Will police brutality end in Kenya as protests reignite?
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Al Jazeera
6 hours ago
- Al Jazeera
UN rights council rejects Eritrea's bid to end human rights investigation
The United Nations Human Rights Council has rejected Eritrea's attempt to shut down an independent investigation into alleged rights abuses, in a move hailed as vital to preventing impunity. Eritrea's rare bid to scrap the mandate of the UN special rapporteur on its human rights record was defeated on Friday, with only four votes in favour, 25 against, and 18 abstentions. The move by Eritrea surprised some observers and marked one of the few times a state under active investigation tried to end such scrutiny through a formal vote. Human Rights Watch welcomed the outcome, calling it 'an important message that the international community is not fooled by Eritrea's efforts to distract from, and discredit, independent human rights reporting on the country's dire rights record.' Eritrea's motion argued that alleged rights violations were not systemic and blamed 'capacity constraints' common to other developing nations. But European states responded with a counter-resolution to extend the mandate for another year, which passed with ease. In his latest report in June, Mohamed Abdelsalam Babiker, the UN-appointed special rapporteur and a Sudanese human rights lawyer, said Eritrea had shown 'no meaningful progress' on accountability. He referenced the 2016 UN inquiry that found 'systematic, widespread and gross human rights violations … committed in Eritrea under the authority of the Government … may constitute crimes against humanity.' In the 2016 report, the UN's Commission of Inquiry (COI) for Eritrea said the government of President Isaias Afwerki had committed heinous crimes since independence a quarter-century ago, including the 'enslavement' of 400,000 people. Many of those abuses are allegedly linked to a harsh national service programme in the secretive Horn of Africa state, which for many is almost impossible to escape and which the COI compared to lifetime enslavement. Ending investigation would enable 'impunity' DefendDefenders, a pan-African human rights organisation, said Babiker's role remained vital for victims and the wider Eritrean diaspora. 'The expert plays an indispensable role, not only for the victims and survivors of Eritrea's abuses, but also for the Eritrean diaspora,' the group said in a statement. The EU warned that terminating the mandate would enable 'impunity and repression to deepen in silence.' Eritrea's representative, Habtom Zerai Ghirmai, lashed out at the decision, accusing the EU of displaying a 'neo-colonial saviour mentality complex'. He added, 'The continued extension of the Special Rapporteur's mandate is an affront to reason and justice.' Iran, Sudan and Russia – all under their own UN investigations – supported Eritrea's motion. China also backed the move, arguing that such mandates were a misuse of international resources.
Al Jazeera
7 hours ago
- Al Jazeera
Will police brutality end in Kenya as protests reignite?
A year after a deadly crackdown, Kenya's streets are alive with protests again, this time after a blogger died in police custody and officers shot a demonstrator at close range. As outrage grows, so do calls for accountability. Why does police brutality persist in Kenya, and how do officers continue to evade justice?
Al Jazeera
8 hours ago
- Al Jazeera
Rwanda president unsure if DRC peace deal will hold, warns against ‘tricks'
Rwandan President Paul Kagame has cautiously welcomed a United States-brokered peace deal with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), while suggesting Kigali will retaliate if provoked. Speaking at a news conference in Kigali on Friday, Kagame said Rwanda remained committed to the agreement but questioned whether Kinshasa would uphold its part of the deal. 'If the side that we are working with plays tricks and takes us back to the problem, then we deal with the problem like we have been dealing with it,' Kagame said. The agreement, backed by the administration of US President Donald Trump, was signed last week and calls for Rwandan troops to withdraw from eastern DRC within 90 days. The region has seen intense fighting this year, with M23 rebels seizing major towns. The United Nations has accused Rwanda of backing the group with thousands of troops – an allegation Kigali denies. While the peace deal is seen as a turning point, analysts do not believe it will quickly end the fighting because M23 – a major belligerent in the conflict – says the agreement does not apply to it. US 'not to blame' if deal fails Rwanda insists its military presence in eastern DRC is a response to threats from the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), an armed group made up of ethnic Hutu fighters linked to the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Kagame said Kinshasa must act to dismantle the FDLR if the deal is to succeed. 'We are grateful to the Trump administration for its efforts,' he said. 'If it doesn't work, they aren't the ones to blame.' There has been no official response from Kinshasa, which has consistently accused Rwanda of fuelling the conflict. Rwanda-backed M23 is the most prominent armed group in the conflict in eastern DRC, and its major advance early this year left bodies on the streets. With 7 million people displaced in DRC, the UN has called it 'one of the most protracted, complex, serious humanitarian crises on Earth'. M23 has not been involved in the US-mediated efforts, although it has been part of other peace talks. On Thursday, both the Congolese government and M23 representatives agreed that they would return to Qatar for further discussions aimed at ending the conflict. Meanwhile, Washington has proposed a separate investment plan that could allow Western companies to tap into the region's rich deposits of tantalum, copper, and gold – resources that have long fuelled violence in eastern DRC. Kagame's appearance on Friday marked his first public remarks since June 6, prompting speculation during his absence about his health. Dissidents abroad, including former adviser David Himbara, claimed the president was seriously unwell. Kagame dismissed the rumours with a joke. 'Some of my personal health problems might originate from managing you people,' he said, sparking laughter. 'What is the problem? What would people want me to account for? That I am not human?' he added. The president appeared in good health throughout the briefing.
