In a #UseYourVote campaign video, recent Sakharov Prize laureates and their teams share messages with EU citizens ahead of the 6 – 9 June European elections.
“We are losing freedom in the world. Use your vote to defend democracy, use your voice for those who cannot”, said Oleksandra Matviichuk, 2022 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought Laureate and Chair of the Center for Civil Liberties, an NGO recording war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the Russian army in Ukraine, which was awarded the 2022 Nobel peace prize.
“Dear fellow citizens of Europe, in Europe you have a precious gift: the power to elect your leaders and shape your future”, underlines Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, one of the 2020 Sakharov Prize laureates.
“Democracy is a system that is difficult to build, yet also very easy to lose”, adds Lorent Saleh, former political prisoner, 2017 Sakharov Prize Laureate representing the democratic opposition in Venezuela.
The video also features Leonid Volkov, former Chief of staff of Alexei Navalny, 2021 Sakharov Prize laureate, who died in prison in Russia on 16 February 2024, and was one of the strongest oppositional voices to Vladimir Putin; members of the Sakharov Fellowship network, like the fashion designer Louise Xin (Sweden) also share their message with EU citizens.
Background
The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought is the highest tribute paid by the European Union to human rights work. It recognises individuals, groups and organisations that have made an outstanding contribution to protecting freedom of thought. Through the prize and its associated network, the EU assists laureates, who are supported and empowered in their efforts to defend their causes.
The experts highlighted recent incidents targeting the Persian language news service Iran International, its journalists and staff, and its owner Volant Media UK Limited. Death threats and intimidation against the staff escalated into the violent stabbing of journalist Pouria Zeraati outside his home in London on 29 March.
Since 2017, Iran International has faced ongoing threats and harassment from Iranian authorities and their proxies, which intensified following the 2022 “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests in Iran. Persian media abroad were falsely accused of inciting unrest, exacerbating the abuse.
“Such attacks not only violate the human rights to life and personal security but are also aimed at suppressing freedom of expression and the media, including legitimate criticism of the Iranian Government,” they said.
According to the experts, there have been at least 15 credible Iranian plots to kill or kidnap individuals in the United Kingdom since 2022.
British counter-terrorism police warned two Iran International personnel, including Volant’s General Manager Mahmoud Enayat, of “imminent threats to their lives” in November 2022, prompting them to flee the UK.
Additionally, a plot to kill two television presenters, including Fardad Farahzad, was thwarted in November 2023.
Chilling effect on the press
The experts warned that these attacks and threats could have a chilling effect on journalists both inside and outside Iran.
They cited a September 2023 incident in New York where Iran International journalist Kian Amani was assaulted by a member of Iran’s delegation to the United Nations.
Iran imposed travel and financial sanctions on Volant Media and Iran International in 2022 for supposedly supporting terrorism and, in 2019, froze the assets of the owners and their family members in Iran.
“We deplore the blatant misuse of counter-terrorism law against journalists, which violates freedoms of expression, association and peaceful assembly, the right to travel, privacy, family rights, the right to reputation and due process and judicial safeguards,” the experts said.
Pattern of attacks
The experts noted that the incidents against Iran International were part of a pattern of threats and attacks against Persian language media and dissidents outside Iran, including journalists working for BBC News Persian, Deutsche Welle, Voice of America, IranWire and Radio Farda.
“We urge Iran to refrain from violence, threats and intimidation against Iran International and its staff, online and offline, and other journalists and media workers reporting on Iran from abroad, and to investigate and prosecute those responsible for such acts,” they said.
Appointed by the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council, Special Rapporteurs are mandated to monitor and report on specific human rights sectors and country situation. They are not UN staff and do not draw a salary for their work.
From time to time one has breakfast with some international news published by journalistic media of all kinds, of those that catch one’s attention. In some cases I usually read them and put them aside, and in others they simply become part of my archive of forgotten papers, a sort of newspaper pages forgotten in boxes, which from time to time pass to a better life. They collect dust, take up space and with the passing of the years they raise some comments among the people around you: …surely if a psychologist saw your work room, he would not hesitate to diagnose you with Diogenes Syndrome, I have even heard that from friends and family. Surely this Diogenes kept so many things that he got out of control. This is not my case.
Of course, from time to time, in my personal search for more space, I attack those boxes, press containers and many of them, after a discreet review, go to occupy the place that history gives them in the paper container. However, on other occasions some already forgotten headline comes back to remind me again why I kept it. In this case the headline to a column in the newspaper El País of August 13, 2014 (10 years ago) The WHO (World Health Organization) admits the use of experimental drugs. Shielding themselves behind the approval of an ethical committee belonging to the same organization (Juan Palomo, yo me lo guiso, yo me lo como – typical Spanish saying, meaning that one does everything without permisions of anybodyelse) they approved at that time the use of experimental treatments on the victims of an Ebola outbreak that was occurring at that time in West Africa, without having proven their efficacy at all. To justify this treatment, the then WHO Deputy Director of Health Systems argued that other previous treatments were not working and that therefore … it is not only ethical, but a moral imperative.
The WHO statement did not refer, according to the clipping itself, to the experimental serum that had been approved for use in human guinea pigs, but that certain ethical criteria should also be taken into account, including transparency about the nature of the drug (What transparency can there be, when the nature of its results is not known? Ah! These doctors). Of course there was also an emphasis on respect for the individual, dignity and community involvement and, I forgot, consent. Although if you live in West Africa, one of the most depressed areas of the world, where you have absolutely nothing to survive on, whatever those in control of the “medical shaman” shack tell you will be fine with them. What is the difference between dying of Ebola, malnutrition or any other disease for which you are not prepared or serving as a lab rat for the big pharmaceutical corporations, including the phony health guard empire misnamed WHO?
Furthermore, in the same clipping it was confirmed that the WHO had given the go-ahead on the use of certain experimental drugs on those humans in Africa, after a spokesman, a week earlier had advised against the use of any product …that has not gone through the normal process of licensing and medical testing.
Of course I am not going to go into this subject in depth here, but go ahead and say that a book could be written on the subject. If you have the time and opportunity I advise you to put the phrase that serves as the headline of this opinion article: WHO allows experimental drugs to be used, whatever your language, and you will see how thousands of entries on this subject will come up. The COVID 19 pandemic itself, which was not a pandemic and did not plunge the world into a terrifying end of times, was undoubtedly one of the last projects of the WHO and some big pharmaceutical companies on how to use experimental drugs on humans, with the difference that on this occasion they were used on those who could pay for them, enriching the industry in a shameful and disgusting way. Governments lied to us, some presidents even spoke openly of non-existent expert committees (as in the case of Spain), they spoke of transparency and ethics, they used us by calling us stupid and pointing the finger at us if we did not agree with their theses. All limits were exceeded. They hijacked democracy and freedom and subjected us to unnecessary stress from which we emerged, to later define us in general as mentally ill.
Someday I imagine that the truth will have to be brought to light or at least continue to publish material where we can read between the lines of how we were swindled, with the connivance of the WHO, which as on previous occasions, a week before declaring the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe, declared that absolutely nothing was going to happen.
What can happen in a week for such a radical change of opinion, and even more so in an organization that, supposedly, has the obligation to watch over all of us?
Sometimes the cuts, although full of dust, are often useful to give us back a minimum of the personal integrity that was taken away from us for a couple of years and that still has not been given back to us, when we now know that there were vaccines that have generated serious health problems and some deaths. Yes, for the greater good. I expect, of course, millions of dollars in compensation to those who have been left with lifelong sequelae or to the relatives of those whose lives have been taken.
By the way, I leave the question up in the air: why in 2014 did we not already have a vaccine against Ebola? A presumed vaccine was patented in 2019, rVSV-ZEBOV, in the USA, if we consider that the disease was detected in 1976 in the Democratic Republic of Congo, why did it take 43 years to obtain results?
Brussels, Brussels, Belgium, 29th May 2024 – religious freedom – The Mejora Foundation, which has consultative status with the UN ECOSOC, presented its latest book at the Faculty of Law of the University of Seville, a prestigious university with more than 500 years of history. The debate was attended by professors, teachers and students. The book “10 years of Promotion and Defence of Religious Freedom (10 Años de Promoción y Defensa de la Libertad Religiosa: Análisis, Retos y Propuestas para el Presente y Futuro de la Libertad de Creencias en España y Europa)”, has been published by the specialised publishing house Dykinson. The presentation was attended by professors from the University of Seville Mar Leal and Rafael Valencia, Professor Zoila Combalia from the University of Zaragoza, Professor Ricardo García from the Autonomous University of Madrid, as well as lawyer Isabel Ayuso Puente and Iván Arjona-Pelado.
“We want not only to inform, but also to inspire a dialogue that builds and enriches communities to address the problems that still persist in the 21st century,” said Arjona. With the support of the Pluralism and Coexistence Foundation and the collaboration of numerous experts, “10 Years of Promotion and Defence of Religious Freedom” stands as an essential work for understanding and promoting freedom of belief in our contemporary societies.
This collective work, coordinated by Professor of Constitutional Law Alejandro Torres Gutiérrez and Iván Arjona-Pelado, President of the “Fundación Mejora” as well as of the European Office of the Church of Scientology, has been co-published by Dykinson and FoRB Publications. It is the result of a project, co-funded with the support of the Pluralism and Coexistence Foundation, which will be accessible in university libraries across the country to promote debate especially among students.
The book, which has 564 pages divided into 29 articles, is a compilation of analyses and proposals on freedom of religion and belief in the Spanish and European context. The Fundación para la Mejora de la Vida, la Cultura y la Sociedad (Foundation for the Improvement of Life, Culture and Society), the beneficiary of the project, which has been presenting the Religious Freedom Awards in Spain for 10 years, has been in charge of carrying out this initiative. The aim is to promote knowledge and accommodation of religious diversity within a framework of dialogue, coexistence and the fight against intolerance and hate speech, often generated by the misuse of language. To this end, and under the coordination of Professor Alejandro Torres, all the winners of the Religious Freedom Awards from 2014 to 2023 were asked to contribute an article of their choice on the subject of freedom of belief, in order to provide knowledge not only about the origins, current situation and legal framework, but also about the current challenges and proposals for improvement from different points of view.
The rich content of the book covers a very wide range of topics, from criminal protection of freedom of religion to teaching religion in schools, religious discrimination before the EU Court of Justice, cooperation agreements with denominations, religious symbolism at the Paris Olympics, data protection, marriage, peace agendas, stereotypes, hate crimes, animal welfare, discrimination, and many other issues.
The book contains articles by full professors and lecturers from leading universities throughout Spain, experts in law, anthropology, sociology and public management: Isabel Ayuso Puente, Isabel Cano Ruiz, Adoración Castro Jover, Oscar Celador Angón, Zoila Combalía, José María Contreras Mazarío, Mónica Cornejo Valle, Juan Ferreiro Galguera, Ricardo García García, Marcos González Sánchez, Ana Leturia Navaroa, Dionisio Llamazares Fernández, María Cruz Llamazares Calzadilla, Inés Mazarrasa Steinkuhler, Igor Minteguía Arregui, Mercedes Murillo Muñoz, Paulo Cesar Pardo Prieto, Francisca Pérez-Madrid, Catalina Pons-Estel Tugores, Eugenia Relaño Pastor, Miguel Rodríguez Blanco, Salvador Tarodo Soria, Alejandro Torres Gutiérrez, Gorka Urrutia Asua, Rafael Valencia Candalija, Ana María Vega Gutiérrez and Mercedes Vidal Gallardo. It also includes acceptance speeches for the Religious Freedom Awards such as that of the British lawyer who gained recognition for Scientology in the UK, Peter Hodkin. Now that it has been published, some of the authors will be meeting in different universities to generate debate on the subject, with the first debate having taken place at the University of Seville on 27 May, and at the Carlos III University in Madrid on 5 June.
The Foundation for the Improvement of Life, Culture and Society, created by the Church of Scientology in 2015 under the protectorate of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport of the Government of Spain, and in special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations since 2019, has been a key player in designing, hosting and directing this project.
“We are very happy to have been able to contribute to the compilation of this transversal work, which we hope to use as a tool to generate debates and proposals for improvement throughout the coming academic year,” says Iván Arjona, who is grateful “that a publisher as prestigious as Dykinson has shown interest in publishing this work“. The renowned Editorial Dykinson, based in Madrid, has been at the service of knowledge and culture for years, focusing on the publication of academic and scientific works, consolidating since its inception as a benchmark in the Spanish publishing field. Dykinson’s commitment to quality and the dissemination of knowledge is reflected in the careful selection of its publications and its dedication to issues of social and legal relevance.
The book’s foreword highlights the importance of religious freedom as a fundamental pillar that transcends the boundaries of individual beliefs to land at the very essence of humanity. Through its pages, the book invites readers on an intellectual journey that challenges prejudices, fostering empathy and promoting tolerance as pillars on which to create a more inclusive and respectful society.
In dedicating this collective work, Arjona did not hesitate to dedicate it to “those whose freedom is threatened; those who have suffered imprisonment for their beliefs; those who suffer slavery or martyrdom, and all those who are victims of brutal treatment, of chains and shackles, or of attacks“, emotive words taken from “A Prayer for Total Freedom” by L. Ron Hubbard, founder of Scientology, thus underlining the book’s commitment to the defence of human rights and freedom of belief.
In a related development, the UN’s top court prepared to hear a new request from South Africa to issue more constraints on Israeli military action in the enclave.
In a call for the “immediate and unconditional release of all hostages” still held in Gaza, the Secretary-General told Arab League leaders at a Summit in Bahrain that nothing justified the “collective punishment” of Palestinians.
“Any assault on Rafah is unacceptable; it would inflict another surge of pain and misery when we need a surge in life-saving aid,” he added.
Flanked by Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, Mr. Guterres also renewed his strong backing for the UN agency. It “remains the backbone of our operations in Gaza and a lifeline for Palestine refugees across the region. It needs full support and funding,” he insisted, as the UN World Food Programme (WFP) issued a new warning about looming famine in Gaza.
“Food and fuel stocks will run out in a matter of days,” WFP warned in a social media post on X. “Since 6 May, we have not been able to access and receive aid from the Kerem Shalom crossing. The situation is becoming unsustainable.”
The UN agency highlighted the very real threat that any further escalation of hostilities in Gaza could bring aid operations “to a complete standstill” and lead to a humanitarian catastrophe.
Although WFP has provided special nutritional foods to pregnant and breastfeeding women along with children under five across Gaza, the UN agency said that as of 11 May distributions were suspended in Rafah “and are only ongoing in Khan Younis and Deir El Balah in a limited capacity”.
In northern Gaza, WFP also warned that rates of acute malnutrition among under two-year-olds “doubled from 15 per cent in January to 30 per cent in March”.
Humanitarians warn that acute malnutrition is the most deadly form of malnutrition, leaving affected children between three to 12 times more likely to die than a well-nourished child.
The dire assessment comes as the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) reported late Wednesday that 600,000 people – one quarter of Gaza’s population – have now been forcibly displaced from Rafah in the last week, amid ongoing Israeli military activity and evacuation orders.
Another 100,000 people have been uprooted from the north to comply with evacuation orders by the Israeli military, while heavy gun battles have reportedly raged.
Evacuation orders at scale
According to the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, “285 square kilometres, or approximately 78 per cent of the Gaza Strip” are now subject to evacuation orders by the Israeli military.
In its latest update, OCHA reported continuing bombardment “from the air, land and sea…across much of the Gaza Strip, resulting in further civilian casualties, displacement, and destruction of houses and other civilian infrastructure”.
The UN office confirmed reports of ground incursions and heavy fighting in Jabalia in northern Gaza, as well as in Deir al Balah in central Gaza and eastern Rafah in the south.
“As of 15 May, Rafah crossing remains closed. Kerem Shalom crossing is operational, but the prevailing security and logistical conditions are hampering humanitarian aid deliveries at scale,” OCHA noted.
Echoing those concerns, the WFP insisted that “multiple entry points” for aid are required “to reverse six months of near starvation conditions and avert a famine, steady flows of food supplies, every day and every week…The threat of famine in Gaza never loomed larger.”
South Africa v. Israel
In an effort to halt the military operation in and around the enclave’s southern-most city, South Africa filed a new request to the UN’s top court which it was due to hear on Thursday.
“Urgent provisional measures are required to ensure the survival of Palestinians in Gaza,” the South Africa application said, in its latest claim filed on 10 May.
The International Court of Justice delivers its ruling in the case of South Africa v. Israel in The Hague.
“The situation brought about by the Israeli assault on Rafah, and the extreme risk it poses to humanitarian supplies and basic services into Gaza, to the survival of the Palestinian medical system, and to the very survival of Palestinians in Gaza as a group, is not only an escalation of the prevailing situation, but gives rise to new facts that are causing irreparable harm to the rights of the Palestinian people in Gaza.”
Rafah the last refuge
Rafah is “the last refuge” for Gazans, the South Africa petition continued, adding that the city is also the “last viable centre” for shelter and basic services including medical care. The Israeli military’s seizure of Rafah crossing and the brief closure and ongoing access problems to nearby Kerem Shalom crossing have blocked the main entry points for lifesaving humanitarian aid to Gaza, South Africa also insisted.
“The remaining population and medical facilities are at extreme risk, given the recent evidence of evacuation zones being treated as extermination zones, the mass destruction and mass graves at Gaza’s other hospitals and the use by Israel of Artificial Intelligence (‘AI’) to identify ‘kill lists’,” ICJ court documents show.
The International Court of Justicepreviously issued special orders to Israel in late January – known as “provisional measures” – to prevent harm to Gazans, following South Africa’s allegation that Israel was in violation of its obligations as a signatory of the Genocide Convention. There was no explicit call for an immediate halt to Israel’s full-scale military operation in the Strip.
Israel strongly denied the allegations and is scheduled to respond to the latest South Africa request on Friday.
Footballers, football clubs, tennis tournaments, and Paralympians have joined in with the EU’s #UseYourVote campaign ahead of the European Parliament elections on 6-9 June.
Leading footballers including Belgian Red Flames captain Tessa Wullaert, Anna Johanning of the German national team, and Finland’s Sanni Franssi, among other stars of the women’s game, have signed a #UseYourVote football. A similar initiative is being undertaken in the men’s game in the context of Saturday’s Champions League final, and major European clubs including Europa League winners Atalanta, FC Bayern München, AC Milan, and SSC Napoli have or are set to use their platforms to encourage citizens to vote.
In Brussels, Belgian national football team player Amadou Onana organised a mini tournament for 16 to 18-year-olds on 25 May to encourage them to vote for the first time. At the Brussels 20 km race on 26 May, 1 300 staff members of the European institutions ran under the “Running for Europe” banner alongside an information stand at the race finish about the upcoming elections.
Elsewhere, the Internationaux de Strasbourg Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) tournament (18 -25 May) displayed a #UseYourVote campaign banner at the host venue, as well as hosting an information stand, and Italian Paralympic triathlon bronze medallist Veronika Yoko sported a #UseYourVote campaign scarf during Milan Fashion Week.
“The war in Gaza is an open wound that threatens to infect the entire region,” he said.
“In its speed and scale, it is the deadliest conflict in my time as Secretary-General – for civilians, aid workers, journalists, and our own UN colleagues.”
He stressed that nothing can justify the abhorrent 7 October terror attacks by Hamas against Israel, or the collective punishment of the Palestinian people.
The Secretary-General warned against an assault on Rafah, which would be “unacceptable” as “it would inflict another surge of pain and misery when we need a surge in life-saving aid.”
He also voiced concern over the tensions in the occupied West Bank, highlighting the spike in illegal Israeli settlements, settler violence and excessive use of force by the Israeli Defense Forces, as well as demolitions and evictions.
UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, reported on Thursday that the situation in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, remains alarming. Nearly 1,400 people – mostly from herding families – have been displaced since October, amid ongoing settler violence and access restrictions.
OCHA said earlier this week, the last two remaining families in the Ein Samiya herding community in Ramallah were forced to leave, following attacks by Israeli settlers who remain in the area, thus preventing their return.
The Secretary-General told Arab leaders that the only permanent way to end the cycle of violence and instability between Israelis and Palestinians is through a two-State solution.
“The demographic and historical character of Jerusalem must be preserved, and the status quo at the Holy Sites must be upheld, in line with the special role of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,” he added.
Peace for Sudan
Turning to Sudan, the UN chief urged the international community to intensify efforts towards peace and called for the warring parties to agree on a lasting ceasefire.
More than a year of fighting between the Sudanese army and rival paramilitary known as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has generated a humanitarian crisis. Thousands of civilians have been killed and 18 million face looming famine.
He also called for protecting “the fragile political processes in Libya and Yemen”, and encouraged the Syrian people to come together in a spirt of reconciliation, honouring their diversity and respecting human rights for all.
Reform the multilateral system
Mr. Guterres also focused on other serious global crises, including the climate emergency; rising inequality, poverty and hunger; crushing debt; and the potential and perils of new technology such as artificial intelligence (AI).
“We need deep reforms to the global multilateral system – from the Security Council to the international financial architecture – so they are truly universal and representative of today’s realities,” he added.
He pointed to the Summit of the Future at UN Headquarters this September as “a pivotal opportunity to create momentum for a more networked and inclusive multilateralism.”
Appeal for unity
The Secretary-General pointed to the enormous potential in the Arab region.
Emphasizing that unity is the one condition for success in the world today, he said divisions allow outsiders to intervene – promoting conflicts, stoking sectarian tensions and inadvertently fueling terrorism.
“These are obstacles to peaceful development and the well-being of your peoples,” he told leaders.
“Overcoming those obstacles requires breaking the vicious circle of division and foreign manipulation – and moving forward together to build a more peaceful and prosperous future for the people of the Arab world and beyond.”
In a new report on the situation in Gaza for May 2024, the authors cited testimonies “from medics and whistleblowers” that injured detainees have been held at a field hospital with “shackled hands and feet and blindfolded 24/7 to their beds”.
In addition, as of 19 May, 128 of the 253 people captured during Hamas-led terror attacks in southern Israel on 7 October still remain in Gaza, the report’s authors said, underscoring that the taking of hostages is a “grave breach of the Geneva Conventions and a war crime”. More than 35 of the hostages have been declared dead and those still alive likely face “the direst of conditions”, with accounts from those released indicating “multiple reports of sexual abuse in captivity”.
Desert camp
Returning to the Palestinian detainees, testimonies indicated that prisoners are “fed through a straw, with several cases of detainees having their limbs amputated due to prolonged shackling”, according to the update from the Global Protection Cluster, which brings together UN agencies and other international and non-governmental organizations.
At least 27 detainees from Gaza likely died while in custody at an Israeli military base including at Sde Teiman in Israel’s Negev desert, it is believed, while “at least four” others from the enclave died in Israel Prison Service (IPS) facilities either because of alleged beatings or a lack of medical assistance.
Blindfolded and handcuffed
“Whether detained at IPS or army facilities, detainees are reported to face extremely harsh conditions of detention, including overcrowding and some detained in cage-like facilities, being constantly blindfolded and handcuffed, lack of access to toilet, exposure to the elements, provision of food and water in quantities barely sufficient to survive.”
Women and children are among those held during “mass detentions” carried out by the Israeli Defence Force, the report maintained, adding that many families “have no information about their loved ones”, while Israel “fails or refuses to provide information on the whereabouts or fate of many of those detained…Boys 14+ are usually detained with adult men. Younger children are detained with women and elderly family members, usually for a shorter time.”
Mass arrests
The Israeli army recently claimed to have detained 2,300 Palestinians from Gaza during ground operations in Gaza, the report’s authors said, adding that the true number was likely much higher.
At the end of April, some 865 detainees were held as “unlawful combatants”, a category unknown under international law. “Numerous” further disturbing testimonies indicate that detainees are subjected to “forced nudity, sexual harassment, threats of rape, as well as torture through severe beatings, dog attacks, strip searches, waterboarding, and denial of food, sleep, and bathroom access, among other cruel practices”.
According to accounts from released detainees and medics with access to those being held, the aim of this treatment is to elicit forced confessions and screen for alleged members of Palestinian armed groups.
Qatar has been leading efforts to reunite families split by the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine through mediation. Source: Qatar News Agency 20 April 2024)
On 22 May, it was announced that 13 Ukrainian children were returned from Russian-occupied territories to their homeland thanks to the mediating role of Qatar and a Ukrainian NGO.
Qatar mediated the release of six Ukrainian children, all male and aged between six and 17, held in Russia, as part of its efforts to reunite families separated by the ongoing conflict between Moscow and Kyiv, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar announced.
The Qatari embassy in Moscow hosted the children and their families during the reunification process to ensure their safe return to Ukraine via Minsk.
During their stay under the protection of Qatar, medical, psychological and social support was provided to the children to facilitate recovery and reintegration.
The remaining children were returned through the framework of the NGO Bring Kids Back UA plan, initiated by President Volodymyr Zelensky.
One can wonder why the EU or some of its member states, the USA, Canada or any other Western democracy have not managed to organize similar mediation operations directly or indirectly, especially through the International Coalition for the Repatriation of Ukrainian Children. Ukrainian media outlets regularly cover family reunification cases but have only mentioned one case sponsored by the UN and no cases by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
The mediation of Qatar involved Children’s Rights Commissioner for the President of the Russian Federation Maria Lvova-Belova and the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets.
In 2023, on October 16, Qatar secured the first such repatriation of four Ukrainian children from Russia following Kyiv’s request.
On November 19, joint mediation by Qatar and the United Nations led to the release of orphaned Ukrainian teenager, Bohdan Yermokhin, from Mariupol, after he was taken to Russia during the war.
On December 5Qatar reunified six additional Ukrainian children with their families.
In 2024, on February 19,the Gulf state mediated the release of 11 Ukrainian children, including one with disabilities, held in Russia.
On March 21, Qatar reunited children with their families and facilitated their safe transfer from Ukraine to Russia via Belarus.
On 20 April, Qatar announced that 20 Ukrainian and Russian families, including 37 children, had arrived in Doha as part of Qatar’s ongoing mediation efforts to reunite those separated by the conflict.
Qatar hosted the families from April 18 till April 27, where they received medical and psychological support.
Qatar and Russia’s war on Ukraine
Qatar has maintained a balanced foreign policy since the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, communicating with both sides while repeatedly calling for the need for dialogue to end the conflict.
In July last year, Doha pledged $100 million in aid to Kyiv during a meeting between Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Sheikh Mohammed’s visit to Ukraine came a month after a stopover in Moscow on June 22, where he met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. The Qatari official had called for respecting Ukraine’s territorial dignity and independence, as well as the UN Charter.
In March 2022, Qatar was among 141 countries that voted on a UN resolution demanding Russia’s “immediate and complete” withdrawal from Ukraine.
Qatar, a seasoned mediator, had previously expressed its openness to facilitate dialogue between rivals Russia and Ukraine “if asked” by its international partners.
“The safety of civilians, homes, schools and hospitals must be ensured. They are not a target,” Denise Brown said in a statement, underscoring that international humanitarian law must be respected.
Ms. Brown said these latest attacks came a day after she returned from the Kharkiv region in northeastern Ukraine, which has come under relentless shelling in recent days.
“I saw the appalling consequences of the intensified attacks by the Russian Federation’s Armed Forces on thousands of people who had to flee for their lives, leaving everything they own behind,” she said.
“Many are older people who fear they will never be able to go back.”
She also commended the humanitarians who are “working tirelessly to support people amid this human tragedy”.
Nigeria urged to free musician facing execution for blasphemy
Independent UN human rights experts on Thursday called on Nigeria to immediately release a singer who was convicted of blasphemy in 2020.
Sufi Muslim musician Yahaya Sharif-Aminu was sentenced to death by hanging for writing a song and sharing it on the social messaging service WhatsApp.
“Although his death sentence was quashed by a court of appeal, we remain deeply concerned that Mr. Sharif-Aminu’s case will be re-prosecuted based on the same legal framework, the Kano State Sharia Penal Code Law, with serious risks that the death sentence will be confirmed,” the experts said.
Abolish the death penalty
Although the Nigerian Supreme Court has taken up the matter, the experts said they remain deeply concerned that Mr. Sharif-Aminu has been in prison for too long for exercising his human rights.
All people have the right to freedom of expression, and to religion or belief, they said, as well as to take part in cultural life and the development of their society through artistic expression, without fear of imprisonment, reprisals or execution.
They urged the Supreme Court to consider Mr. Sharif-Aminu’s case as a priority, and recommended that Nigeria establish a moratorium on the death penalty, with a view to completely abolishing it.
The three Special Rapporteurs who issued the statement were appointed by the UN Human Rights Council, the Organization’s highest body on human rights. They operate in their individual capacity, are not UN staff, and do not draw a salary for their work.
The rainbow flag waves in the wind at San Francisco’s Castro District. Credit: Benson Kua
Respect human rights on International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia
The UN Secretary-General called for commitment to building a world of respect, dignity and human rights for all in his message to mark the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, observed on Friday.
António Guterres applauded the brave work of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ+) activists fighting to outlaw discrimination and secure equality before the law.
“Yet there is a worrying surge in the opposite direction,” he warned. “New laws are codifying old bigotries, exploiting fears and stoking hate.”
He said the theme of this year’s observation of the International Day – “No one left behind: equality, freedom and justice for all” – is a reminder of the obligation to respect the human rights and dignity of every person.
“We need action around the world to make those rights a reality,” the UN chief said, calling for an end to criminalization of same-sex relationships and discrimination and harmful practices against LGBTIQ+ communities.
