Archiv: Irene Khan


25.11.2025 - 21:31 [ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) ]

UN experts urge States to act as Israeli violations threaten fragile Gaza ceasefire

The experts urged Member States to act decisively to end the pattern of systematic violations of international law and suffering in occupied Palestine and restore international peace and security.

They called for the following urgent measures:

– Guaranteeing safe humanitarian access through UN-supervised land and naval corridors, including temporary housing before winter;
– Opening humanitarian corridors toward the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Israel for the wounded, sick, older persons, persons with disabilities, pregnant women, and children;
– Imposing sanctions on Israel for continued violations of international law and illegal occupation;
– A comprehensive arms embargo on Israel;
– Full and free access to international media to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including throughout Gaza.
– Ensuring that independent, international investigations are conducted into serious violations of international law, including the killing of civilians in the Gaza Strip, and that prosecutions are initiated under universal jurisdiction;
– Considering a UN-led international intervention if attacks persist and the humanitarian situation deteriorates further.

*The experts:

– Francesca Albanese: Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967;

– George Katrougalos, Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order

– Ashwini K.P., Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance

– Olivier De Schutter: Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights

– Morris Tidball-Binz, Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions

– Ben Saul, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism

– Irene Khan, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression

– Paula Gaviria, Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons

– Tlaleng Mofokeng, UN Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health

– Heba Hagrass, Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities

– Farida Shaheed, Special Rapporteur on the right to education

– Michael Fakhri, Special Rapporteur on the right to food

– Pedro Arrojo Agudo, Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation

– Gina Romero, Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association

– Siobhán Mullally, the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children

– Reem Alsalem, Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequences

– Nicolas Levrat, Special Rapporteur on minority issues

– Michelle Small (Chair-Rapporteur), Ravindran Daniel, Jovana Jezdimirovic Ranito, Joana de Deus Pereira, Andrés Macías Tolosa, Working Group on the use of mercenaries

– Carlos Duarte (Chair), Working Group on the rights of peasants and other people working in rural areas

– Ivana Krstić (Vice-Chair), Dorothy Estrada Tanck, Haina Lu, and Laura Nyirinkindi, Working Group on discrimination against women and girls

11.02.2025 - 19:28 [ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) ]

Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights: STATE/ENTITY – United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

04 Dec 2024
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
JAL
GBR 15/2024
– terrorism
– freedom of opinion and expression
– freedom of peaceful assembly and of association
– privacy
Information received concerning the potentially inappropriate use of provisions of the Terrorism Act 2000, the Terrorism Act 2006, and the Anti-Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019. These provisions appear to have been employed to investigate, detain, collect data, and prosecute political activists and journalists, raising concerns about potential infringements of their fundamental
rights.

Alleged victims: 6

(…)

According to the information received:
Powers under counter-terrorism legislation have been used on multiple occasions to examine, detain, and arrest journalists and activists, particularly at the UK border. It is alleged that journalists and activists who are critical of Western foreign policy in the context of the conflict in the Middle East and the Russia-Ukraine war are especially affected by the reported misuse of these powers. In particular, schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000, and schedule 3 of the Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019, have been used to examine and obtain data from journalists and activists, including Johanna Ross (Ganyukova), John Laughland, Kit Klarenberg, Craig Murray and Richard Medhurst in circumstances where they appear to have no credible connection to “terrorist” or “hostile” activity. Furthermore, section 12 of the Terrorism Act 2000 has been used to charge journalists and activists, including Richard Barnard and Richard Medhurst, for allegedly expressing support for a “proscribed organisation” in the course of activism and media reporting.

Without having knowledge of the material that may have substantiated the investigations or charges, we raise concern about an alleged pattern of overuse, or other misuse, of counter-terrorism legislation to target legitimate freedom of expression and opinion, including public interest media reporting, and related freedoms of peaceful assembly and association, and political
dissent or activism.

(…)

Ben Saul
Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism

Irene Khan
Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression

Gina Romero
Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association

Ana Brian Nougrères
Special Rapporteur on the right to privacy

11.02.2025 - 19:24 [ Craig Murray ]

United Nations Censures UK Over Abuse of Terrorism Act Against Journalists and Activists

(February 6, 2025)

Four UN Special Rapporteurs have written jointly to the UK government demanding explanation of its inappropriate persecution of journalists and political activists under the Terrorism Act. They state that those persecuted:

appear to have no credible connection to “terrorist” or “hostile” activity

The cases taken up by the United Nations are those of Johanna Ross (Ganyukova), John Laughland, Kit Klarenberg, Craig Murray (yes, me), Richard Barnard and Richard Medhurst.