French senators have rallied against a bill that criminalises the denial of genocide of the Armenians by Turkey, forcing it to be referred to the country’s highest court. The bill, which was passed by both houses of parliament, had not yet been signed by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, and will now be examined by the constitutional court. A petition against the bill was signed by 76 senators from across parties, more than the minimum 60 needed, compelling the bill to be referred to the court. The deferring of the law will have taken Sarkozy by surprise, with Lionel Tardy a deputy from...
Mitt Romney, the leading candidate in the Republican race to be the next President of the United States, has released a statement vowing to hold Sudanese leaders accountable for atrocities in the region. In a statement released to campaign group “Act for Sudan”, Romney accused Khartoum of committing war crimes and other atrocities, both directly and through the use of proxies, commenting that in Darfur they had committed a “ slow motion genocide ”. He also went on to state that “since independence of the Republic of South Sudan, Khartoum has committed a range of atrocities in border regions...
The UN’s nuclear watchdog has praised ‘good’ talks with Iran during a visit to discuss its controversial nuclear programme. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have said the Iranians were determined to address all issues. "But of course there is still a lot of work to be done and so we have planned another trip in the very near future," the IAEA’s deputy director, Hermann Nackaerts told reporters. In a statement , the organisation detailed its plans for a follow up visit in late February. Iran has described the talks as ‘positive and constructive’, as global tension over its nuclear...
The deportation of a man who is suspected of inciting genocide from Canada last week is expected to pave the way for genocide suspects to be deported to and tried in Rwanda. Last week’s deportation of 59-year old Leon Mugesera , who has lived in Quebec for 16 years, follows from the United Nations war crimes tribunal for Rwanda handing over another suspect’s case to Rwanda to face trial there, the first time it has done so. Mugesera’s deportation was met with positive reactions from Rwandans, with Foreign Affairs Minister Louise Mushikiwabo saying , "The victims of Mugesera's speech are...
Speaking at the annual African Union summit, the secretary general of the UN, Ban Ki Moon, urged African countries to uphold the rights of civil, political, economic, social and cultural institutions, in order to boost stability and development. From the summit, held in the capital of Ethopia, Addis Ababa, Ban Ki Moon said, “ The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a promise to all people in all places at all times ,” “I salute your efforts to build African prosperity and grow intra-African trade. Our challenge is to transform Africa's potential into progress for all,” “Yet below the...
Iran has threatened to hit back at EU sanctions with its own embargo. The move would pre-empt the EU ban on oil imports due to take effect in July and would hit struggling EU economies hard. Mohammad Karim Abedi, a member of Iran’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, said a ban may last up to 15 years. "We will change the threat into an opportunity for Iran and cut Iran's oil supplies to the Europeans for five to 15 years," Abedi was quoted as saying by Fars news agency on Sunday. "We will not leave enemies' sanctions unanswered and we will impose other sanctions on them in...
The prime minister of Norway has apologised for the arrest and deportation of Jews to Germany in 1942. Speaking at a Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony in Oslo on Friday, prime minister, Jens Stoltenberg conveyed the nation's "deep regrets that this could have happened on Norwegian soil". During 1942, Norway deported 772 Jews to Germany. Only 34 survived.
A special session was held at the UN on the 27th January, Holocaust Remembrance Day, or International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust. Speaking at the event, the UN secretary general, Ban Ki Moon said, "Today, as we remember all those lost during the Holocaust, young and old alike, I call on all nations to protect the most vulnerable – regardless of race, color, gender or religious belief." "Children are uniquely vulnerable to the worst of humankind. We must assure them the best this world has to offer." Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights,...
Rights groups in Libya have claimed that torture of suspected Gaddafi loyalists by Libyan militias is widespread. Medicins San Frontiers, a medical charity, has ceased all operations in the country after it was asked to treat torture victims, sometimes between instances of torture. "Some officials have sought to exploit and obstruct MSF's medical work," says MSF General Director Christopher Stokes. "Patients were brought to us for medical care between interrogation sessions, so that they would be fit for further interrogation. This is unacceptable. Our role is to provide medical care to war...
Calls for the secession of South Yemen have resurfaced and are on the increase as Yemen's political unrest continues. Graffiti calling for secession, such as "Freedom for South. Aden Get Up", is cropping up across the south, along side prominent displays of the old flag of South Yemen. The Yemeni security forces have attempted to crack down on such calls since the 1990 pact that unified the North and South. A former general in South Yemen's army and leading members of the current secessionist movement, Nasser Al Tawil, said, “We are becoming stronger and stronger because of the political...