Tag Archives: Security Council
4 July 2012
In its report “Torture Archipelago“, Human Rights Watch (HRW) published the locations of 27 torture facilities in Syria and the names of persons that allegedly tortured on behalf on the Syrian government. The report is based on interviews with more than 200 torture victims conducted by HRW since Arpil 2011.
HRW calls on the UN Security Council to refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court and to adopt targeted sanctions against Syrian officials implicated in torture.
Source: Human Rights Watch | Torture Archipelago: Arbitrary Arrests, Torture, and Enforced Disappearances in Syria’s Underground Prisons since March 2011
12 June 2012
Amnesty International published a report on 7 June 2012, urging the United Nations Security Council to take action regarding the situation in Sudan.
The Security Council ‘must fulfil its duty to protect civilians in Sudan’ and make an end to the current air strikes that are carried out by the Sudanese Armed Forces. China and Russia are called upon to support a stronger response of the Council.
Amnesty calls upon the Security Council to expand the UN arms embargo to cover Sudan entirely, and emphasises the need of access for humanitarian organizations to the affected areas in both Sudan’s South Kordofan and Blue Nile state, which is currently denied by the government of Sudan.
An employee from Amnesty’s advocacy, policy and research department stated the international community has ‘done little to improve the situation on the ground’. The Security Council has done ‘very little’ and knew for months of ‘the full extent of the crimes occurring in South Kordofan’.
Source: Al Jazeera | Amnesty urges UN to protect Sudan civilians
23 April 2012
On April 14th, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 2042(2012) which authorized 30 unarmed military observers to support a mission that will monitor the ceasefire brokered by former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in Syria. On Saturday April 21, resolution 2043(2012) was passed allowing for an additional 300 observers to join the mission.
Reports of assaults and killings have continued since the deadline for the ceasefire passed, although on a decreased level. A representative of Russia, which vetoed two earlier resolutions addressing the conflict in Syria, expressed hope that the observer mission will have a further stabilizing effect.
Source: Security Council | Security Council Establishes UN Supervision Mission in Syria, with 300 Observers to Monitor Cessation of Violence, Implementation of Special Envoy’s Plan
14 February 2012
After the latest double veto against a Security Council (SC) Resolution to take action against the crackdown in Syria, the Arab League has now called for a joint UN-Arab peace mission. In doing so, the League stated that a “special responsibility” rests on the League, due to the failure of the SC to reach an agreement. On the UN side, the General Assembly (GA) has taken up discussion of a resolution similar to the one which was vetoed in the SC. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, addressed the GA on Monday and again stressed that Syria has manifestly failed to assume its responsibility to protect and responsibility now lies with the international community. She added that it is likely that crimes against humanity are taking place and that she has requested the SC to refer the situation to the International Criminal Court.
Source: UN News Centre | UN human rights chief urges General Assembly to act now to protect Syrians
Source: BBC | Syria unrest: Arab League observer mission head quits
14 December 2011
On 13 December 2011, the International Criminal Court (ICC) decided that Chad has not met its obligation to fully cooperate with the court by failing to arrest and surrender Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir during his visit to Chad in August. Following its decision, pre-trial chamber I of the ICC referred the matter to the Security Council and the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute, the ICC’s founding treaty.
Source: http://www.icc-cpi.int