Burkina Faso: UN rights office calls for probe into latest deadly attack on civilians

Burkina Faso: UN rights office calls for probe into latest deadly attack on civilians

The incident occurred on Thursday when armed men in uniform encircled Karma village, located in northern Yatenga province, and randomly shot at people.  At least 150 civilians were killed, and many more wounded, according to reports.  The attackers – allegedly members of the defence and security forces, accompanied by paramilitary auxiliaries known as the Volunteers…

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Rights expert denounces interference in Beirut explosion probe

Rights expert denounces interference in Beirut explosion probe

Special Rapporteur Margaret Satterthwaite expressed grave concern over interference in the investigation, including threats against Judge Tarek Bitar, who has been leading the process since February 2021.  “Judges should never be threatened or subjected to criminal or disciplinary action simply for doing their job,” she said.  Justice delayed  More than 200 people died as a…

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Libya: Crimes against humanity committed since 2016 – rights probe

Libya: Crimes against humanity committed since 2016 – rights probe

In the case of State security forces, human rights violations were committed to quash dissent and exploit vulnerable migrants, with no justice in sight, according to the latest report, from the Independent Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) on Libya. It documents the “widespread practice” of arbitrary detention, murder, torture, rape, enslavement and enforced disappearance in the country. In addition,…

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Russia’s energy grid attacks, torture in Ukraine, could be crimes against humanity: UN rights probe

Russia’s energy grid attacks, torture in Ukraine, could be crimes against humanity: UN rights probe

According to the Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, set up one year ago at the request of the Human Rights Council, Russian troops committed a “wide range” of violations across the country, many of which are war crimes. These included attacks with explosive weapons in populated areas, wilful killings of civilians, unlawful confinement, torture, rape…

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Syria rights investigators back calls for earthquake ‘failures’ probe

Syria rights investigators back calls for earthquake ‘failures’ probe

The Commission of Inquiry on Syria pointed to “failures that hindered the delivery of urgent and lifesaving aid” to the largely opposition-held northwest region, in the days after the 6 February quakes. Humanitarian assessments point to more than 7,000 people killed in Syria by the natural disaster. Rescue equipment lacking At a press conference in…

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Crimes against humanity likely committed in Nicaragua, says independent rights probe

Crimes against humanity likely committed in Nicaragua, says independent rights probe

Unveiling their first report to be delivered to the Human Rights Council on Friday, the Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua urged the international community to impose sanctions on those responsible. The experts concluded that President Daniel Ortega and Vice President Rosario Murillo “put into practice these crimes” which continue today. ‘Widespread and systematic’ “Based on this investigation,…

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Spain: Rights experts call for probe into claim Catalan leaders were spied on

Spain: Rights experts call for probe into claim Catalan leaders were spied on

“Spanish authorities must conduct a full, fair, and effective investigation into these allegations, publish the findings and stop any unlawful interference into the fundamental rights of the Catalan minority activists in Spain,” they said in a statement.  Top leaders arrested  Following the October 2017 independence referendum, Spain arrested leaders of the Catalonian independence movement on charges…

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Mali: Independent rights experts call for probe into Wagner Group’s alleged crimes

Mali: Independent rights experts call for probe into Wagner Group’s alleged crimes

The rights experts – who include the UN Working Group on Mercenaries – said that a “climate of terror and complete impunity” has surrounded Wagner’s activities in the northwest African country. Systematic killings “We are particularly worried by credible reports that over the course of several days in late March 2022, Malian armed forces accompanied…

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Libya: human rights abuses must be addressed, says UN probe

Libya: human rights abuses must be addressed, says UN probe

The UN Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Libya was established by the Human Rights Council in June 2020, to investigate alleged abuses of international human rights law and international humanitarian law committed in Libya since 2016. The panel’s latest official visit to Libya which ended on Sunday heard testimony from victims’ relatives of extrajudicial killings, torture,…

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