UN experts condemn sentencing of journalists in Russia
On Friday, Mr. Gershkovich was handed a 16-year prison sentence on spying charges in a Russian court. The reporter was arrested in Russia in 2023 and has been held there since, despite calls for his release. That same day, Ms. Kurmasheva received a…
Middle East: ‘One rash move could trigger a catastrophe’
“One rash move, one miscalculation could trigger a catastrophe that goes far beyond the borders and, frankly, beyond imagination,” said Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, in a briefing via videoconference. The meeting, called by France, United Kingdom…
UN Special Envoy warns of escalation risk in Syria
He reminded ambassadors that “Syria remains in a state of profound conflict, complexity and division” – one of four key messages he had for ambassadors. His also focused on the plight of Syrian refugees, the need for a political solution,…
Gaza City-bound UN aid convoy comes under Israeli fire, says UNRWA
“Heavy shooting from the Israeli Forces at a UN convoy heading to Gaza City. While there are no casualties, our teams had to duck and take cover” in the incident on Sunday, according to the head of UNRWA, Commissioner-General Philippe…
UN chief expresses deep concern over Israel strikes on Yemen, and risk of regional escalation
In statement, Mr. Guterres noted that Israel had claimed responsibility for the strikes, which took place on Saturday, as a response to previous attacks on Israel by the Houthis – formally known as Ansar Allah – a group which controls…
Gaza: What human rights mean to displaced youth
In a lively interactive dialogue, OHCHR’s Ajith Sunghay had invited the young students to discuss what human rights means to them. In turn, they shared their pain and hopes, sending messages to the world demanding an end to the war so…
Stories from the UN Archive: Meet the first Black President of South Africa
When Mr. Mandela addressed the Assembly in October 1994, he received a hero’s welcome. History was unfolding as he took his place on the dais in the white leather chair reserved for Heads of State and Government. Cheers erupted as…
‘Entire social fabric’ unravelling in Haiti as displacement continues
The number of people forced to flee their homes has jumped from 362,000 in early March when violence spiked in the capital Port-au-Prince to over 578,000 in June, a 60 per cent increase in just three months. So, what happens…
Israel’s continued occupation of Palestinian territory ‘unlawful’: UN world court
The Court was responding to a request for an advisory opinion by the General Assembly on the legal consequences arising from the policies and practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem. The advisory from the ICJ…
Polio stalks Gazans as ‘anarchy’ spreads, humanitarians warn
In a statement, Christian Lindmeier, spokesperson for the World Health Organization (WHO), said that vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (VDPV2) had been identified at six locations in sewage samples collected on 23 June from Khan Younis and Deir al Balah. To…