Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General, raised a “call for action” to protect human rights, during the first meeting of the UN Human Rights council, which centred on 7 key points; sustainable development, crisis prevention; gender equality; civil participation; the rights of future generations; collective action; and human rights with respects to new technology.

 

The European Union (EU) has prompted action from the Zimbabwe government to ensure that justice and accountability against human rights abusers is immediately sought.

The call from EU on Monday (Feb 17) requested that an investigation was made into the violence that occurred following the 2018 elections – in particular Zimbabwe security forces who were found to have used excessive lethal force to quell nationwide protests in mid-January 2019, according to Human Rights Watch. Investigations found that ‘at least 17 civilians were killed and 17 women were raped’ and no security force persons has been sanctioned for these offences. 

Human Rights Watch tabled a submission calling on passing a law to the Australian government that will allow targeted sanctions against serious human rights violators abroad, on Monday.

The proposed law was suggested to the parliament’s human rights subcommittee and would implement similar legislation in effect in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada.  

<p>A document leaked to Deutsche Welle (DW) exposes how China is using high-tech surveillance to track every Uighur Muslim in Xinjiang.</p> <p>The newly leaked document reveals that Uighurs are being tracked by their identity, religion, locations and their habits. It also lists hundreds of detainees and the reasons for their detention.</p> <p>“Having a beard”, “wife wearing a face veil” and “having too many children” are some of the reasons why Uighur Muslims are being detained in Xinjiang.</p> <p>DW’s analysis of the document highlights that China subjects Uighur Muslims to draconian methods of tracking and arrests.</p>

<p>Labour MP, Debbie Abrahams, was denied entry into India yesterday, without any reason being given.</p> <p>The MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth, who is also the Chair of the All-Party-Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Kashmir, was told that her e-visa was invalid and was flown out to Dubai.</p> <p>Immigration officials at Delhi airport told the British MP that her e-visa, which was issued in October 2019 and was valid until October 2020, has been rejected.</p> <p>She said she was “treated like a criminal” before she was put back on a plane to Dubai.</p>

Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and 27 other non-government organisations have called upon the Government of Myanmar to lift the restrictions on the internet in eight townships in Rakhine State and one in Chin State.

The former chief executive officer of the debt riddled SriLankan Airlines and his wife have been arrested, after a corruption scandal involving the French aerospace company Airbus revealed the couple may have accepted millions of dollars in bribes.

The arrests come after Britain’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) found alleged corruption in dealings between Airbus and Sri Lankan Airlines date back to between July 2011 and June 2015. SFO found that Airbus had paid $2 million to Priyanka Wijenayakathe, the wife of the then Sri Lankan Airlines executive Kapila Chandrasena.

 

Sudan’s Sovereign Council and government have announced that they will be fully operating with the International Criminal Court (ICC), who will charge former Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir with charges of genocide for his role in the Darfur. 

For the first time, the UN has released a list of over 100 companies involved in the violation of Palestinian rights and illegal occupation of the West Bank.

The New York Times, notes that the UNHRC has never requested a list of corporations which will face public scrutiny.

The list is predominate of Israeli organisations but also include international companies such as Expedia, Booking.com, TripAdvisor, Airbnb,  and Opodo. These travel and vacation companies offer rental opportunities in the occupied West Bank.

 

Northern Irish independence party, Sinn Féin, has seen a recent surge of support, particularly among young rural voters, which has raised its polling numbers 14% support in October to over 25% in the last week.