Amnesty reports on how governments fail human rights defenders
States around the world are failing to effectively protect people who defend human rights, with a resulting rise in preventable killings and enforced disappearances, says Amnesty International said in a new report that follows other verifiable accounts of how governments are abetting in the elimination of another ‘endangered species’—journalists. Amnesty’s new report, Deadly but Preventable Attacks: Killings and Enforced...
Amidst war wounded, Syria’s cancer sufferers risk being forgotten
Syria’s numerous hospital patients are an almost forgotten casualty of the conflict. The World Health Organisation says it is hoping to get to some of them, in particular cancer patients in health facilities not already targeted in the war. WHO cites the experience of 12-year old Khedr from Aleppo Governorate, who was diagnosed with fibrosarcoma, a tumour in the connective fibrous tissue affecting bones and muscles, in January...
London conference aims to counter apathy to war on Yemen
A coalition of non-government organisations active in Yemen and outside the embattled country will meet in London 20-21 August 2016 to counter a lack of international diplomatic and news media response to the continuing deaths and displacement of innocent civilians in the conflict in Yemen. Saudi Arabia is leading a coalition of Arab and non-Arab forces in a military operation it argues is a response to military operations that Riyadh...
The missing accountability in attacks on Syria civilians
Accountability remains elusive in attacks on civilians in Syria, says the UN. Strongly condemning recent attacks on civilians, hospitals and clinics, and camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Syria, a United Nations-mandated human rights inquiry called [11 May 2016] on all parties to cease the unlawful attacks and return to a full cessation of hostilities. “These incidents demonstrate the undeniable fact that this conflict...
But is EU listening? Greece-Turkey refugee transfers beset by gross violations
Arbitrary transfers of refugees and migrants from Greece to Turkey need to be stopped amid the growing fears of human rights violations, but whether European Union leaders are heeding calls for reform isn’t at all clear. The deportations of refugees and migrants from Greece to Turkey must be halted immediately and people wanting to seek asylum should not be kept in detention, said Oxfam, Norwegian Refugee Council and...
Syria peace talks in Geneva face more delays
The next round of United Nations-sponsored peace talks in Geneva faces more delays amid concerns some pro-opposition negotiators want to force the UN’s hand and bring about a political standoff with embattled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. While Staffan de Mistura, the UN Special Envoy for Syria, indicated talks could start next week, other reports said they could take longer to get off the ground. More than 135 people were...