24 June 2015

Special Rapporteur on the protection and promotion of human rights while countering terrorism: ‘The Security Council has an obligation to act’ to protect civilians from ISIL

‘The Security Council has an obligation to act’, Ben Emmerson, the Special Rapporteur on the protection and promotion of human rights while countering terrorism, said in a press release on the presentation of his latest report on the gross violations committed by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant group (ISIL) and the pressing need for accountability. ‘Given the reports of genocide, all members of the Security Council may now have a specific responsibility to take action to prevent this most serious of international crimes’, Mr. Emmerson said. (more…)

Source: UN News Centre | Security Council has ‘obligation to act now’ to protect civilians from ISIL – UN rights expert
Source: OHCHR | News | Act now to prevent industrial scale human rights violations by ISIL – UN expert calls on the Security Council | Geneva, 22 June 2015

25 September 2013

France and Chili call on UNSC permanent members to renounce veto in situations of mass crimes

In his speech to the UN General Assembly, French President François Hollande proposed a ‘code of good conduct to for the Council’s permanent members: in the case of mass crimes they must renounce their right to a veto.’ Hollande said that in fields like security, proliferation, development and climate, ‘there is no worse danger than inaction’, and added that ‘It is the responsibility of the UN to act. And each time it reveals its impotence, peace loses.’

Also Chilean President Sebastián Piñera called for abandoning the veto of the five permanent members, and instituting a super-majority rule when adopting major decisions.

Source: UN News Centre | At UN, Chilean President tells permanent Security Council members to abandon veto
Source: International Law Prof Blog | France Calls on Permanent Members of the Security Council to Renounce Veto in Cases of Mass Crimes
Source: UN News Centre | France calls for strong UN resolution to enforce Syria’s surrender of chemical weapons