What's New

Resources updated between Monday, June 15, 2020 and Sunday, June 21, 2020

June 19, 2020

Elisabeth Tichy-Fisslberger, President of the Human Rights Council

"At the behest of all 54 African countries, the U.N. Human Rights Council held an 'urgent debate' June 16 to discuss racism and police brutality, with a special focus on the U.S. Earlier, the head of the African Union, Moussa Faki, publicly condemned George Floyd's killing.

Floyd's killing was vile, and African countries are justified to criticize it. But the selective outrage of singling out the U.S. for special scrutiny-the urgent debate at the U.N. Human Rights Council was only the fifth of its kind in 14 years-demonstrates either a moral blind spot or extreme cynicism.

The African states calling for the extraordinary measure should have first reflected on how poorly African governments can treat Africans.

Hereditary slavery still exists in Mali, Mauritania, and Niger. People smugglers in Libya auction off black Africans. Fourteen of the 18 countries the Global Slavery Index ranks as worst in the world at fighting slavery are African.
...
Focusing on the practices of countries like the U.S. at the behest of states with far worse records is par for the course in the Human Rights Council. Since its founding in 2006, the council has been a profoundly political body. It exhibits extraordinary bias against Israel, with nearly half of the condemnatory resolutions passed by the council focused on that country..."

Double Standards Rule the Day in the U.N. Human Rights Council Article

Reyhaneh Ameri, victim of violence against women in Iran. (Photo courtesy social media)

Third 'Honor Killing' In One Month Shakes Many Iranians Document

June 18, 2020

Meeting of the U.N. Human Rights Council, June 17, 2020

U.N. "Human Rights" Council set to launch investigation targeting U.S. Article

June 17, 2020

ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda (File photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons)

Why the ICC Prosecutor Is Wrong on Oslo Article

June 16, 2020

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet

"Excellencies,

In my capacity as President of the Human Rights Council, I have the honour to transmit to you herewith a letter addressed to me by H.E. Amb. Dieudonné W. Désiré Sougouri, Permanent Representative of Burkina Faso, in his capacity as coordinator of the African Group, requesting an Urgent Debate to be held on the "current racially inspired human rights violations, systemic racism, police brutality and the violence against peaceful protest", during the resumed 43rd session of the Human Rights Council between 15 and 19 June 2020. The Bureau will discuss this request as a matter of urgency.

Please accept, Excellencies, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Elisabeth TICHY-FISSLBERGER
President of the Human Rights Council"

UN Human Rights Council sets its sights on the United States Development

The Iron Dome defense system in Israel

The IDF struck multiple targets in the Gaza Strip on Monday night after a rocket fired from there landed in an open area in southern Israel earlier in the evening.

Airstrikes and tank fire targeted multiple sites in areas near Rafiah and Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. The IDF confirmed that airstrikes had targeted infrastructure used for underground operations by Hamas and that tanks had targeted military posts used by the terror group.

Earlier in the evening, one rocket was fired from the Gaza Strip into the Eshkol Regional Council also in southern Israel. As the rocket fell in an open area, no sirens were sounded and an alert was only issued in the open area.

No group claimed responsibility for the rocket fire as of Tuesday morning.

This is the first rocket fired from Gaza since May 6. The rocket fire comes amid heightened tensions concerning the planned annexation of parts of the West Bank and as terrorists in the Strip renewed launches of incendiary and explosive balloons last week.

Earlier on Monday, a Lebanese newspaper reported that Gaza terrorists had agreed to halt the balloon launches after millions of dollars in Qatari funds were approved to be transferred to the Strip. Qatari officials later stated that the funds had already been approved and would be delivered this week or next week.

Additionally, Hamas announced on Monday the launching of "activities to confront the annexation project," a reference to Israel's intention to extend sovereignty to parts of the West Bank.

"The launching of activities and the continued confrontation against the annexation plan is an encouraging initiative for all of our people to join a broad national front to face the occupation and the schemes of the US administration," Salah Bardaweel, a senior Hamas official in the Gaza Strip, told reporters.

Gaza terrorists launch rocket into Israel Document

June 15, 2020

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (File photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons)

Persecution of Bahai in Iran escalates as 77 imprisoned over religious beliefs Document