Human Rights Violations

S Korea co-sponsors UN resolution on Pyongyang rights after 5-yr hiatus

South Korea has co-sponsored a UN draft resolution on North Korea's human rights violations for the first time in five years, a diplomatic source said on Thursday.

Australia adds $300 mn funding to improve lives of Aus original inhabitants

Fifteen years after the Australian Parliament's historic apology to its Indigenous people for past wrongs, the government on Monday announced 424 million Australian dollars (USD 293 million) in new funding to improve the lives of Australia's original inhabitants. In 2008, a newly elected centre-left Labour Party government apologized to the Indigenous population for "laws and policies of successive Parliaments and governments that have inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss on these our fellow Australians. The focus of the apology was the so-called Stolen Generations 100,000 children who were taken from Indigenous mothers under assimilation policies throughout most of the 20th century. The apology was accompanied by the ambitious pledge to close the gap in life expectancies between Indigenous Australians and the wider population within a generation. Key measures of disparities between the Indigenous population and others have been tracked annually in Closing the Gap Reports

US slaps sanctions against Indian national, others on behalf of N Korea

The US has slapped sanctions on two individuals, including an Indian national, and seven entities for providing material support to, acting on behalf of, or being owned by North Korea's government-run animation studio, which utilised its workers to provide low-cost labour. The US took this action on Friday on the occasion of the International Anti-Corruption Day and on the eve of International Human Rights Day as part of its actions to promote accountability for corruption and human rights abuse around the world. According to the State Department, the US imposed sanctions on two individuals and seven entities for providing material support to, acting on behalf of, or being owned by the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) government-run animation studio, SEK Studio. The targets are: Kim Myong Chol, based in France; Everlasting Empire Limited, based in Hong Kong; Tian Fang (Hong Kong) Holding Limited, based in Hong Kong; Fujian Nan'an Import and Export Company, based in China

NHRC issues notices to Bihar, TN on alleged abuse of orphaned children

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notices to the governments of Bihar and Tamil Nadu over the alleged abuse of 12 orphaned children in a madrassa in the southern state. The commission has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that said two persons have been arrested in Chennai for housing and abusing orphaned juveniles from Bihar. Twelve children were rescued from the madrassa located at Ponniammanmedu, the NHRC said. The commission has issued notices to the chief secretaries of Tamil Nadu and Bihar and the Chennai police commissioner calling for a detailed report in the matter within four weeks. The media report published on December 1 claimed that police had got information through the '1098' helpline that some children are being subjected to harassment and physical abuse in a madrassa at Ponniammanmedu near Madhavaram in Chennai, the NHRC said. It was reported that a criminal case has been registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Coder a

UN human rights chief condemns new Myanmar death sentences to crush Oppn

Myanmar's military-installed government has sentenced more critics to death, bringing the total to 139, and is using capital punishment as a tool to crush opposition, the UN high commissioner for human rights said Friday. High Commissioner Volker Trk said at least seven university students were sentenced to death behind closed doors on Wednesday, and there are reports that as many as four more youth activists were sentenced on Thursday. The military continues to hold proceedings in secretive courts in violation of basic principles of fair trial and contrary to core judicial guarantees of independence and impartiality, Trk said in a statement. Military courts have consistently failed to uphold any degree of transparency contrary to the most basic due process or fair trial guarantees. The military seized power in February last year, ousting the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. The army's action was met with widespread peaceful protests that were quashed with lethal force, ...

UN committee calls for probe into Xinjiang Uyghur human rights violations

the Committee urged the State party to immediately cease all intimidation and reprisals against Uyghur and other ethnic Muslim communities, the diaspora and those who speak out in their defence

China silent on India's abstention, says crackdown to counter terrorism

China on Saturday maintained silence on India's abstention at the voting at the UNHRC on the human rights situation in Xinjiang, but defended its crackdown against Uygur Muslims, saying it was aimed at countering "terrorism and separatism." China's comments came after India abstained from voting on the Xinjiang issue at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva on Thursday and a day after New Delhi for the first time called for respecting and guaranteeing the rights of people of the autonomous region. I have noted relevant reports and want to stress that the issues related to Xinjiang are not related to human rights there but are countering violent terrorism, radicalisation and separatism," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said, responding to a question on her Indian counterpart Arindam Bagchi's remarks. Thanks to strenuous efforts, there was no violent terrorist incident in Xinjiang for over five consecutive years," she told a media briefing here. Mao, howeve

Human rights of Xinjiang people should be respected and guaranteed: India

India on Friday said rights of people in China's Xinjiang region should be "respected and guaranteed" but noted that its decision to abstain from a resolution on the concerns at the UN human rights commission was in line with the practice of not voting on country-specific resolutions. It is for the first time that India clearly called for respecting the human rights of the people of Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region. "The human rights of the people of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region should be respected and guaranteed. We hope that the relevant party will address the situation objectively and properly," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said. His comments came at a media briefing when asked about India's abstention at the UN rights body on the resolution calling for a debate on the human rights situation in Xinjiang. "India remains committed to upholding all human rights. India's vote is in line with its long held position that country specific resolutions are

Opposition slams govt over India's UNHRC move on China's Xinjiang

Opposition leaders on Friday criticised the government for abstaining from voting on a draft resolution in the UN Human Rights Council on holding a debate on the human rights situation in China's restive Xinjiang region, saying India should speak for what is right and should not be afraid of its neighbour. Senior Congress leader and Lok Sabha member Manish Tewari wondered why there was "so much diffidence on China". "The Government of India will not agree to a Parliamentary debate on Chinese incursions. India will abstain at UNHRC on a resolution for debate on human rights in Xinjiang," he tweeted. He alleged that the Ministry of External Affairs does not accord political clearance to Parliamentarians to visit Taiwan. Trinamool Congress spokesperson Saket Gokhale tweeted, "Giving them our land and abstaining on holding them to account. What exactly is it that makes (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi so afraid of China?" AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi wanted to know from the prime minis

UN: India abstains from voting on resolution on abuses in China's Xinjiang

India on Thursday abstained from voting on a draft resolution in the UN Human Rights Council on holding a debate on the human rights situation in China's restive Xinjiang region. Human rights groups have been sounding the alarm over what is happening in the resource-rich north-western Chinese province for years, alleging that more than one million Uyghurs had been detained against their will in a large network of what Beijing calls "re-education camps". The draft resolution on holding a debate on the situation of human rights in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China was rejected in the 47-member Council after 17 members voted in favour, 19 members voted against, including China, and 11 abstentions, including India, Brazil, Mexico and Ukraine. The draft resolution was presented by a core group consisting of Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, UK and USA, and co-sponsored by a range of states, including Turkey. China director at Human Rights Watch, Sophie ...

Targeting China, EU seeks to ban products made with forced labour

In a move to target China, concerned about human rights violations in the province of Xinjiang, the 27-member country European Union (EU) seeks to ban products made with forced labour

US slams China on human rights violations against minorities in Xinjiang

The White House has slammed China for its continued violation of human rights against minority communities. White House Press Secretary Karen Jean-Pierre during her daily news conference on Thursday welcomed the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights report on Xinjiang that was released the previous night. The report said China's discriminatory detention of Uyghurs and other mostly Muslim ethnic groups in the western region of Xinjiang may constitute crimes against humanity. "The report deepens our grave concern regarding the ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity that China is perpetrating. Our position on the atrocities in Xinjiang has been clearly demonstrated with our words and in our actions," Jean-Pierre said. The Biden administration has taken concrete measures and the President has rallied allies and partners, including the G7, to ensure all global supply chains are free from the use of forced labour including from Xinjiang, she said. "We will continue to work closely

Uyghurs abuse: Why UN is accusing China for 'crimes against humanity'

The extent of arbitrary and discriminatory detention of members of Uyghur may constitute international crimes, in particular crimes against humanity, the UN said

China slams damning UN rights report on Xinjiang as 'illegal and void'

Taken by surprise over the release of UN Human Rights assessment accusing China of "serious human rights violations" against Uygur Muslims in the restive Xinjiang province, Beijing on Thursday denounced it as a US-orchestrated report to contain it and termed the damning document as "illegal, null and void." The much-awaited report by outgoing UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet, who earlier visited Xinjiang after a long diplomatic tussle with Beijing, was released by her in Geneva in dramatic fashion, much to the surprise of China which had studiously opposed its release. "The so-called assessment is orchestrated and produced by the US and some western forces. It is completely illegal and null and void," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a media briefing here while slamming the report. Bachelet, the former President of Chile, who came under immense pressure, finally brushed aside Beijing's opposition and released the report on the last day of her office on ...

Afghans run out of patience amid degrading humanitarian state: UN official

Taliban regime in 2021 resulted in a deepening economic and humanitarian crisis. Natural disasters also added to the suffering of the Afghan people

China leader Xi Jinping visits Xinjiang region amid human rights concerns

Chinese leader Xi Jinping visited the northwestern Xinjiang region this week amid concerns over China's detention of a million or more members of primarily Muslim ethnic native minorities

'We've become laboratory of human rights violations': West Bengal governor

West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Wednesday urged the Bengali intelligentsia to break their silence on what he described as the "decimation of democratic values" in the state

Indian-American Muslim group hails Congresswoman for anti-India resolution

An Indian-American Muslim body praised Congresswoman Ilhan Omar for introducing a resolution that condemns India for the alleged human rights violation against the minorities in particular the Muslims

Biden likely to raise human rights issues concerning Muslims with Modi

US President Joe Biden's spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre has left open the possibility that as a "straight-shooter", he may raise human rights issues concerning Muslims with Prime Minister Modi

51 dead, 139 injured in police actions in 13 months: Assam govt to HC

Altogether 161 incidents of police action took place across Assam in 13 months after Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma took charge in May 2021, resulting in the death of 51 accused people and injuries to 139 others, the Gauhati High Court was informed. The state government said this in an affidavit as sought by the high court which on Tuesday deferred the hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) related to the incidents till July 29. "As per records, there have been 51 numbers of death and 139 numbers of injuries caused due to police action or during police custody since May 2021 toll 21.05.2022. These incidents pertain to 31 numbers of districts of the state," Home & Political Department Joint Secretary Animesh Talukdar said in the affidavit. "... a total of 161 numbers of cases have been registered in 31 districts of Assam with effect from May 2021 to 31.05.2022," read the affidavit a copy of which was available with PTI. It stated that in all cases FIRs have been lodged ..