives unilatérales  (MCU) qui « restreignait le commerce et l’investissement dans le pays, ce qui contraignait la population à être confrontée à d’énormes défis pour assurer l’exercice de leurs droits humains. »

L’expert a souligné les effets nocifs  des MCU qui affectent de manière significative le droit à la santé et à un niveau de vie décent, le droit à l’alimentation le droit à l’instruction et le droit au développement dans le pays.  Il a aussi déploré que les exonérations du régime des sanctions étaient en grande partie sans effet « lorsque les transactions financières avec le système bancaire au Soudan étaient prohibées. »

Dans son rapport, M.Jazairy avait formulé un nombre de recommandations pour mitiger l’impact des sanctions y compris en donnant un contenu effectif aux exceptions ou dérogations au régime de sanctions tant  pour les produits agricoles et pour les médicaments pouvant sauver des vies.

 Il avait aussi lancé un appel à la levée progressive des interdictions de transferts d’épargne de l’étranger puis à celles des transactions commerciales en commençant par les importations reconnues comme étant cruciales pour assurer les droits humains de base.

Finalement, le Rapporteur spécial a noté avec satisfaction que la recommandation qu’il avait émises de constituer un mécanisme pour permettre de se procurer des médicaments de nature à sauver des vies, avait également été suivie d’effet par l’établissement, avec l ‘aval des USA, d’un tel mécanisme sous les auspices du Bureau des Nations unies à Khartoum en coopération avec le Ministère de la Santé en mars 2016.

FIN

M. Idriss Jazairy (Algérie) a été nommé par le Conseil des Droits de l’Homme en tant que premier Rapporteur spécial sur l’impactnégatif des mesures coercitives unilatérales sur la jouissance des droits del’homme.  Il a pris ses fonctions en mai 2015.  M. Jazairy a une vaste expérience dans les domaines des relations internationales et des droits de l’homme, et ce dans le cadre du Ministère algérien des Affaires étrangères, du système des droits de l’homme et d’ONG internationales.  Il est détenteur d’un Master (Oxford) en Philosophie, Sciences politiques et Economie et d’un MPA (Harvard). Il est également issu de l’Ecole nationale d’Administration (France). M. Jazairy est l’auteur de livres et d’un grand nombre d’articles dans la presse internatoionale sur le développement, les droits de l’homme et sur l’actualité.

Les Rapporteurs spéciaux des Nations Unies font partie de ce qu’on appelle les « procédures spéciales » du Conseil des droits de l’homme. Les procédures spéciales qui constituent le plus grand groupe d’experts indépendants dans le système des Nations Unies des droits de l’homme, sont les mécanismes indépendants d’enquête et de surveillance du Conseil qui traitent, soit de situations spécifiques de pays ou de questions thématiques dans toutes les régions du monde. Les experts des procédures spéciales travaillent sur une base volontaire; ils ne sont pas fonctionnaires de l’ONU et ne reçoivent pas un salaire pour leur travail. Ils sont indépendants de tout gouvernement ou organisation et siègent à titre individuel.

Nations Unies, Droits de l’Homme, fiche pays : Soudan

Pour davantage d’informations et pour toute demande des médias, prière de contacter Michelle Erazo (+41 22 917 9449 / merazo@ohchr.org) ou d’écrire à ucm@ohchr.org

Pour les demandes médias liées à d’autres experts indépendants de l’ONU:
Xabier Celaya - Service de presse (+ 41 22 917 9383 / xcelaya@ohchr.org )

Ce communiqué de presse est disponible ici

NEWS RELEASE - “It is time to recognize the contribution of whistleblowers” – UN expert welcomes commutation of Manning’s sentence


“It is time to recognize the contribution of whistleblowers” – UN expert welcomes commutation of Manning’s sentence
  
GENEVA (18 January 2017) – The United Nations Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order, Alfred de Zayas, welcomes the commutation of Chelsea Manning’s 35-year sentence for leaking classified military secrets. Mr. de Zayas calls on all Governments to protect whistleblowers instead of persecuting them.

“I welcome the commutation of sentence of Chelsea Manning and her forthcoming release in May. There are, however, many whistleblowers who have served the cause of human rights and who are still in prison in many countries throughout the world. It is time to recognize the contribution of whistleblowers to democracy and the rule of law and to stop persecuting them.

I call on Governments worldwide to put an end to multiple campaigns of defamation, mobbing and even prosecution of whistleblowers like Julian Assange, Edward Snowden, the Luxleakers Antoine Deltour and Raphael Halet and the tax corruption leaker Rafi Rotem, who have acted in good faith and who have given meaning to article 19 of the International Covenant on Civiland Political Rights on freedom of expression. Whistleblowers who are serving prison sentence in many countries should be pardoned.

Whistleblowers are human rights defenders whose contribution to democracy and the rule of law cannot be overestimated. They serve democracy and human rights by revealing information that all persons are entitled to receive. A culture of secrecy is frequently also a culture of impunity. Because the right to know proclaimed in article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights is absolutely crucial to every democracy, whistleblowers should be protected, not persecuted.

A democratic and equitable international order can best be achieved when States give prompt and effective consideration to the findings and recommendations of international human rights mechanisms, especially those of special procedures mandate holders and treaty bodies.

Respect for human rights and human dignity must be vindicated by giving necessary protection to whistleblowers and adopting a Charter of Rights of Whistleblowers, as I proposed in my 2016 report to the UnitedNations General Assembly.

I urge the UK and Swedish Governments to strengthen the human rights system by giving effect to the recommendation of the UN WorkingGroup on Arbitrary Detention. I am concerned that despite the opinion of the Working Group neither Government has taken steps toward implementation and Mr. Assange finds himself a refugee under the diplomatic protection of Ecuador.

It is time for this abnormal and inhuman situation to end.”

ENDS

Mr. Alfred de Zayas (United States of America) was appointed as the first Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order by the Human Rights Council, effective May 2012. He is currently professor of international law at the Geneva School of Diplomacy. Mr. de Zayas practiced corporate law and family law in New York and Florida. As a Human Rights Council’s mandate holder, he is independent from any government or organization and serves in his individual capacity.
 
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.

UN Human Rights, country page: United States  

For more information and media requests, please contact Mr. Thibaut Guillet (+41 22 917 93 89 / tguillet@ohchr.org) or write toie-internationalorder@ohchr.org

For media inquiries related to other UN independent experts:
Xabier Celaya, OHCHR Media Unit (+ 41 22 917 9383 / xcelaya@ohchr.org)


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NEWS RELEASE - UN experts urge Iran to halt juvenile’s execution



UN experts urge Iran to halt juvenile’s execution

GENEVA (17 January 2016) - UN experts today urged the Islamic Republic of Iran to halt the possibly imminent execution of a juvenile offender.

“We are deeply concerned that the life of a juvenile offender remains in danger and that he may be executed at any moment,” said the experts, Asma Jahangir, Special Rapportueur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, Agnes Callamard, Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions and Benyam Dawit Mezmur Chairperson of the Committee on the Rights of the Child.

The offender was 15 years old when he was sentenced to death in 2012 for stabbing a man. In February 2014, he was granted a retrial on the basis of the new juvenile sentencing provisions of the 2013 Islamic Penal Code.

However, in June 2015 the Provincial Criminal Court of Kermanshah Province found that, at the time of the commission of the crime, he was mature enough to understand the nature of his crime. The court therefore confirmed his death sentence and rejected his argument that he had acted in self-defence following a rape attempt. The death sentence was upheld by Iran’s Supreme Court in August 2016.  

Iran remains one of several States which execute juvenile offenders despite its strict prohibition under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which Iran is a party.

“The Iranian authorities must immediately halt the execution of this juvenile and annul the death sentence against him in compliance with international standards for the imposition of this form of punishment,” the experts stressed.

Several other juveniles were retried under the revised juvenile sentencing guidelines of the 2013 Islamic Penal Code, and also found to be mature enough to be sentenced to death. Fifteen others were reportedly sentenced to death for the first time under these guidelines.

In January 2016, the Committee on the Rights of the Child urged Iran to end the execution of children and persons who committed a crime while under the age of 18. However, at least five juvenile offenders were executed in 2016 and, to date more than 78 juveniles are reported to be on death row.
“Iran must observe its international obligations by putting an end to the execution of juvenile offenders once and for all,” the experts said.

Ms. Jahangir and Ms. Callamard also expressed outrage at the reported execution of 16 alleged drug offenders on Saturday 14 January.

“Under international law, countries which have retained the death penalty may only impose it for the most serious crimes, that is, those involving intentional killing. Drug-related offences do not meet this threshold,” the experts highlighted.

“Moreover, information we received show that the trials of some of these people  marred by violations of due process guarantees and that the proceedings fell short of international fair trial standards,” the experts said. ”Any death sentence undertaken in contravention of a Government’s international obligations is unlawful and tantamount to an arbitrary execution.”

Over the past two years, more 1,000 people have reportedly been executed for drug related offences in Iran and currently some 5,000 people are reported to be on death row for drug offences.

“Until the death penalty for drug related offences is abolished in Iran, a moratorium on these executions should be instituted and all scheduled executions for drug- related offences halted,” the two experts stressed.

The experts also noted that human rights defenders campaigning against the death penalty in Iran are being increasingly targeted. Several anti-death penalty activists were sentenced to long prison sentences in 2016.

ENDS

Ms. Asma Jahangir (Pakistan) was designated as the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran by the Human Rights Council in September 2016 Ms. Jahangir was elected as President of the Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan and as Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. Over the years, she has been recognized both nationally and internationally for her contribution to the cause of human rights and is a recipient of major human rights awards. She has worked extensively in the field of women’s rights, protection of religious minorities and in eliminating bonded labour. She is a former Special Rapporteur on summary executions, and on freedom of religion.

Ms. Agnes Callamard (France) is the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions. She has a distinguished career in human rights and humanitarian work globally. Ms. Callamard is the Director of Columbia Global Freedom of Expression at Columbia University and has previously worked with Article 19 and Amnesty International. She has advised multilateral organizations and governments around the world, has led human rights investigations in more than 30 countries, and has published extensively on human rights and related fields. Learn more, log on to:  http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Executions/Pages/SRExecutionsIndex.aspx

The Committee on the Rights of the Child is the body of 18 independent experts that monitors implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child by its State parties. It also monitors the Optional Protocols to the Convention, on involvement of children in armed conflict and on sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography; as well as a third Optional Protocol which will allow individual children to submit complaints regarding specific violations of their rights. Learn more:

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.

UN Human Rights, Country Page: Iran  

For more information and media requests, please contact Ms. Audrey Rinaldi (+41 22 917 92 25 /arinaldi@ohchr.org)

For media inquiries related to other UN independent experts:
Xabier Celaya – Media Unit (+ 41 22 917 9383 / xcelaya@ohchr.org)  



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OHCHR PRESS BRIEFING NOTES - (1) Iran (2) Bahrain


17 January 2017

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

Subject:        (1) Iran
                (2) Bahrain

(1) Iran

We call on the Iranian authorities not to carry out the apparently imminent execution of Sajad Sanjari, who was a juvenile when he was sentenced to death for fatally stabbing a man in 2012.
Sanjari was granted a retrial in 2014 under the provisions of the 2013 Islamic Penal Code. However, in 2015 the provincial criminal court of Kermanshah rejected his argument that he had acted in self-defence following a rape attempt on him and confirmed his death sentence, finding that he had sufficient “mental maturity” to understand his crime. Iran’s Supreme Court upheld the death sentence in August 2016.
Iran remains one of the few countries that execute juvenile offenders despite its obligations under international human rights law which prohibits the use of the death penalty against anyone under 18 years of age, no matter the circumstances or the crime.
At least five juveniles were reportedly executed in Iran last year and at least 78 people reportedly remain on death row for crimes they committed when they were under 18, although the actual figure may be much higher. The execution of juvenile offenders is abhorrent and we urge Iran to end this practice once and for all.
We also reiterate our call to Iran to immediately institute a moratorium on the death penalty, amid serious concerns about the continuing high number of executions and the lack of fair trial and due process guarantees in accordance with international human rights law. The imposition of the death penalty when fair trial guarantees are not respected may constitute a violation of the right to life.
Reports in recent days suggest that a number of people have been executed for drug-related offences. These include 14 people reported to have been hanged at the Central Prison in the city of Karaj and two executed at Rasht central prison on 14 January. 
Drug offences clearly do not meet the threshold of most serious crimes under international human rights law for the application of the death penalty, as detailed by the UN Human Rights Committee*, and it is therefore deplorable that executions for drug crimes continue to be carried out in Iran.

(2) Bahrain

We are appalled at the execution by firing squad of three men in Bahrain on Sunday.  The men had been convicted of a bombing in Manama in 2014 that killed three police officers. They were found guilty after being allegedly tortured into making false confessions and their lawyers were not given access to all the evidence against them nor allowed to cross-examine prosecution witnesses during court hearings.
The way the trials were conducted raises serious doubts whether the accused were provided with the right to fair trial, guaranteed by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights – the ICCPR - in particular by Articles 9 and 14.
The executions of Abbas Al-Samea, Ali Al-Singace and Sami Mushaima are the first in Bahrain since 2010. We understand that on 14 January the men’s families were asked to go immediately to the prison but despite making repeated requests for information, they were not told their sons were due to be executed the following day. 
We again urge Bahrain to impose a moratorium on the use of the death penalty and to ratify the second optional protocol of the ICCPR that aims to abolish the death penalty definitively.

ENDS

*In its General Comment No 6: Article 6 Right to life, the UN Human Rights Committee says in paragraph 6: “While …States parties are not obliged to abolish the death penalty totally they are obliged to limit its use and, in particular, to abolish it for other than the “most serious crimes”.
Paragraph 7: “The Committee is of the opinion that the expression “most serious crimes” must be read restrictively to mean that the death penalty should be a quite exceptional measure. It also follows from the express terms of article 6 that it can only be imposed in accordance with the law in force at the time of the commission of the crime and not contrary to the Covenant. The procedural guarantees therein prescribed must be observed, including the right to a fair hearing by an independent tribunal, the presumption of innocence, the minimum guarantees for the defence, and the right to review by a higher tribunal. These rights are applicable in addition to the particular right to seek pardon or commutation of the sentence.”
For more information and media requests, please contact Rupert Colville (+41 22 917 9767 / rcolville@ohchr.org) or Liz Throssell  ( +41 22 917 9466/ ethrossell@ohchr.org ) or Ravina Shamdasani (+41 22 917 9169 / rshamdasani@ohchr.org )

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MEDIA ADVISORY - Hazardous substances and waste: UN rights expert launches first official visit to the UK



Hazardous substances and waste: UN rights expert launches first official visit to the UK
  
GENEVA (16 January 2017) – United Nations expert Baskut Tuncak will visit the United Kingdom from 17 to 31 January to assess the country’s human rights record in relation to the life cycle of hazardous substances and waste, from their manufacturing to their final disposal.

“During my first visit to the UK, I will gather first-hand information on the State’s efforts to prevent exposure to hazardous substances and waste and ensure access to remedy for any harm caused," said the UN Special Rapporteur on hazardous substances and wastes.

“Assessing the needs of the most vulnerable to hazardous substances and wastes, including workers, will also be an essential part of my visit," said the expert, who will also look into toxic waste trade practices and trends, the role of industry, and the human rights implications of toxic air pollution, among other issues.

“I will pay particular attention to identifying the legislative and institutional frameworks governing toxic and other wastes management in the country, including in light of ‘Brexit’,” Mr. Tuncak noted.

The human rights expert, who is visiting the country at the invitation of the Government, will meet with representatives of the national Government, as well as civil society organizations and the business community, in London, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Cardiff.

“I believe the visit will provide an opportunity to engage in a constructive dialogue with the UK authorities and other interested parties at the national level about the human rights implications of sound management and disposal of hazardous substances and waste,” he said.

A press conference will be held at the conclusion of the visit, on 31 January 2017, at 10 a.m., at Maurice Barnett Room Central Hall, Westminster Storey’s Gate, Westminster London SW1H 9NH. Access to the press conference is strictly limited to journalists.

The Special Rapporteur will present a comprehensive report with his findings and recommendations to the UN Human Rights Council in September 2017.

ENDS

Mr. Baskut Tuncak (Turkey) was appointed Special Rapporteur on the implications for human rights of the environmentally sound management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes by the UN Human Rights Council in 2014. As Special Rapporteur, he is 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: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

For more information and media requests, please contact:
In the United Kingdom (during the visit): Frederike Jansonius (+41 79 752 0486 / fjansonius@ohchr.org)
In Geneva (before and after the visit): Alessandro Marra (+41 22 917 9882 / amarra@ohchr.org) or write to srtoxicwaste@ohchr.org

For media inquiries related to other UN independent experts:
Xabier Celaya – Media Unit (+ 41 22 917 9383 / xcelaya@ohchr.org)  

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NEWS RELEASE - South Sudan: Continued impunity following grave human rights violations in July 2016



South Sudan: Continued impunity following grave human rights violations in July 2016

GENEVA/JUBA (16 January 2017) – A UN report published today details the grave human rights violations and abuses – including killings and gang rapes – as well as serious violations of international humanitarian law committed in Juba during and after the fighting that occurred between 8 and 12 July 2016. Six months after the violence there remains widespread impunity, as violations continue unabated.

The report by the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and the UN Human Rights Office found that throughout the fighting between the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army  in Opposition (SPLM/A-IO), “the belligerents blatantly ignored international human rights law and humanitarian law.”

The July 2016 events in Juba demonstrated the extremely fragile political and security situation in South Sudan and the complete disregard of civilians by the SPLA and SPLM/A-IO, given the serious human rights violations and abuses that were perpetrated, including the direct targeting of civilians, along ethnic lines and the extreme violence against women and children, the report states.

“Information documented and verified by the Human Rights Division suggests that hundreds of people including civilians were killed and many more wounded during the fighting in various areas of Juba,” the report states. “Moreover, UNMISS documented 217 victims of rape, including gang-rape committed by SPLA, SPLM/A-IO and other armed groups during and after the fighting between 8 and 25 July. According to victims’ testimonies and witnesses’ accounts, most cases of sexual violence were committed by SPLA soldiers, police officers and members of the National Security Services (NSS).”

Testimony from victims interviewed by the Human Rights Division paints a horrifying picture of the violence that civilians were subjected to during the fighting. On one occasion, women and girls were ordered to cook for the soldiers at checkpoints when their friends or family members were raped. According to other testimony, Nuer men and women appeared to have been particularly targeted for attacks, including killings and arrests, during house-to-house searches, with Nuers with tribal markings on their foreheads particularly vulnerable. The whereabouts of some of those arrested remain unknown.

“The fighting that erupted in July 2016 was a serious setback for peace in South Sudan and showed just how volatile the situation in the country is, with civilians living under the risk of mass atrocities,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said.

“In total, a staggering 1.38 million South Sudanese have fled to other countries and another 1.8 million are displaced in their own country. In the absence of any semblance of justice and accountability for the violations perpetrated – including possible war crimes – such unbridled outbursts of violence could quickly escalate civilians will continue to suffer immensely. Concrete steps to halt this downward spiral must be urgently taken, beginning with justice and accountability.”

The report emphasizes the need for accountability and justice for all human rights violations. It urges the Transitional Government of National Unity to take action to “break the cycle of violence and impunity” and take steps to fully support the prompt establishment and operationalization of the Hybrid Court for South Sudan by the African Union. The report also recommends that the State ensure that all victims of human rights violations and abuses, as well as violations of international humanitarian law, have access to an effective remedy, just and fair reparation, including compensation and rehabilitation.

The human rights situation remains grave in South Sudan. In Greater Equatoria, the UN Human Rights Office has received credible reports of serious human rights violations and abuses committed by SPLA and SPLM/A-IO in and around Yei, including killings, sexual violence, abductions and destruction of civilian property.  As a result, thousands of civilians have fled Yei and surrounding towns. They have sought refuge in other regions and in neighboring countries. In early January 2017, fighting in and around Yambio in Western Equatoria resulted in a further displacement of at least 7,000 civilians, mostly women and children.

High Commissioner Zeid reminded the Government of its obligation to protect the rights of all South Sudanese and bring to an end the desperate suffering of the people.

ENDS

To read the full report into the July violence, please visit: http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/SS/ReportJuba16Jan2017.pdf

For media enquiries, please contact:

In Geneva: Rupert Colville (+41 22 917 9767 /rcolville@ohchr.org) or Ravina Shamdasani (+41 22 917 9169 / rshamdasani@ohchr.org ) or Liz Throssell  (+41 22 917 9466 / ethrossell@ohchr.org )

In Juba: Eugene Nindorera (Tel: +211 912 062 162 - Ext. 190-2162 / nindorera@un.org)

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