The United Nations Office at Geneva
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UN Geneva Press Briefing - 13 August 2024
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UN GENEVA PRESS BRIEFING
13 August 2024
Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired a hybrid briefing, which was attended by the spokespersons and representatives of the International Organization for Migration, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the United Nations Human Rights, and the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar.
Worsening situation in Sudan
Mohamed Refaat, Chief of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Mission in Sudan, speaking from Port Sudan, stated that he had witnessed unimaginable suffering of the Sudanese people. War, massive displacement, hunger, disease outbreaks and now floods: it seemed that the situation in Sudan worsened by the hour. Millions of families were trapped in a living nightmare. Families were uprooted, homes shattered, and the breaking point of a catastrophic situation had now been surpassed. Over 10.7 million people were internally displaced and some 2.3 million had crossed the border. One out of every five people were internally displaced. Around 20 percent of the entire population had been uprooted from their homes, many displaced multiple times; more than half were children. Hunger had reached catastrophic levels on a scale not seen since the Darfur crisis in the early 2000s. Almost all people displaced across Sudan were in areas with acute food insecurity or worse. Over the next three months, an estimated 25.6 million people would face severe food insecurity as the conflict spread and coping mechanisms are exhausted. Food insecurity was also an issue among the Sudanese refugees in Chad.
Mr. Refaat said that Sudan faced new hardships now as heavy rains had flooded cities, villages, and towns, inflicting further suffering on communities already vulnerable from ongoing conflict.
Families were losing what little they had left. Meanwhile, the violence continued to intensify and spread, with new frontlines in east Sudan pushing over 700,000 people from their homes. A protection crisis was unfolding in front of everyone’s eyes. Despite the challenges, the IOM and partners had reached over 2.7 million people in Sudan and neighboring countries. IOM and partners had requested USD 317 million for Sudan and the neighbouring countries, of which 21 percent had been received until mid-year. Without a massive and coordinated global response, the dire conditions in the country would worsen. Sudan was at a breaking point. The international community was not doing enough: the people of Sudan needed more than just sympathy; they needed action and support. The time to act was now, so that people of Sudan would not stand alone in this dark hour.
James Elder, for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), speaking from Atbara, Sudan, said that Sudan’s crisis for children was, by numbers, the largest crisis in the world. Just a few days before, a Sudanese boy football team had been playing in a UNICEF-supported child-friendly space in Khartoum, when a shell hit, killed two boys and injured the rest. Rape and sexual violence were prevalent, and child recruitment was on the rise. Five million people had fled their homes. Mr. Elder stressed that this was the world’s largest child displacement crisis. For more than a year, UNICEF had been saying that Sudan’s children could not wait. Without an unimpeded access to people in need, there would be a catastrophic loss of children’s lives in the coming months. Many children were already suffering from the most lethal levels of malnutrition. Without action, tens of thousands of Sudanese children might day in the coming months. Disease was the greatest fear for UNICEF, as the already terrifying outlook for the children in the country would further worsen.
International humanitarian law and human rights law had to be respected. An immediate ceasefire was needed, as well as scaling up of humanitarian response. UNICEF and partners had reached several million children and their families; with an unimpeded access, many more people in need could be assisted. Without immediate action, the dangerous apathy of the international community would continue.
Alessandra Vellucci, for the United Nations Information Service (UNIS), said that the Secretary-General was deeply alarmed at the evolving situation in El Fasher, where fierce fighting had been reported between the Sudanese Armed Forces, the Rapid Support Forces and elements of the Armed Struggle Movements. He called on all Parties to abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect and allow safe passage for civilians and facilitate rapid, and unimpeded humanitarian access. The Secretary-General reiterated his call for an immediate cessation of hostilities and lasting ceasefire.
Responding to questions from the media, Mr. Refaat, for the IOM, said that there were civilians who were trapped in Khartoum and could not get out. Once free movement was allowed, another wave of displacement from Khartoum could be expected, said Mr. Refaat. Mr. Elder, for UNICEF, spoke of witnessing live fire in Khartoum this week. He spoke of dire conditions in hospitals, where medical workers continued to work for months without pay and often in unsafe circumstances. This was a crisis of neglect; the international community had more than a simple moral obligation to help the people of Sudan. The reason to help Sudan was pragmatic as well: if the famine were to spread across the country, it would be much more expensive to provide assistance that it were now. Mr. Refaat said that there was not sufficient media coverage from the field, which could be one of the reasons this crisis was neglected. He reiterated that a ceasefire was necessary; IOM and partners needed both more resources and unimpeded access. Neglecting Sudan would have cross-regional consequences. Ms. Vellucci, for UNIS, added that the humanitarian response plan for Sudan was currently only 32.8 percent funded, and the Regional Refugee Response Plan was only 21 % funded.
Annual report of the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar
Nicholas Koumjian, head of the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM), informed that today the IIMM was launching the 6th Annual Report in which it highlighted its work over the past year and preliminary findings. IIMM had collected substantial evidence of an escalation in the frequency, intensity and brutality of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the Myanmar military, which came during a time when armed conflicts had increased across the country as challenges to military rule intensified. Civilians were bearing the brunt of more violent and intensive war crimes. Many crimes had been committed with an intent to punish and induce terror in the civilian population. The Mechanism had collected evidence of frequent aerial attacks on schools, religious buildings, hospitals, and displaced persons’ camps where there was no apparent military target, and with significant civilian casualties. IIMM was also investigating brutal acts of physical mutilation against people detained during the armed conflicts, which included beheadings and public displays of disfigured and sexually mutilated bodies.
The Report also outlined some of the Mechanism’s investigations into the unlawful imprisonment of perceived opponents of the military junta and crimes committed in detention.
There was abundant evidence of systematic torture in detention, including gang rape and other violent sexual crimes committed against people of all genders and ages, including children. While the Mechanism could not arrest or prosecute perpetrators, the Report outlined its commitment to ensuring justice for the victims of these crimes. The Mechanism had made considerable progress in building criminal cases against those most responsible for these crimes. IIMM was working towards the day that the evidence it had collected and analysed would be presented in a court of law, and the perpetrators would have to answer for their actions.
Full report can be access here.
Answering questions, Mr. Koumjian said that almost all crimes in detention had been conducted in the facilities run by the military junta. There was no doubt that the junta was becoming more desperate; it was increasingly using aerial bombing, the brunt of which was primarily borne by civilians. The desperation of the regime led to more brutality by the junta, but increased brutality was also being seen on the opposition side. Mr. Koumjian said that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) should play a more proactive role in ending the violence. Evidence on the crimes had to be collected and accountability subsequently ensured.
Renewed call to release UN detained staff in Yemen
Ravina Shamdasani, for the United Nations Human Rights (OHCHR), informed that UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk had strongly condemned the storming of the Office’s representation in Sana’a by the Ansar Allah de facto authorities and renewed his call for the immediate and unconditional release of all UN staff detained in Yemen. Entering a UN office without permission and seizing documents and property by force were wholly inconsistent with the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations. This was also a serious attack on the ability of the UN to perform its mandate. Ansar Allah forces had to leave the premises and return all assets and belongings immediately.
At the same time, multiple calls for the release of the detained staff – from the High Commissioner and other high-level officials – had not been heeded. Türk appealed again for their immediate and unconditional release. One of the two staff detained earlier by Ansar Allah had appeared in videos published online, in which he had been forced to confess to allegations, including of espionage, in a clear violation of his basic human rights protected under international law. “All such claims are baseless,” Türk stressed. The UN Human Rights Office in Yemen worked to promote the human rights of all Yemenis without distinction. This had included monitoring the impact of armed conflict and violence on civilians – irrespective of the parties that may be responsible – including by documenting deaths, injuries, destruction of essential infrastructure and the capacity of the Yemeni people to earn their livelihoods. “It is crucial that the de facto authorities respect the United Nations and its independence, release all detained UN staff immediately, and create conditions in which my Office and other UN agencies can continue their critical work for people of Yemen without threats or hinderance,” the High Commissioner said.
Full statement is available here.
Ms. Shamdasani said, responding to a question, that in her recollection, this was the first time that the de facto authorities had stormed a OHCHR office. A lot was being done behind the scene, at various levels, to ensure the security and safety of the OHCHR staff. Thirteen UN staff had been detained in early June, and one of the OHCHR employees had been forced into admitting espionage on social media. The OHCHR had demanded an unconditional release of detained UN staff, informed Ms. Shamdasani.
Alessandra Vellucci, for the United Nations Information Service (UNIS), reminded that United Nations workers should never be targeted. On 19 August, UN Geneva would mark the World Humanitarian Day to pay tribute to fallen colleagues and emphasize that actors at all levels needed to do what they could to protect UN staff.
Arbitrary detentions in Venezuela
Ravina Shamdasani, for the United Nations Human Rights (OHCHR), stated that UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk voiced his deep concern over the high and continuing number of arbitrary detentions, as well as disproportionate use of force reported in the aftermath of presidential elections in Venezuela, and the resulting climate of fear. According to official statements, over 2,400 people had been arrested since 29 July. This figure included the arbitrary detention of protesters, human rights defenders, adolescents, people with disabilities, members of the opposition or those perceived to be connected to them, as well as people who had served as electoral observers accredited by opposition parties in polling stations. The High Commissioner called for the immediate release of everyone who had been arbitrarily detained, and for fair trial guarantees for all detainees. The disproportionate use of force by law enforcement officials and the attacks on demonstrators by armed individuals supporting the government, some resulting in deaths, ought not be repeated. All deaths in the context of protests had to be investigated and those responsible held accountable, in line with due process and fair trial standards.
Lists of people wanted for allegedly promoting violence were said to be circulating on social media, including members of the opposition and journalists. There were also calls by the authorities to file complaints against those involved in alleged criminal acts, including legitimate activities, such as participating in public affairs, demonstrating peacefully, or exercising the right to freedom of expression. The High Commissioner urged the authorities to refrain from adopting these and any laws that undermine civic and democratic space in the country – in the interest of social cohesion and the future of the country. “The international community has a fundamental role to promote inclusive dialogue, with human rights of all Venezuelans at heart,” the High Commissioner added.
Full press release is here.
In response to questions, Ms. Shamdasani explained that the OHCHR was generally concerned about the impact of sanctions on the wellbeing of regular people. An inclusive dialogue, including people from all spheres of society, was what was needed in Venezuela. The international community was called upon to take action and bring this crisis to an end. OHCHR did not have staff in the country, she clarified, as there were no conditions for them to work from there; until that changed, 16 OHCHR staff continued to work from Panama. Since the election results had been announced, people were protesting in the streets; some had been killed and many others detained. OHCHR was focused on meaningful participation, freedom of assembly and expression. Without those, the climate of fear ruled. OHCHR remained engaged with the Venezuelan authorities, including at the High Commissioner’s level.
Situation in Russia
Protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure was a top priority, regardless of where military activities were taking place, stressed Ravina Shamdasani, for the United Nations Human Rights (OHCHR), responding to a question on the situation in Russia. She confirmed that the OHCHR had received information from the Russian authorities on the alleged casualties in the Kursk region of Russia. Given the lack of OHCHR access to Russia, it would take some time to verify the reports. OHCHR established that four civilians had been killed but had not yet been able to establish the circumstances. OHCHR always looked for access, especially in conflict situations, explained Ms. Shamdasani.
Announcements
Alessandra Vellucci, for the United Nations Information Service (UNIS), informed that the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination was concluding this morning its review of the report of Belarus. The Committee would then take up the reports of the United Kingdom, this afternoon at 3 pm, and Bosnia-Herzegovina on 15 August at 3 pm.
The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was concluding its review of the report of Burkina Faso. The Committee would review the report of Benin on 14 August and that of the Netherlands on 15 August.
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The webcast for this briefing is available here
The audio for this briefing is available here
Teleprompter
Good morning.
Welcome to the press briefing of the event here in Geneva.
Today is Tuesday, 13th of August.
We will start straight away with a couple of briefings on the situation in Sudan and we have the pleasure to have with us Mohammed Rifat, who is the Chief of Mission for Sudan of the International Organisation for Migration.
Mr Rifat, you are joining us from Port Sudan, I believe, to tell us about the worsening situation in Sudan.
And then we will listen from James Elder from UNICEF, who's also speaking for Sudan.
So I'll give you the floor first, then we'll listen James briefing and then I'll open the floor to questions, please.
Mr Rifat, you have the floor.
Distinguished colleagues, today I stand before you not just as a representative of the International Organisation for Migration, but as a witness to the unimaginable suffering of the Sudanese people.
The people whose resilience in the face of relentless adversity is nothing short of heroic War, massive displacement, hunger, diseases, outbreak and now thoughts.
The people of Sudan are facing crisis after another with no end.
Insight Every day and it seems like mostly every hour the situation in Sudan war Suns.
What was once a land of which culture, history and hope has become a battlefield of this theory where millions of families are trapped in living nightmare in Sudan.
There are no vectors in this war.
Every day it is a Sudanese people who bear the brunt of this conflict.
Families are being uprooted, entire communities shuttered, the floodwaters have turned homes into rooms and their violence have turned neighbourhoods into graveyards.
We sounded the alarm in April, warning that Sudan was on the threshold of a catastrophe.
That breaking point has now been surpassed.
The humanitarian conditions in Sudan are among the worst we have seen.
Displacement continue to soar at this tiger in grade, with over 10.7 million people internally displaced and 2.3 million have fleed across borders, the majority crossing to Chad, South Sudan and Egypt.
Around 20% of the entire population have been uprooted from their homes, many displaced multiple times.
That's one out of every five people internally displaced.
More than half of them are children.
Hunger has reached catastrophic levels on a scale not seen sensor.
There are 4 crises in early 20s.
Almost all people displaced across Sudan.
97% are in areas with acute food insecurity or worse.
Over the next three months, an estimated 25.6 million people will face the if food insecurity.
As the conflict spreads and coping mechanisms are exhausted, one out of two are struggling to put food on the table every single day.
The combination of food insecurity and displacement is likely to trigger post border movement in a Chad.
An estimated 84% of Sudanese refugees cite food insecurity as the primary reason for the movement.
Localities across Sudan has has been Localities across Sudan have seen population increase of 50% or more due to the influx of displaced people straining existing infrastructure and services and further exacerbating food shortages.
Sudan faces new hardship now as heavy rains have flogged cities, villages and towns, inflecting further suffering and communities already vulnerable from ongoing conflict.
More than 73,000 people across 11 states of of the eighteens in Sudan have been affected since June.
Families are losing what little they have left and critical infrastructure has been washed away, disturbing vital humanitarian aid.
This conflict has been appallingly brutal, marked by ethnical targeting of civilians and ****** massacres.
The violence continue to intensify and spread.
For the past months, hundreds of thousands have been under siege in a fashion facing extreme risk to their lives.
In Sonali state, a new conflict frontline in the eastern Sudan have driven almost 726,000 people from their homes.
For many, this is not the first time they have been forced to flee due to the war.
Basic services including water, health, sanitation, specialised protection services are collapsing while witnessing a protection crisis.
Restrictions on humanitarian access have severely limited the ability of aid organisation to scale up and save lives, particularly during the rainy season.
Despite these challenges, IOM and its partners have reached over 2.7 million people in Sudan and neighbouring countries with life saving assistance.
Then the conflict began.
However, urgent funding is required to scale up the response and reach those still desperately in need.
We asked for 317,000,000 for Sudan and neighbouring countries and we have received only 21% as of METIR.
Without an immediate, massive and coordinated global response, we risk witnessing 10s of thousands of preventable deaths in in the coming months.
These dire conditions will persist and worsens if the conflict and restrictions on humanitarian access continue.
We are at a breaking point.
Thank you.
In the IOM Sudan family, grief has become a constant companion.
Each week we mourn the loss of friend or family member taken by violence or tragedy, far from those they love.
My deepest condolences to all the lives we have lost, to our humanitarian heroes who have continued to stand strong helping others while being impacted themselves.
We must confront painful truth.
The international community is not doing enough.
The crisis in Sudan demands more than our sympathy, and it demands our action.
We must go beyond words and glitches.
We need to mobilise resources, strengthen our humanitarian response and most importantly, push for sustainable peace.
The people of Sudan have shown incredible courage, but they need us now more than ever to stand with them, to amplify their voices and to act with urgency that this crisis demands.
Let us remember, every day we delay, more lives are lost, more dreams are shattered and more features are stolen.
We cannot afford to wait.
The time to act is now.
Together, we must ensure that people of Sudan do not lose hope, that they do not stand alone in the dark hour.
Enough is enough.
The people of Sudan deserve peace.
Thank you.
Thank you very much, Sir.
And let's go now to James.
James, you are in at Barra in Sudan, I believe.
And tell us more about the situation of the children, please.
Thanks, Alexandra.
Nice to hear Muhammad's voice.
Yeah.
Before I start, just a quick reminder to to all the the journalists that tomorrow UNICEF is going to release that data that looks at children's exposure to extreme heat over the last 60 years.
It's, it's grim reading and has a real relevance to Sudan, where 80% of of children now face double the number of heat waves that their grandparents did.
But everyone has that press release.
And for this briefing, you'll have my notes, obviously, as soon as I finish.
Good morning, everyone.
Yes, Sudan's humanitarian crisis is for children, by numbers, the largest in the world.
It's also a crisis of neglect.
So many of the countless atrocities upon children in Sudan have gone unreported, often as a result of very limited access.
Now on Saturday, Saturday morning, a local football's football team, boys football team in Khartoum or Khartoum State was playing at a UNICEF child friendly space when a shell hit the football field.
Two boys were killed.
Almost the entire team was injured.
I met these children both in the hospital and at UNICEF child friendly space.
They are distraught.
Yesterday in Khartoum, I spoke to a senior senior medical worker who gave an insight into the magnitude of sexual violence during this war.
She explained she has had direct contact with hundreds, hundreds of women and girls, some as young as eight years old, who have been raped.
Many have been held captive for weeks on end.
She also spoke of the distressing number of babies born born after ****, who are being abandoned now.
In this war, thousands and thousands of children have been killed or injured.
Sexual violence and child recruitment are increasing.
And the situation is even worse where in those places where we simply are denied A humanitarian presence, 5 million children have been forced to flee their homes.
5 million.
It's, it's a staggering 10,000 girls and boys forced to flee their homes every single day for the almost 500 days of this horrendous war.
Making this, as you heard from Muhammad, the world's largest displacement, certainly the world's largest child displacement crisis.
Many of those had to flee many times.
Now for more than a year, we have been saying Sudan's children cannot wait.
Well, now they are dying.
Famine in Zamzam camp is the first determination of famine by the Famine Review Committee in more than seven years.
And it's only the 3rd famine determination since that monitoring system was created 20 years ago.
We must be very clear without say, without unimpeded access and the removal of hindrances, that's particularly cross-border, cross line.
This month's determination of famine in one part of Sudan risks spreading and leading to a catastrophic loss of children's lives.
Beyond Zamzam, there's another 13 areas in Sudan that are on the brink of famine and they are home who are staggering.
143,000 children already suffering the most lethal type of malnutrition.
Now, experts don't give predictions for mortality, but the current situation necessitates governments with influence and donors acknowledge the following.
Without action, 10s of thousands of Sudanese children may die over the coming months.
10s of thousands and that is by no means a worst case scenario.
Any disease outbreak and we will see mortality skyrocket.
Disease is our greatest fear.
If there's a measles outbreak, if there's diarrhoea, if there are respiratory infections, then the terrifying outlook for children in Sudan dramatically worsens.
Remembering that in the current living conditions, with the heavy rains and the flooding, these diseases will spread like wildflower.
And so today, the children of Sudan urgently need unimpeded and safe humanitarian access using all routes that's across lines of conflict, that's particularly Darfur, Khartoum, Khodafan, and through Sudan's borders.
They need the respect of international law and human rights law, a massive scale up of donor funding to prevent the collapse of essential systems that children rely on.
And yes, the children of Sudan need an immediate ceasefire now.
Amid this complex catastrophe for children, UNICEF is staying and delivering.
To date, this year alone, UNICEF and partners have reached 5 million children and families with safe drinking water, 3,000,000 with critical health supplies, another three million with malnutrition supplies.
Imagine what UNICEF, imagine what the United Nations.
Imagine what our partners could do with more access, colleagues to to start where I ended this briefing, and that is with the killing of those children playing football.
The captain, the team's best player, was also its youngest.
The shrapnel from that shell killed him.
When I asked his team mates when they hoped to play football again, their response was uniform.
Never by turning a blind eye to Sudan and by ignoring the immense suffering, the warring parties and the international community continue a dangerous precedent for global apathy towards children.
Thank you.
Thank you very much, James.
Thank you.
And I also call the attention of the journalist on the statement attributed attributable to the spokesperson of the Secretary General in Sudan of yesterday.
We have distributed it to you where the Secretary General says he's deeply alarmed at the evolving situation in Al Fisher N.
Therefore, he calls on all parties to abide by their obligation under international humanitarian law to protect and allow safe passage for civilians and facilitate rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access.
And he reiterated his call for an immediate cessation of hostility and lasting ceasefire.
We have heard how important it is this for the people and especially the children of Darfur.
I open the floor to questions now in the room if any.
No, they are saying no.
So I'll go to the platform.
Christian was that a hand up, Christian Erich for Muhammad, Yes.
Our correspondent of the German Press Agency, DPA.
Christian, thank you very much.
I was wondering whether, James, you could tell us a bit more about what the situation is in Khartoum and I wasn't sure, I didn't get the beginning whether Muhammad is also in Khartoum.
It would be good to get a flavour of what it's like for the people who live there or for you moving around in that city.
Thank you.
Thank you, Christian.
I believe Mohammed is in Port Sudan, but I think maybe both of them can tell you I, James, just come back from Khartoum, right?
So we can hear from both of them.
I don't know who wants to start, maybe Mohammed and then James on the situation in, in the city, in the capital.
Yeah, thanks a lot.
So we, I'm in Port Sudan, but we have our teams that work in Khartoum and the situation of Khartoum that you still have large number of civilians who are trapped there extremely under very hostile environment.
0 Access to healthcare services.
They work for unders maybe of metres or kilometres, many of them under a very hostilean environment, trying to secure food.
The food prices are skyrockets.
There is a shortage in everything.
There are militias who have taken civil properties all over the places.
So there are civilians who are trapped there.
They cannot get out.
Maybe they don't have a place to go out.
There is very limited access for them through the close line operation for providing any aid.
We call in all parties to provide facilitation for cross line operation, cross line support.
We have opened some of the IDP centres around far too many an Ometer man shindi where we provide non food items and protection services and wash services.
But this is definitely, definitely not as a scale needed.
In my opinion.
The moment that coastline will be allowed, there will be another wave of displacement from Khartoum.
Those who would like to flee.
But let's also not to forget that many of them are single male who have stayed there just to protect their remaining assets.
And maybe they don't have any other places to go.
The regulation around Khartoum has already been saturated by Itps who are already fleeing.
Thank you.
Thank you, Mohammed James.
Yeah, Christian, Hi.
Thanks.
Yeah, exactly as Muhammad says, it's, it's very tense.
Twice, certainly yesterday and the day before, we were in places where there was live fire.
Yesterday we were at a what is the largest water distribution point, a major, major facility that UNICEF supports that provides water to around 2 million people that has that has come under fire.
Yesterday there was large explosions and artillery or shells as you've heard me say many times.
I don't have weapon or expert, but heavy shelling across us there at a different time.
We were at a child friendly space.
Again, a child friendly space.
This is the day after those boys were killed at a child friendly space.
We're at a child friendly space and there was there was live fire.
These are all just simply bearing witness to what is happening every single day.
Hospitals.
The hospital was absolutely packed.
The hospital was literally blood on the floor.
This was the day that we went in where some of those boys were being treated.
Some of those boys who didn't survive, others was went to other hospitals.
Important to mention those medical staff there.
There is something extraordinary when I was in Port Sudan a year ago and then four, six months ago, time and again, meeting health staff who have not been paid, who keep turning up to work.
This was the same sitting with surgeons who are staying, talking to a senior medical worker and her family, her husband, her children have all left.
She remains simply as I hear time and again.
Why?
Because these are my people.
I need to stay.
So there are amazing selfless acts going on.
But these are people living, living in a war zone and where the lines of lines of fire are very, very regular.
And so they are very unsafe and they're unsafe as well because of a lack of water and the the poor living conditions.
Spoke to a woman in a camp, Christina Christiana, and she, you know, she has moved multiple times to get to that, to get to that place.
She's in a school.
She's desperate for her children to go back to school.
But she knows when that happens, she, of course, will no longer have a safe place to be again.
Everyone when they say safe, they're doing almost, almost air quotes.
The to give a sense of some people's life in that hospital.
We saw a young girl, maybe 12 or 13, her motherhood walked with her for 10 to 15 days from Darfur after there'd been a shelling.
She had shelling, I think, in her stomach.
She would go into the hospital every day to get treatment.
And at night, she, her mother and her brother went near the hospital and slept under a tree.
Her mother or her brother rather her brother estimated they ate about once every three days.
These are not uncommon stories.
We are not digging these stories out.
These are the people you come in contact with every single, every single day there.
Oh, with that appalling situation.
Thank you, James.
Thank you.
Mohamed El go to Lisa Schlein was of America.
Thank you.
Good morning, Alessandra and good morning gentlemen.
First, I would like to ask the IOM representative to please send his notes.
I know James, you've already said that you will send your notes.
So thank you very much.
I'd like to ask you whether you think that Sudan is the world's, well, it's considered the world's most worst humanitarian disaster crisis.
Do you consider Sudan also the world's most forgotten crisis?
And if so, why?
Why is the world not paying attention to all of the awful things that are occurring there?
And then I'm wondering what your attitude, your reaction, what your hopes are in regard to the Sudan peace talks, which are supposed to begin in Geneva tomorrow, whether you are hopeful, whether you expect that anything might happen to turn this dreadful situation around?
Thank you.
Thank you, Lisa.
I'm pretty sure James will send his notes and also been asking Zoe to send Muhammad's notes if possible during the briefing.
Yeah.
I don't know who would like to start.
Maybe James this time and then we'll go to Mohammed.
Sure.
Thanks.
Thanks, Lisa.
Yeah, I think, I think as journalists, you have a good sense of why attention is so poor here.
And that's why it's what we are in that first sentence.
We, we are considering this a crisis of neglect.
This is not forgotten.
This is known.
And this is in many aspects ignored.
If you look, Muhammad mentioned the funding crisis, UNICEF is very similar.
We have a gap of $500 million.
When you look at the work we do in water sanitation as almost the sole provider of our UTF, that magic food for malnourished children, when we have a funding gap of more than 70%, that equates to children's lives.
That's very clear.
These numbers to some may look like large numbers.
We know when we compare them to budgets and defence budgets, they are they are minuscule.
So this is a crisis of neglect.
And again, as we've mentioned many times here, Lisa, this is not just a moral obligation.
You know, preventing this humanitarian disaster will have has regional, potentially international ramifications as well.
On ceasefire, I would only say that I think it is critical.
I think what we also lean to right now, knowing the relevance of a humanitarian, not a political organisation as UNICEF, is that unimpeded safe access cross borderline cross conflict line.
But when it comes to a ceasefire, yes, I was speaking to a surgeon, one of those surgeons I mentioned who has not been paid in 16 months, who had been operating on some of those children and overseeing the operation of those boys who had been injured and killed whilst playing football.
And he said to me, if those people behind this war could just see these injuries, could see these children who have been killed, they would find a way to sit and talk.
Mohammed yeah, thanks a lot.
Just to add a few points, I think on the on why it's being neglected or forgotten.
I think part of it adding to what Luke had mentioned is that we don't enough, we don't have enough media and coverage in the field.
And this is one of the reasons why maybe it doesn't make it to the lot of the news as well as Sudan.
People have gotten news to Sudan for maybe 20-30 years to be in the news on the crisis lines.
And maybe it doesn't make difference for them now.
But also, this is partially because we don't have enough of our journalists, colleagues on the ground.
And this is maybe related to the access challenges.
But also we would like to have more of your field visit, get materials from the ground, share it because this is what makes the international opinion see more of the situation on the ground.
I fully agree that when it comes to hope with Geneva talks, I will not speak about myself.
I will speak about all our Sudanese colleagues and Sudanese people that we serve.
They have hopes and they have nothing other than hope to hold for because without peace talks without cease of fire, only the situation is going to literally rate.
So you can definitely confirm that hope This is still there that every Sudanese year wants for this war to stop just about how and the political will and we hope for all international parties to continue in those lines.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
If James wanted to add something, but I see Nick coming, Bruce wanted to.
James, you want to add something now, Lisa, just very quickly, as we've seen previously.
But beyond the principles of supporting civilians who have done everything they possibly can to stay safe amid A vicious, vicious ongoing war, there is also, of course, a very pragmatic reason why that international support needs to come.
We know when there are famine declarations, the money pours in.
We also know it's too late.
Children are dying.
So when we talk about, and these are these are, you know, hard numeric mathematical numbers.
When we talk about the risk right now to 10s of thousands of children dying, if that famine does spread into some of those other 13 areas that are already in IPC phase five.
If it or if it does spread, the money will flow, the children will also be dead.
So there is a reason in practise as well as principle as to why to fund now.
It is much, much cheaper to fund a crisis before you get to those utterly catastrophic levels of food insecurity for children.
Thank you.
Thank you.
And and just for your information and under the control of of Yancey was in the room.
The humanitarian needs and response plan, which is coordinated by Arch, as you know, and which calls for 2.7 billion to reach 14.7 million people in Sudan as of today is only 32.8% funded.
I'd like now to go to Nick.
Nick I mean, Bruce, New York Times has been waiting.
Nick Yeah, thank.
Thank you for taking the question.
You mentioned fresh displacement and I wondered if you could just give me a little bit more detail on where the fresh displacement is occurring, which particular front lines are seeing a new exodus of population?
Secondly, I appreciate the focuses on the cost of this crisis for the Sudanese people, but you mentioned loss of life among aid agencies.
I wonder if you could just bring us up to date and say what has been the, the the death toll among aid agency workers and what are the kind of conditions that they are facing trying to deliver humanitarian aid?
It's the obstruction at checkpoints.
Are are you getting approval from military commanders, but you're just not on a local level.
What's the kind of dynamic there?
Pete?
Thank you.
Thank you, Nick Mohammed.
Yeah, Thanks, Nick.
Let me talk about displacement first.
I give you one example.
Only one battlefront lines are between the 24th of June and up to date.
So this is less than 1 1/2 month.
We have counted 726,000 have been displaced.
This is only one frontline.
If you add to this the others, I give you an example for two out of the 10.7 million internally displaced in Sudan, 35% of them are coming from the capital of Sudan, Hapur.
That's almost the whole capital of a country has been displaced.
So imagine the scale of displacement.
Every time we have a front line moving, every time we have an attack, we release a flash update from our displacement tracking metrics programme that is available public that we can track everyday what is happening.
Unfortunately, if you track the number of reports that we released over the last two weeks, it's almost doubled the two weeks before, because now we are releasing reports because of the front lines, because of the floods, because of the food shortages.
Every one of those is the reason for a new displacement.
So just imagine the scale.
I remember less than a month ago I declared more than 10 million displacement in Sudan and just in this short period we have gotten almost another 700,000 on top of them.
So this is just to give you the scale of displacement on the number of casualties.
I don't have on top of my head the total number of humanitarians who have been killed.
But for IOM, we have lost two recently eyesight, some of our ICRC colleagues have to have been killed.
2 drivers from ICRC have been killed.
And I'm sure for each agency we can count more and more incidents.
The kind of instruction, it's diverse, it goes from procratic paperwork up to checkpoints.
The main reason Nick, is that in many of the areas we don't have exact who's men who's controlling which part, the chain of command between soldiers and sometimes militias.
Some areas which is supposedly under control of one group is not necessary on reality under this group and might be controlled by completely other one.
The floods.
For example, the UN has a convoy now that's completely stuck near the Lingi because of the floods.
For four days, you cannot get out of the Lingi.
The number of trucks for several agencies have been stuck either at checkpoints or because of floods.
I don't want to speak about other agencies, but if you go through each agency, it has three or two trucks that have been stuck for weeks for some reason or another.
I'm optimistic that the humanitarian discussion that took place over the last two weeks in Geneva or slightly more has improved situation that both parties and other parties on the ground have realised that the impact of their fighting on the humanitarian cost is ****.
But the only solution is just to cease-fire and silence the guns.
Because without this, Sudanese will suffer and lose hope.
And the moment they lose hope, they will look for options.
They just want to remind everyone losing hope means more mobility, more displacement, more people crossing the border.
And maybe this is when the ward will wake up on the cross regional mobility crisis.
So we need to be very careful that neglecting Sudan will have its cross regional cost the least to say.
Thank you.
Thank you very much, Mohammed.
In fact, I would like to thank you and James for this briefing this morning.
Yeah, just keep us abreast of the developments of this incredibly a terrible situation.
Christian, I'd like to stop this here.
Is that a follow up brief, please?
Yes, very brief.
The conundrum of not enough money and not enough access, doesn't that also impede more donations if you don't have access?
People will ask themselves, well, what's the use of money if humanitarian organisations don't have access?
Or are you saying that with more money, even though we have very limited access, we could do a lot more than we are doing now?
Thank you.
I'm pretty sure this is the answer, but I'll let Muhammad on.
The answer is simple.
We for those we have access, we don't have enough resources.
So we see people who are dying and being in this situation that we have access to that we cannot do anything to them.
On the other side, we know that people like Zamzan, they are in severe dire situation.
We don't have access and we are willing to avail resources if the access will be given.
So it's simple, we definitely need more resources and the moment we will have access, we will definitely give the priority for those who have been more in desperate need.
I think now simply to say we are crossing those who are in desperate need just to save lives and reach those who are dying.
So if we have money, we would try to serve everyone.
Thank you.
And remember, please, that's again under the I'm speaking under the supervision of Olga, who is connected.
But there is also the Refugee Response Plan, the Regional Refugee Response Plan, which is coordinated by UNHCR, calling for more than 1.5 billion to reach nearly 3.3 million people who have fled the neighbouring country, which is only 2521% funded.
So thank you very much again to all the colleagues who have participated to this briefing and let me know now to our next speaker.
I have the pleasure to introduce you to Mr Nicholas Kungian, who is the head of the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar and who's launching the next annual report.
So I'll give you the floor, Sir.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Today, we launched the 6th Annual Report of the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar, detailing our work over the past year.
Our our mandate is to collect evidence of the most serious international crimes in Myanmar.
And unfortunately, what our report conveys is that the number of these crimes is only increasing.
The armed conflict is increasing in intensity in and in brutality and crimes are happening more and more frequently.
Civilians are often the victims of the armed conflict, not simply as collateral damage, but often as the targeted targeted in the conflict.
So, for example, aerial bombings have increased very substantially in in this last year in Kaya State.
In February of this year, four children were killed and around 10 injured when fighter jets dropped bombs and deployed machine gunfire on the school in Kayan State.
In September of last year, two children were killed and others children and teachers injured when the military reportedly dropped bombs on the village school in Qin State.
On the 15th of November of last year, eight children and a teacher were killed and others injured after an aerial attack on the school.
We've also seen incredible brutality by different actors against on the ground against the opposing forces.
So for example, there was a videotape that circulated earlier this year that showed 2 captured PDF fighters being tied hung between 2 trees and a fire built underneath them, and then the soldiers burned to death.
It's incredible, not just the level of brutality, but the obvious feelings of impunity of those that committed the events that they actually would videotape what occurred and then put it on social media so it would be broadcast similarly.
And unfortunately, we have a video that showed resistance forces beheading 2 captured soldiers in Locao in Kaya State in November or December of last year.
So this kind of incredible brutality is going on.
Yesterday marks the 75th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions and obviously those conventions are designed to put rules on how conflicts are conducted.
Civilians cannot be non combatants, cannot be the intended targets of armed conflict.
According to the Geneva Convention, soldiers that are captured, that our order combat cannot be victimised.
But we see this happening over and over again in Myanmar and unfortunately in many other places in the world.
But I think the message for us is that we have to continue our work to try to bring some end to this cycle of impunity.
And our report talks about our efforts to continued efforts to share evidence that we have collected and analytical products with three ongoing processes, judicial processes that are now dealing with the Rohingya crisis.
And this would include the federal prosecutor in Argentina, the International Criminal Court, which has an investigation about the Rohingya, and also the case at the International Court of Justice, The Gambia versus Myanmar, which concerns state responsibility for genocide.
We've shared over 260 packages of evidence and and that includes analytical products with these processes in the hope that these, our evidence will help lead eventually to justice in these proceedings and in other proceedings.
So I thank you very much and happy to take any questions.
Thank you very much for this update.
I also would like to remind you that yesterday in a statement, we have been joining what Nicholas just said.
We've been condemning in the strongest terms the escalation of violence that has led to heavy civilian casualties in the country in recent weeks.
Sorry.
These incidents are part of a deeply concerning trend in the intensifying conflict, with civilians bearing the brunt of a conflict that has upended millions of live lives.
We remind all parties, as we've just also heard, we remind all parties to the conflict of their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians and civilian properties.
Parties should also allow all communities to safely access humanitarian aid amid the worsening situation.
18.6 million people require humanitarian assistance, 6 million of them children.
And again, as we have heard about Sudan, this is another humanitarian needs and response plans, which remains completely unfunded, underfunded with only 2521% or 214 million of the required 994,000,000 received 8 months into the year.
More resources are urgently needed to assist the 5.3 million people in need across the country.
And I'll open the floor to questions now in the room first.
Looking at our journalist there.
No.
OK, so let's go to the platform.
Robin Miller, this our correspondent of AFP.
Robin, thank you.
The the report documents torture and sexual crimes in detention, very specifically regarding children, what was done to children and how young were those children and can you specify who is doing this?
Thank you.
Well, the crimes in detention that we report are reporting on generally, almost all of them are in detention facilities run by the military junta.
I don't have the exact age of the children that were involved, but also often we we see parents arrested and their children brought with them.
We also see very young teenagers arrested and put in detention.
Thank you very much, Nicholas.
Lisa Schlein, Voice of America.
Thank you.
Yes, good morning.
I was wondering whether the increasing brutality, some of the increasing brutality you talk about maybe a consequence of what we've been hearing that the junta in some areas are losing their battles against the civil uprising that has been going on and increasing as well.
Whether this is whether this is one of the things that are happening, do you see any kind of a, a turn around in terms of international concern regarding the Myanmar situation, whether there are more countries that are not supporting the the junta and the way that they have?
Is this giving you any sort of hope?
And what about the ongoing arms trade?
Is that lessening or is it continuing in a very large way?
Thank you.
One of the things we're looking at is the supply of of weapons and this generally the support for crimes.
Where is it coming from?
What is the intent of that support?
I think there's no doubt that the military, that the junta is becoming more desperate.
And we've seen, for example, this big increase in the use of aerial bombing.
And the targets of these bombings are usually civilian targets.
Schools and churches and hospitals are often the only structures in the area and those are the structures that are being major structures that are being bombed.
So civilians are bearing the brunt of what's happened.
And similar, going back to the to the last question on detentions, I think it is partly a response to the desperation of the current regime that we see so frequently.
Those that are put into detention are tortured in an attempt to extract information.
There is sexual violence that's occurring in that detention and the ****** of sexual violence is is extremely common against all of those detainees.
So to answer your question, absolutely, I think that the desperation of the regime is creating more ferocity, more brutality in their attacks against the civilian population.
But I would add that we're also seeing a very concerning an increase in violence and brutality by opposition forces and we're very concerned about that also.
Robin, you have a follow up.
Yes, thank you.
So on these on these serious crimes, which, which countries have influence with the Myanmar government and and could perhaps get them to to change their ways.
Are they doing so?
And and if not, why not?
Thank you.
Well, I'm not going to go into too much of the political analysis because that's beyond my mandate.
But I would say that absolutely, you know, the countries of the region have expressed all expressed their concern with the violence that's going on in Myanmar.
And in fact, ASEAN, a very key player in Myanmar has said from the beginning it it reached this five point consensus that the junta itself signed on to the five point consensus.
And the very first point is end the violence.
But we see instead an increase in violence and we see an increase in the violence targeting civilians.
So I think absolutely it's time for ASEAN to put some bite into its consensus.
It's not enough simply to say we we support ending the violence.
There have to be steps taken to to ensure that in fact the violence has ended.
And we believe that a key part of that effort to end the violence is to make it clear that those who are responsible for the most serious international crimes will be held to account.
So we call on all the states in ASEAN to support our efforts to collect evidence of these crimes.
We're the only ones out there collecting the evidence.
No one in the country, in the regime, is not going to.
The junta is not going to collect the evidence.
Support our efforts to collect the evidence so that perpetrators or potential perpetrators know someone is watching, someone's collecting the evidence.
Someday you may be held to account.
Nicholas, thank you very much.
Let me see if there is any other question.
I can see other hands up.
And I'm counting on on you to distribute the notes they're asking in the chat.
Thank you very much.
Thanks again for this important report.
Let's stay on human rights.
And my turn to my left to hear from Ravina.
Ravina, you have two points, Yemen and Venezuela with that with Yemen.
Yeah, go ahead.
Thank you.
Good morning everyone.
You should have received the press release earlier this morning in English and in Arabic.
The UN **** Commissioner for Human Rights, Walker Turks, strongly condemns the storming of our office in Sana by the Ansar Allah de facto authorities, and we renew our call for the immediate and unconditional release of all UN staff detained in Yemen.
Entering AUN office without permission and seizing documents and property by force are wholly inconsistent with the privileges and immunities of the United Nations.
This is also a serious attack on the ability of the UN to perform its mandate, including with respect to the promotion and protection of human rights, which our office is there to defend.
Anzarilla forces must immediately leave the premises and return all assets and belongings to us.
On the 6th and the 7th of June, the de facto authorities had detained 13 UN staff, including six of our UN Human Rights Office employees and this was in addition to over 50 NGO workers and an embassy staff.
A reminder that there are actually four other UN staff who have already remained detained in Yemen.
These include two UN human rights staff.
So a total of 17 UN staff remain detained in Yemen.
In the wake of these detentions and given the security situation, the **** Commissioner decided to suspend temporarily the offices operations in Sana and in other areas under Anzar Allah control.
The office continues to operate in other parts of Yemen.
On the 3rd of August, Anzar Allah de facto authority sent a delegation to the premises of the UN Human Rights Office in Sana that forced national staff to hand over belongings including documents, furniture and vehicles in addition to our keys.
They are still in control of the premises.
We regret that all our pleas and those of other UN **** level officials have fallen on deaf ears.
We appeal again with a heavy heart for their immediate and unconditional release.
We're doing all we can to make sure that they are united with their loved ones as soon as possible, and until then, the de facto authorities must ensure that they are treated with full respect for their human rights and they are able to contact their families and legal representatives.
One of the two staff detained earlier by Anzar Allah had appeared in videos published online in which he was forced to confess to allegations, including of espionage, in a clear violation of his basic human rights protected under international law.
All such claims are baseless.
At no time has our office engaged in any activities other than those in the service of the people of Yemen.
In accordance with the **** Commissioner's mandate, the UN Human Rights Office in Yemen works to protect the human rights of all Yemenis without distinction, and this has included monitoring the impact of armed conflict and violence on civilians, irrespective of the parties that may be responsible, documenting deaths, injuries, destruction of essential infrastructure and to build the capacity and destruction of the capacity of the Yemeni people to earn their livelihoods.
The Office's work also focuses on promoting the rights of vulnerable people like women, children, people with disabilities, older people and minorities.
It is crucial that the de facto authorities respect the United Nations and its independence, release all detained UN staff immediately, and create conditions in which our Office and other UN agencies can continue their critical work for the people of Yemen without ****** or hindrance.
Thank you very much, Ravina.
Let me see Yuri, I have one question on Yemen and the other questions will not be on Yemen and other subject that you just talk so many.
Let's keep it on Yemen, OK.
On Yemen, just one question, one precision, is this, is this the first time in the history of your office when an office, regional office is stormed by a government or by by the de facto authorities or is it happened in the past things?
That's a good question, Yuri.
To my recollection, this is the first time that de facto authorities have stormed our office, called our staff in and threatened them into surrendering all of our equipment and that they remain in possession of the premises.
To my recollection, this is the first time I can confirm that for you and get back to you.
Yes, And this is, of course, extremely severe.
And you can just imagine how intimidating this must be for our staff in Yemen to be summoned like that and to be forced to to surrender all of their equipment.
Nick, Nick coming, Bruce.
Yeah, Thank you.
I mean, when he when he.
I'm curious actually why it's taken us 10 days to to get this, the report of the array and why, why do we have to wait 10 days for that?
And secondly, when exactly then did you close your office?
When, when, you know, when did that take effect?
Thanks, Nick.
It's a fair question.
We are doing everything we can behind the scenes.
When when I say we, I mean the entire UN system, the UN **** Commissioner for Human Rights, various, you know, **** level officials in our office, but also beyond including the the secretary general, the special envoy have been involved in this.
So there's a lot going on behind the scenes for us to try to to ensure as much as we can security for our staff, to make sure that the families, the loved ones of these people who are detained are supported, that we do not take any steps that could further endanger our staff.
But at the same time, it is important for us to be transparent about what's happening and to openly condemn these actions and to insist that they violate the privileges and immunities of of the United Nations.
They violate international law.
So there are steps we sometimes take before going public where we are trying to do things behind the scenes to to influence the issue.
The office, we informed the ANZARELLA authorities of the suspension of the office on the 30th of July.
So this was prior to the actual raid of the office.
OK Nick, you have a follow up.
Yeah.
OK.
So that's a little bit the model.
Why did you close the office then if you closed before the raid?
And secondly, in relation to the raid itself, have you identified, you know, which part of the Ansar Al authorities were particularly involved in in this raid and who directed it?
And yeah, thank you, staff.
The, the 13 UN staff, including six of our employees were detained on the 6th and the 7th of June already.
So the raid has just come.
But the detentions actually took place in early June.
And subsequently one of our staff members was exposed on social media, forced to confess to espionage and to all sorts of outrageous and outlandish allegations.
The decision to suspend or temporarily suspend our presence in Sana was taken with a view to the security of the staff.
Sorry, I've forgotten now what your second question was the decision on the suspension.
Yeah.
So then yeah, well, the the second question was who do you think was particularly behind it?
But while while you're active, we can conclude them the the suspension with triggered by the treatment of this particular staff member who is exposed on social media.
And if you could just say exactly when that happened.
Thank you.
The suspension was triggered by the **** Commissioner's concern about the security situation.
In the interests of trying to maintain the security of of our colleagues, the the decision was made to temporarily suspend our operations.
Your other question was also on who exactly was responsible.
We are we again UN writ large.
We are in trying to be in touch with various interlocutors among the Anzarella authorities.
We've written letters, we've tried to reach out for conversations.
So various parts of the Anzarella configuration have we, We have been in contact with them.
Good key.
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Thank you, Alexandra and thank you Gorgie for your expressions of of solidarity for our colleagues.
I really appreciate that.
And also thank you for your question for pointing out that these attacks on the UN are growing.
The **** Commissioner has called this out.
He has called out the increasingly virulent attacks on the United Nations as a whole, on the Secretary General himself, on the **** Commissioner, on our office, on our special procedures mandate holders, on other institutions like the International Criminal Court as well.
A reminder that these institutions were all set up to protect.
Human rights, to promote human rights and to prevent human rights violations, to hold people accountable, perpetrators of human rights violations accountable.
And it is unacceptable that these are the very institutions that are now under attack.
And with the **** Commissioner has called, and I repeat his call now, for all states to speak out loudly in defence of these institutions and not to take any steps to belittle, undermine, threaten or intimidate these institutions.
Thank you very much sequel around the the the the organisation agent did question this was in declaration concern non attack American every 10 years the Cameron Cameron on Yemen.
Thanks Musa on on contact.
As I said Alessandro, you might have a little bit to add on this on contact.
We are trying it is very difficult.
There have been exchange of letters we have written to the authorities demanding the unconditional and immediate release of our colleagues, demanding that they be allowed to have contact with their families and of course, condemning the, the raid of our office and reminding them that this is contravention of international law within the UN writ large as well, there has been contact with the authorities.
Lisandra, did you want to, I, I, I was looking for something a little bit updated.
I, I'll try to find you something really recent.
But of course, yes, as, as Ravina said, we are all mobilised to do what we can for the release of, of our colleagues.
I'll try to find you something a little bit more updated on the efforts of the UN at large on, on this matter.
We and yes, yes, thank you on, on Yemen, maybe you said it that I missed that, sorry.
On the detention of the six employees of the UN Human Rights Office on 6 and 7 June.
Was it on 6 or on 7 or on both days?
And where they were when they were detained, were they in the office or elsewhere?
They were on the 6th and the 7th of June and some of them were picked up from their homes as well.
I don't have the exact location of each of the the six staff members, but I do know that some of them were picked up at home, but I can find out about each of them.
OK, thank you very much.
You really haven't forgotten you.
But Robina has an item on a Venezuela and then maybe unless it's on Venezuela, but otherwise I'll give you the Floridian.
Robina, please, Venezuela.
Venezuela, You should have also received the press release in English and in Spanish.
The UN **** Commissioner for Human Rights, Voca Turk, voices his deep concern over the **** and continuing number of arbitrary detentions, as well as disproportionate use of force reported in the aftermath of the presidential elections in Venezuela and the resulting climate of fear.
It is especially troubling that so many people are being detained, accused or charged either with incitement to hatred or under counterterrorism legislation.
Criminal law must never be used to limit unduly the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association.
According to official statements, over 2400 people have been arrested since the 29th of July.
This figure includes the arbitrary detention of protesters, human rights defenders, adolescents, people with disabilities, members of the opposition or those perceived to be connected to them, as well as people who serve as electoral observers accredited by opposition parties in polling stations.
In most of the cases documented by our office, the detainees have not been allowed to appoint lawyers of their choice or to have contact with their families.
Some of these cases would amount to enforced disappearances.
The **** Commissioner calls for the immediate release of everyone who has been arbitrarily detained and for fair trial guarantees for all detainees.
The disproportionate use of force by law enforcement officials and the attacks on demonstrators by armed individuals supporting the government, some resulting in deaths, must not be repeated.
There have also been reports of acts of violence against public officials and public buildings by some demonstrators.
The **** Commissioner stresses that violence is never the answer.
All deaths in the context of protests must be investigated and those responsible held accountable in line with due process and fair trial standards.
Lists of people who are wanted for allegedly promoting violence are also said to be circulating on social media, including of members of the opposition and journalists.
These are very worrying.
There are also calls by the authorities to file complaints against those involved in alleged criminal acts, including legitimate activities such as participating in public affairs, demonstrating peacefully or exercising the right to freedom of expression.
We're also concerned at the potential adoption of the Bill on oversight, regularisation, performance and Financing of NGOs and related organisations, as well as the Bill against Fascism, Neo Fascism and similar expressions.
We urge the authorities to refrain from adopting these and any laws that undermine civic and democratic space in the country in the interest of social cohesion and the future of the country.
We are also worried that some individuals have had their passports suspended, which seems to be an act of reprisal for their legitimate work in the country.
All this is exacerbating tensions and further fragmenting the social fabric of Venezuela.
The international community has a fundamental role to promote inclusive dialogue with human rights of all Venezuelans at heart.
And as always, our office stands ready to assist.
Thank you very much, Ravina.
I see Lisa has a question probably in this morning.
Orvina in in the past, I believe your office has been opposed or at least not a big fan of sanctions.
the United States has had sanctions on Venezuela in the past in order to try to change its policies and that hasn't worked.
And they lifted the sanctions, I do believe, when they thought that perhaps it would be free and fair election.
What is your position on this now?
Should countries like the United States reimpose sanctions upon Venezuela?
Or are there other measures that you consider might be more powerful, less hurtful for the population that that might put pressure upon the government to stand down?
Thank you.
Thanks, Lisa.
On our position on sanctions generally, as you point out, we are always concerned about the human rights impact on people of broad sectoral sanctions.
I think that this is not the time for us to be to be discussing sanctions.
We understand that there are initiatives at the regional level and at the international level to help bring Venezuela out of this crisis to to insist on an inclusive dialogue with the the human rights of the people of Venezuela at heart.
A really inclusive dialogue, including people from all walks of society.
And this is what the international community needs to be insisting on.
Unfortunately, we are seeing a lot of acts of intimidation against people who are trying to exercise their rights to freedom of expression, freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association.
And these acts of intimidation must cease.
So we do call on the international community to to exercise the the fundamental role that they can play in bringing this crisis to an end.
Isabel.
Good morning.
Ravina, I would like to know what is the role that the staff that the human rights office has in, in Venezuela?
I, I think that I, I am not sure if I am, I am completely updated on this, but if you have the staff still, you still have the staff there.
What is the role they are they are playing now in this crisis?
Thank you.
Thanks, Isabella.
Unfortunately, we do not have staff in the country.
If you recall, the staff were asked to leave.
They have not yet been allowed back.
Negotiations are stalled at the moment and we are continuing to engage in this regard with a view to ensuring that appropriate conditions are in place for us to be able to discharge the officers full mandate to be able to serve the the people of Venezuela and discharge the **** Commissioner's global mandate for the promotion and protection of human rights.
Our colleagues continue to work from Panama and they're continuing to remotely monitor the situation.
They're continuing to closely work with with their contacts in the country.
We currently have 16 staff and they are based in Panama.
Thank you very much.
I don't see other or Venezuela.
OK, go ahead, Maxi.
I know.
OK, OK, go ahead.
And then Isabel has a follow up.
OK, Maxi General of Venezuela election President Nicolas Maduro a parallel suite or El Amonavi Illinois Malcova de suite.
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I don't care say forska Zefe the say this is declaration exterior sick of the, the, the, the the, the the regime Yosi citizen politic in responsibility international dances affair Maxi thanks Musa the role of the UN human rights office.
We do not monitor the conduct of elections, so we cannot comment on the the political aspects of things.
Whether this election was credible or not credible that that's not for us to to assess.
We were not there actually monitoring the election.
What we have seen is that since the results were announced, people took to the streets to protest.
Excessive force was used against people, people were killed, a lot of people have been arbitrarily detained and a lot of other acts of intimidation are being carried out by the authorities, including taking away people's passports, which is a clear violation of international human rights law.
This is where our focus is.
Our focus is on ensuring that there is meaningful participation, the right to political representation, the right to political participation, the freedom of expression, the freedom from arbitrary detention, that all of these rights are fully respected.
If there is a climate that's created where these rights are not respected, a climate of fear is induced.
And in a climate of fear, there is no way that democratic principles can be realised and there is no way that human rights can be protected.
In such a climate of fear, when you have disagreement with the government policy, you will not express it.
The very serious issues that Venezuela is facing right now on many fronts, economic, social, etcetera, these will not be resolved if the people are living in a climate of fear and the right to political participation is not respected.
Beyond that, I don't know if from the Secretary General side there is there's anything further to add.
I just would like to refer you attendee Julian Francais.
She will just leave an election will have very more demandy Venezuela determination extreme peaceful election a surtu ila de mande in transparent complete suite Asis election presidencial a owner repeated set April April 11th of in in the Monday will seek a total response effect.
So the result that this is election if it's a more Organism party?
She's Isabella.
Follow up.
Yes, thank you.
Thank you, Ravina for your clarification.
And just to be clear, So what I remember is that after the decision to expel the the the human rights office office staff in Venezuela in February, there were some indications or announcement by the by Venezuela authorities, authorities on their will to receive again the staff.
So could you confirm that there were at certain point any conversation on this sense the to, to reopen the office there?
And if it it was the case when the these conversations stopped.
Thank you.
There have been many conversations since February and there have been, you know, positive indications and then not so positive indications.
There's been been a lot of engagement.
To be clear, our engagement has not stopped even over the past week.
There has been engagement with the Venezuelan authorities at various levels, including at the **** commissioners level.
But unfortunately, when it comes to the the reopening of a presence in Venezuela, negotiations have for now stalled.
Thank you very much.
I don't see other questions.
So Ravina, would you mind now?
I give the floor to Yuri and if there are other questions for Ravina.
Yuri.
Ravina, my question is on course because 2 days ago, the Ombudsman of Russian Federation, Tatiana Mask of said that she sent a letter to your office saying that she's calling your office to condemn what is happening now in the Kosko blast.
And at the same time, she said that Russian Federation sent some information of what happened with injuries with civilians that are dead or wounded during this operation.
Can you confirm that you received all of that?
Thank you.
Thanks, Yuri.
First of all, to stress that we are concerned about the possible impact on civilians of the recent military developments.
Wherever military operations are occurring by either side, the protection of civilians and civilian objects in accordance with international humanitarian law must be the top priority.
It is the top priority.
We have received information now.
As you know, our UN human rights monitoring mission does not have a presence in Russia.
This lack of access is always problematic for us.
So being able to access specific information about the current situation in Kursk is difficult.
But we are following up with credible sources and we have received, you know what, we we do have official information on this as well.
We will definitely be reporting on the situation in our next periodic report, but in the meantime we are working to, to, to verify information.
What we have so far is, is quite, it's not enough for us to be able to to, you know, share much publicly.
But we have established the names of four civilians who were reportedly killed in different locations and circumstances, as well as the name of a male war correspondent and a female paramedic who have been injured.
Now, we've managed to establish the identities, but the circumstances of the incidents and the attribution all remain subject to verification.
So again, given the lack of access, it will take us time to do this.
But we are following closely.
And again, we stress that wherever military operations are occurring, the protection of civilians is the top priority.
Right.
My first follow up is that you say that you have received official information.
So it was sent by the Russian Federation.
This is what you are saying.
I, I wouldn't get into specifics of bilateral communication, but we do have official information.
Yes.
OK.
And my second is on the Lake of access.
Are you one more time asking Russian Federation to let your office go to Russia and have access to the Korskoblast in order to work on what is happening now?
Sorry, we are always asking for access.
I mean, for us in any crisis situation.
Actually, as the **** Commissioner has said, we should have a presence globally, really in, in every part of the world, but especially when it comes to crisis situations.
With access, we are able to do a lot more than we are able to do remotely, no matter how much we try, you know, through credible sources, through different methodology we use to corroborate information, satellite imagery.
Video and photo evidence, all of that.
So yes, we we would ask for access always it's getting a dialogue here.
Go ahead yes, sorry.
It's just have you sent now just to don't write the wrong things.
Have you sent now an official request to access?
So you'd like me to check when our last request for access was?
I'll do that, yes.
And secondly, you, you say that 4 civilians at least were died during this operation.
Is this what you were saying, that the four civilians that, you know, that they died, died during this operations or this operation in Koskopos or you can't link the death of the civilians and what is going on now?
Yeah.
What we haven't been able to do, we, we've established that 4 civilians were killed.
We haven't been able to establish the circumstances of the the the incident, how they were killed and by whom, that we have not been able to establish other questions to Ravina on these other subjects in the room or on the platform.
I don't see anything.
So, Ravina, thank you very much.
I love the hook.
Thanks for this extensive briefings.
So yeah, I just have one more information to give you about the committees.
We have the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which is starting the report.
They're completing, in fact, the review of the report of Belarus this morning and this afternoon they'll start the report of the United Kingdom, followed by Bosnia Herzegovina, while the Committee on the Rights of Person with Disabilities is concluding its review of the report of Burkina Faso, will then tackle the report of Bina and then the Netherlands.
I have no press conference to announce you, I think.
So if there are no further questions, I thank you all very much and I'll see you on Friday.
Thank you.
Bye.