Human Rights

Tunisia human rights organisation slams military trials of civilians, calls to review law

29 March 2022; MEMO: The Tunisian Human Rights League condemned, on Monday, the holding of military trials for civilians and called for the acceleration of revising relevant laws, Anadolu news agency reported.

The League said, in a statement, following the convening of its National Council on 26 and 27 March, that it is committed to "defending all civil, political, economic and social rights", based on the national and international references related to all indivisible human rights.

Amnesty likens devastation in Ukraine to Syria and Iraq

29 March 2022; MEMO: Amnesty International has criticised war crimes in Ukraine likening the devastation there to Syria and Iraq.

"What is happening in Ukraine is a repetition of what we have seen in Syria," said Secretary-General of the rights watchdog, Agnes Callamard, referring to the UN Security Council as the "insecurity council" for failing to act over Syria, Afghanistan, and Myanmar...

US calls on Tunisia to respect freedom of expression

29 March 2022; MEMO: The United States is concerned about the democratic path in Tunisia, a senior US official announced yesterday. The US Under Secretary of State for civilian security, democracy and human rights, Uzra Zeya, called on the Tunisian authorities to respect freedom of expression and halt the military trials of civilians.

Amnesty singles out UK for strong criticism on human rights concerns

29 March 2022; MEMO: Amnesty International has singled out the UK for strong criticism in its annual survey of human rights, expressing serious concern for a raft of government legislation.

Particularly worrying is the government's intention to repeal the Human Rights Act, said the human rights watchdog. If successful, this will make it difficult for people to challenge the government and the police.

Palestinian factions condemn 'summit of shame' held in Israel

28 March 2022; MEMO:The High Follow-up Committee of the National Islamic Factions condemned yesterday the "normalisation summit" that brought the foreign ministers of Israel and Arab states together in the Negev. Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, Sameh Shoukry of Egypt, Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed of the UAE, Abdullatif Al-Zayani of Bahrain and Nasser Bourita of Morocco were joined at the meeting by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Russia threatens to stop aid entry to northern Syria

26 March 2022; MEMO: Russia has threatened to prevent the entry of humanitarian aid into north-western Syria through the Bab Al-Hawa border crossing with Turkey.

The Russian deputy permanent representative to the United Nations (UN), Dmitry Polyanskiy, stated that his country: "Will not turn a blind eye to the failure of Western countries to comply with the resolution on cross-border humanitarian aid in Syria."

Jerusalem's Christian population sees steep decline: Church leader

25 March 2022; MEMO: A church leader in Jerusalem has expressed concern over the steep decline of the holy city's Christian population over the years, Anadolu News Agency reports.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Wadih Abu Nassar, the spokesman for the Council of Heads of Catholic Churches in Jerusalem, said Christians constituted about 25 per cent of the population of Jerusalem in 1922. But the number has since fallen drastically to less than 1 per cent, he noted.

China denounces Israel's illegal settlements and urges UN to focus on Palestine

25 March 2022; MEMO: Israel's ongoing illegal settlement expansion has been slammed by China during a UN briefing on the situation in Palestine. Beijing's representative at the world body insisted that settlements are a violation of international law and urged the international community to support the Palestinian people.

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