Eritrea seeks to end mandate of UN expert investigating abuses: document
Eritrea is trying to cancel the mandate of a UN expert investigating alleged abuses, a document sent to the UN Human Rights Council showed, in a rare move that Western diplomats fear may set a precedent for states looking to escape scrutiny.
The special rapporteur, a position currently held by Sudanese human rights lawyer Mohamed Abdelsalam Babiker, is mandated to document violations in Eritrea, where civil society groups such as Human Rights Watch say impunity is widespread.
In a May report he described the situation as "critical", highlighting cases of arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances and the use of lengthy national and military service terms that are driving thousands to flee.
Eritrea's information ministry and its diplomatic mission in Geneva did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Eritrea, which has long opposed the mandate, sent a large delegation to champion its proposal at a UN meeting in Geneva on Monday and voiced opposition to investigations targeting individual countries' records. States like Sudan, Russia and Iran backed it while the EU and Britain were among those who opposed it in a polarised debate, diplomats said.
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Eyewitness News
18 hours ago
- Eyewitness News
Trump hopeful for Gaza ceasefire, possibly 'next week'
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United Nations officials on Friday said the GHF system was leading to mass killings of people seeking aid, drawing accusations from Israel that the UN was "aligning itself with Hamas." Eyewitnesses and local officials have reported repeated killings of Palestinians at distribution centres over recent weeks in the war-stricken territory, where Israeli forces are battling Hamas militants. The Israeli military has denied targeting people, and GHF has denied any deadly incidents were linked to its sites. But following weeks of reports, UN officials and other aid providers on Friday denounced what they said was a wave of killings of hungry people seeking aid. "The new aid distribution system has become a killing field," with people "shot at while trying to access food for themselves and their families," said Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian affairs (UNWRA). 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The Citizen
a day ago
- The Citizen
SA not ready for fallout if Israel-Iran ceasefire fails, warns UJ professor
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eNCA
a day ago
- eNCA
Trump says would bomb Iran again if nuclear activities start
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