Ravina Shamdasani, the spokesperson for the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), on Friday, said that Pakistan’s plan to deport the “undocumented” remaining foreign nationals in the country after November 1 should be suspended as it disproportionately impacts more than a million undocumented Afghans who will remain in Pakistan post the final deadline. [...]
Search Results for: ohchr
UN rights office criticizes Peru response to recent protests, calls for reforms
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) issued a report Thursday criticizing Peru’s response to anti-government protests that broke out in December 2022. Among the recommendations the office made, it called for reforms to “ensure the exercise of human rights in the context of demonstrations, continue accountability efforts, & enable [...]
Israel siege and evacuation order of Gaza potentially amounts to international crime: UN
The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) stated on Tuesday that Israel’s siege of Gaza, combined with a recently-issued evacuation order, could potentially amount to the international crime of the forcible transfer of civilians. This comes as the death toll from the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas reaches 4,200 people. [...]
UN rights office urges Russia to withdraw arrest warrants against senior ICC judges
The UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) issued a statement Friday urging Russia to retract arrest warrants the country issued against senior International Criminal Court (ICC) judges. Senior ICC judges investigate and try persons charged with the gravest crimes, namely genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression. In March, ICC prosecutor Khan [...]
UN and WHO launch new guidance to address human rights in mental health care
The World Health Organization (WHO) and UN Human Rights Office launched new guidance on Monday to improve laws addressing human rights violations in mental health care. The guidance encourages countries to rethink their approach to mental health policy so that the individual’s dignity and human rights are at the center of conversation and care. The [...]
UN rights chief opens investigation into Russian airstrike on Kharkiv
Elizabeth Throssell, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, condemned on Thursday a Russian airstrike on a village in the eastern Ukrainian region of Kharkiv that killed at least 51 civilians. In a press release from Geneva, Throssell reiterated the importance of “strictly respecting” international humanitarian law. According to an OHCHR press release, [...]
Rights groups express concerns about China's forcible return of North Korean detainees
Over 50 rights groups expressed their concerns to Chinese President Xi Jinping about the forcible returns of North Korean escapees detained by Chinese authorities. These groups call upon China to end its forcible repatriation of North Korean detainees in accordance with the non-refoulement principle in international law. The letter addresses the potential forceful repatriation of [...]
UN calls for ending sole use of punitive measures when combating drug crime
The Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR) released a report Wednesday detailing the problems that states are facing in combating drug trafficking and addiction globally. The report states that while the drug problem is significant, treating people who use drugs as criminals has never been an effective strategy to combat drug use [...]
UN report says border surveillance technology and decision algorithms may endanger human rights
The UN Human Rights Office released a report Monday that assessed the impact of digital border technologies on human rights, finding that border surveillance technology and decision algorithms may violate the human rights of migrants. While the report acknowledged that digital technologies aid states in achieving security objectives, it also alleged that digital technologies result [...]
The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) released a statement Monday condemning the idea that the Taliban was “reformed.” The statement from multiple human rights experts drew attention to the gap between the promises made by the Taliban during its return to power in 2021 and the reality of “gender apartheid” in [...]