Special Rapporteur on Torture Denied Entry to Zimbabwe, Secretary-General Disappointed
Officials in Zimbabwe denied entry into the country of Manfred Nowak, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Read more
GA Legal Committee Reviews Right of Parties to Express Reservations on Treaty Provisions, or Make “Interpretative Declarations”
The U.N. General Assembly’s Sixth Committee (Legal) met on 28 October to continue its annual consideration of the work of the International Law Commission, completing its review of an item on “responsibility of organizations” and other matters, and beginning its discussion on “reservations to treaties” and “expulsion of aliens”. Read more
U.N. Rights Expert on Use of Unmanned Drones by U.S.
Philip Alston, the U.N. Human Rights Council’s Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, has voiced concern over the use of unmanned drones by the U.S. to target militants in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The independent human rights expert said such a practice will be regarded as a breach of international law unless Washington can demonstrate that the appropriate precautions and accountability mechanisms are in place. Read more
Lawmakers Pledge to Take Urgent Measures Strengthening Reproductive Rights
Parliamentarians from some 115 countries pledged to promote sexual and reproductive health as well as women’s rights to decide how and when they give birth, at a two-day gathering in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Read more
GA| Speakers in Third Committee draw links between fight to secure human rights and fight against poverty
UN meeting coverage as the General Assembly Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) concluded its three-day discussion. Read more
UN urges probe into alleged abuses at Greek detention center
The Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Monday called for investigations into recently reported violent incidents at a detention center in Greece. Read more
Concerns over conditions in Iraqi camps – UN top envoy
Ad Melkert, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative in Iraq, on Monday voiced concerns over the humanitarian situation in a camp north of Baghdad, housing some 3400 Iranidan dissidents, members ofthe People’s Mojahedeen Organization of Iran (PMOI). Read more
Goldstone report to reach General Assembly in November
The U.N. General Assembly is set to discuss the Goldstone report in early November. Read more
Israel gvt forming task force on Goldstone report
Israel will establish a task force to respond to the Goldstone report and its repercussions. Read more
On Administrative Detention
From the International Law Observer:
Administrative detention has been a contentious topic for international lawyers since its invocation by governments claiming that it is a principal tool in the often-lawless global ‘War on Terror’. Despite the popularity that this mechanism has earned amongst a growing number of states, principally those participating in the ‘War on Terror’, it has been neglected that the use of preemptive detention is illegal when used arbitrarily and disproportionately in a manner that does not allow for any remedy at all to be sought against this egregious violation of the fundamental human right not to be subjected to arbitrary deprivation of liberty. [...]
More here.
