Latest news with #UNHumanRightsCommittee
Scoop
20-07-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
UNHRC Publishes Findings On Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kazakhstan, Latvia, North Macedonia, Spain, And Viet Nam
GENEVA (18 July 2025) – The UN Human Rights Committee today issued its findings on Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kazakhstan, Latvia, North Macedonia, Spain and Viet Nam, following its review of these States parties during its 144th session. The findings highlight positive developments and outline key concerns and recommendations regarding each country's implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Key issues include: Guinea-Bissau The Committee noted with concern that despite constitutional guarantees, the judiciary remains vulnerable to political interference and pressure from criminal networks. It urged the State party to strengthen the independence and functioning of the judiciary by, among others, providing increased resources to the judicial system. The Committee also raised concerns about restrictions of peaceful assembly, intimidation of human rights defenders, and interference with trade unions, urging the authorities to respect and protect civic space. Haiti The Committee expressed concern about the impact of ongoing large-scale gang violence on the Haitian population and the inability of the police to stop it. It called on the State party to take steps to fully comply with its obligations to protect the right to life, including by implementing a public policy to dismantle the gangs and 'self-defence brigades', and to redouble efforts to prevent and eliminate corruption in state institutions, one of the root causes of insecurity and human rights violations. Kazakhstan The Committee expressed concern that counter-terrorism efforts may be unduly restricting civic space and about reports of the use of force and acts of torture by law enforcement officials against members of civil society. It urged the State party to bring its counter-terrorism efforts in line with its international human rights law obligations and ensure that all allegations of excessive use of force are properly investigated and that victims are provided with remedies. Latvia The Committee raised concerns about border protection measures restricting asylum access, which it said expose refugees to the risk of non-refoulement and ill-treatment. It called on the authorities to ensure all individuals in need of international protection are assessed fairly and efficiently and to investigate allegations of pushbacks and ill-treatment of refugees at border points. North Macedonia The Committee was concerned that despite progress achieved in some areas, including the adoption of a strategy for the inclusion of Roma 2022-2030, discrimination and marginalization against the Roma community remained significant, with its members experiencing high levels of poverty and exclusion, and subjected to ethnic profiling. It called on the authorities to embrace poverty reduction efforts and improve advocacy and awareness to address anti-Roma discrimination. Spain The Committee welcomed progress made in areas of memory, truth and reparation for past human rights violations, including the adoption of the 2022 Democratic Memory Law and the establishment of a Prosecutor for Human Rights and Democratic Memory, but expressed regrets that the 1977 Amnesty Law remains active and that proceedings initiated in 2010 for violations committed during the Spanish Civil War and the Franco Dictatorship have not resulted in any effective actions. It also expressed concern about violent incidents of pushbacks of refugees and the alleged excessive use of force by border agents in Ceuta in 2014 and Melilla in 2022, resulting in serious injuries and deaths. It called on the authorities to implement fair asylum procedures that respect the principle of non-refoulement and to investigate the incidents of excessive use of force in Ceuta and Melilla. Viet Nam The Committee welcomed the recent removal of the death penalty for eight crimes in Viet Nam. However, it remained concerned that the death penalty remains for ten crimes, including non-violent crimes. The Committee called on the State party to refrain from carrying out executions by maintaining a de facto moratorium. The Committee also raised concerns about reports of torture and ill treatment of detainees. The full Concluding Observations are available on the session page.
Scoop
07-06-2025
- Scoop
From Rape To Lost Childhood: Guatemala Found Responsible For Forcing Girl Survivor Into Unwanted Pregnancy & Motherhood
GENEVA (5 June 2025) – The UN Human Rights Committee has found that Guatemala violated the rights of a girl who became pregnant as a result of rape by forcing her to continue the pregnancy and into motherhood. According to the Committee, this amounted to a breach of her right to live with dignity and reproductive autonomy, and subjected her to treatment comparable to torture. The Committee published today its decision against Guatemala in a case involving a 14-year-old girl who was raped on multiple occasions, denied access to legal abortion, and compelled to assume parental responsibilities under coercive circumstances. 'This is the fourth case the Committee has recently examined on terrible similar situations involving other States in the sub-region,' said Committee member Hélène Tigroudja. 'No girl should be forced to carry the child of her rapist. Doing so robs her of her dignity, her future, and her most basic rights,' she said, adding that 'This is not just a violation of reproductive autonomy — it is a profound act of cruelty.' Fátima* was 14 when she became pregnant after being raped by an ex-director of a public day-care centre that she attended as a child. The rapes occurred after she had left the institution. Her aggressor had maintained contact with the family after Fátima left the institution and earned their trust by providing financial support. When her mother learned about the abuses, she reported them and then was bribed and threatened by the perpetrator, his wife and their family. Despite nine years of criminal proceedings, during which the perpetrator continuously pressured Fátima and her family to drop the case, he escaped justice. Guatemala did not properly investigate the rape, nor did it take effective action to prosecute the perpetrator. Since then, Fátima has been stigmatized as a girl who became sexually active at an early age. As it was impossible to obtain justice and effective remedies in Guatemala, Fátima brought her case to the Committee, claiming her rights under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) were violated. Guatemala is one of the Latin American countries with the highest rates of both forced motherhood and systematic impunity for sexual violence. Although the Guatemalan Criminal Code allows abortion in specific situations to avoid a threat to the life of the mother, access to legal abortion is almost impossible in practice. Despite her very young age and the foreseeable risks of pregnancy and delivery, Fátima was forced to carry out her pregnancy. After a traumatic and almost fatal delivery, Fátima was forced to breastfeed the child despite her expressed wish not to see him or be involved in his care. The sexual violence and forced pregnancy caused Fátima severe suffering, resulting in two suicide attempts as the only way to escape from her future forced motherhood. Nine years later, the child born out of rape is living with Fátima's mother, but she is the one struggling to help cover his food, clothing and schooling expenses. The Committee concluded that the State party had violated her right to life under Article 6 of the ICCPR, recalling that the right to life also refers to the right to enjoy life in dignity and requires States to adopt positive measures towards the full realization of everyone's right to sexual and reproductive health. 'Silence and inaction by the State are not neutral; they are not only violation by omissions but also factors of revictimization. Forcing a child into motherhood through neglect is a grave human rights abuse,' Tigroudja said. The Committee also found that Guatemala had violated Article 7 of the ICCPR, which prohibits torture, cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment as the Covenant refers not only to physical pain but also to moral suffering. 'In addition to the trauma of the rapes, the pregnancy and forced motherhood, she suffered a high level of distress caused by a combination of acts and omissions attributable to the State party', Tigroudja said. The Committee also concluded that it is a case of intersectional discrimination. 'This case reveals how gender, age, and poverty intersect to silence the most vulnerable,' said Tigroudja. The Committee called on the State party to establish a system to record and monitor cases of sexual violence, pregnancy and forced motherhood among girls and adolescents and to work towards its eradication. It also asked the State party to take measures to remedy the damage incurred by the forced pregnancy and forced motherhood on Fátima's life plans, by enabling her to complete higher education and pursue extracurricular areas that will empower her to advance her life goals. Guatemala is also requested to make a public acknowledgement of responsibility and to guarantee access to education and psychological care for her child born out of rape.
The Independent
06-06-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Mauritius' use of Chagos deal funds sparks outrage
Mauritius is using UK government funds, intended for indigenous resettlement, to pay off its debts, sparking outrage over Sir Keir Starmer 's agreement to hand over the Chagos Archipelago. The UK-Mauritius agreement involves the UK relinquishing sovereignty over the islands and leasing back the US-UK military base on Diego Garcia for £101 million annually for 99 years, with a £40 million 'Future Fund' meant for Chagossian resettlement. The Mauritian budget for 2025/26 indicates that revenue from Chagos will be used for debt repayment for the first three years. Chagossian campaigners have submitted a legal communication to the UN Human Rights Committee, challenging the legitimacy of the UK-Mauritian deal, arguing it was negotiated without their consent and perpetuates historical injustices. They are vowing to continue fighting the agreement, saying the Mauritian government is prioritising debt repayment over Chagossian rights and welfare.
France 24
04-06-2025
- General
- France 24
Four Ivory Coast opposition figures barred from October presidential election
Four prominent opposition figures in Ivory Coast have been excluded from the final voter list and are ineligible to contest the October presidential election, the electoral commission announced Wednesday. Tidjane Thiam, the leader of Ivory Coast's main opposition party, the Democratic Party of Ivory Coast (PDCI), was struck from the voter roll in April after a court ruling cast doubt on his Ivorian nationality at the time of registration. The Abidjan court based its ruling on article 48 of the nationality code, dating from the 1960s, which states that acquiring another nationality means foregoing Ivorian citizenship. Born in Ivory Coast, Thiam acquired French nationality in 1987 but gave it up in March to stand in the election. Thiam has "appealed to the UN Human Rights Committee," the PDCI said in a statement. 01:37 Former president Laurent Gbagbo, his former right-hand man Charles Blé Goudé and and exiled former prime minister Guillaume Soro have been barred for years over past convictions and were not reinstated. None of the four will be allowed to contest the presidential race or vote. Electoral commission head Ibrahime Kuibiert Coulibaly said Monday the voter list would not be revised before the 25 October election.
Scoop
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Kyrgyzstan: National Leader's Reputation Must Not Override Right To Freedom Of Expression, UN Committee Finds
GENEVA (26 May 2025) - A national leader's reputation must not outweigh the right to freedom of expression, the UN Human Rights Committee has ruled, finding that Kyrgyzstan violated the fundamental freedoms of a lawyer and a journalist who were prosecuted for criticising the then-president and barred from leaving the country. In a recently adopted Decision, the Committee concluded that Kyrgyzstan has violated the rights of Cholpon Djakupova, a lawyer and civil society advocate, and Narynbek Idinov, a journalist. The two were sued by the General Prosecutor for discrediting then-President Atambaev's honour and reputation. The case stemmed from Ms Djakupova's critical remarks about the then-President during a roundtable discussion on freedom of assembly and speech, and from Mr Idinov publishing the speech along with his commentary on a news portal. 'A head of State is not above public scrutiny,' said Committee member Imeru Yigezu, adding that, 'Using the courts to silence criticism undermines the very foundations of democracy.' Before any judgment on the case was issued, a local court imposed an injunction barring the two from leaving the country and ordering the seizure of their personal assets, including Ms Djakupova's house and bank account. These restrictions remained in place throughout the trial, even though they both had not missed a single court hearing. The Committee raised particular concern about the restrictions imposed before a court ruling, describing these actions as a dangerous form of pressure against critical voices. 'The use of travel bans and asset seizures before adjudication raises serious concerns about judicial overreach and creates a chilling effect,' said Yigezu Both Ms Djakulpova and Mr Idinov were found liable for discrediting the then-president's honour and reputation and were ordered to pay 3 million soms each, an amount that, in Mr Idinov's case, equated to his income over 31 years. After exhausting local legal remedies, they brought their case to the Human Rights Committee, claiming their rights to freedom of speech and freedom of movement under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) had been violated. The Committee found that the imposed measures were disproportionate and of punitive nature. 'Ms Djakupova's speech and Mr Idinov's reporting clearly concerned matters of public interest. In such cases, open debate must be protected, and the fact that speech may offend a public figure does not, on its own, justify penalties and a blanket travel ban,' added Yigezu. 'Restrictions on freedom of expression under the ICCPR must be provided by law, pursue a legitimate aim such as protecting national security and public order, and be necessary and proportionate. The measures taken failed to meet all the necessary criteria,' he explained. The Committee stressed that criticism of high-ranking officials, including heads of state, is a core element of democratic oversight and must not be stifled through judicial intimidation. The Committee found that Kyrgyzstan had violated the complainants' rights to freedom of expression and freedom of movement. It called on Kyrgyzstan to provide effective remedies, including full compensation for the two complainants and reimbursement of legal costs. It also urged the State party to revise its legislation to ensure that such violations do not recur.
