China: 'Vocational training' programmes for Tibetans carry risk of forced labour

China: UN experts demand information on nine imprisoned human rights defenders

The experts sounded the alarm on the lack of information provided by Chinese authorities – deeming it a deliberate attempt to “make the world forget” about the individuals who are spending year after year in isolation.  Between 2010 and 2019, nine environmental human rights defenders were arrested and imprisoned after they protested against allegedly illegal mining activities and hunting of…

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Cambodia: National elections ‘extremely disconcerting’, say human rights experts

Cambodia: National elections ‘extremely disconcerting’, say human rights experts

Cambodians went to the polls on 23 July, amid shrinking civic and political space, including a ban on the main opposition party, media restrictions and harassment of perceived opponents of the ruling elite, UN Human Rights Council-appointed independent experts said. “As a result, the national elections were very unbalanced and raised major concerns for the…

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Tunisia: UN rights chief concerned over crackdown on opposition

Tunisia: UN experts urge swift action to uphold migrants’ rights

“Collective expulsions are prohibited under international law,” the UN experts warned in a statement. They emphasized that it is prohibition under international human rights law to deport migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers without conducting an individual and objective risk assessment of the potential human rights violations they might face upon return. Women and children deported The…

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Russia: UN rights experts call for release of journalist Evan Gershkovich

Russia: UN rights experts call for release of journalist Evan Gershkovich

Mariana Katzarova, Special Rapporteur on human rights in Russia and Irene Khan, Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, were responding to the 31-year-old United States citizen’s arrest and detention while on a reporting trip in the city of Yekaterinburg. “The arrest and indictment of Mr Gershkovich on serious criminal charges which…

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Ethiopia: Rights experts denounce mass deportation of Eritreans

Ethiopia: Rights experts denounce mass deportation of Eritreans

According to the experts, hundreds of Eritreans were also subjected to summary deportations at the end of June. “Collective expulsions are prohibited under international law,” the experts, including Mohamed Babiker, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea, said in a news release issued by the UN human rights office (OHCHR). “Deporting migrants,…

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Rights experts urge Uruguay to prioritise water use for human consumption

Rights experts urge Uruguay to prioritise water use for human consumption

“The continuous decline in water quality due to increased salinity levels in its composition is alarming. This situation significantly impacts vulnerable groups, such as children and adolescents, pregnant women and people suffering from chronic diseases,” they said in a statement. Water privatization fears Although health authorities have urged vulnerable groups to purchase bottled water, “this may…

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