News

After a summit in Berlin that took place on 19 January, world leaders have pledged not to interfere in Libya’s ongoing civil conflict, and have vowed to uphold a UN arms embargo. Alongside Mrs Merkel, attendees included Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Representatives from the UAE, Algeria, China, the Republic of the Congo, the United Nations, European Union and African Union … Read more →

On Wednesday 15 January the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, launched the 2020 United Nations human rights funding appeal – requesting a total of $375.5 million to support existing and new programmes aimed at protecting and furthering human rights. Despite human rights being one of the three main pillars of the United Nations, it remains critically underfunded compared to the other ‘pillars’, peace and security and development, … Read more →

More than 300 human rights defenders in 31 countries were killed in 2019. Forty percent of them were working on land, indigenous peoples’ and environmental rights, a new report reveals. The report, released by Front Line Defenders (FLD) on Tuesday, details reported violations of detention, sexual violence, torture, disappearance and physical assault against social activists between January and December of last year. According to the findings, 2019 was characterised by waves of … Read more →

The use of UN veto power by Russia and China almost left millions cut off from lifesaving aid in northern Syria. The two countries used their security council authority to veto the extension of Resolution 2165 in December 2019, but at the last minute on 10 January, they and all parties voted for the extension. Resolution 2165 has allowed the UN to send more than 30,000 trucks of humanitarian assistance … Read more →

This Sunday the executive director of Human Rights Watch, Kennneth Roth, was denied entry into Hong Kong, where he was scheduled to launch the organisation’s World Report 2020 report later this week. Roth has said Immigration authorities told him he could not enter the Chinese-ruled city when he landed at Hong Kong International Airport, despite being allowed access in the past; including to release a Human Rights Watch report on … Read more →

As the US bridges trade relations with China, a Republican Florida Senator, Marco Rubio, warned his government that China shouldn’t be exonerated of its human rights record, despite improved trade relations. Senator Rubio has said that the signing of a U.S-China trade deal will not prevent the United States from criticizing China on its abuses.Sen. Rubio was interviewed on US news network CBS on 6 January he said, “I will … Read more →