Thank you very much for being with us for this press briefing on Friday, 3rd of July.
I will immediately start by giving the floor to run the Gomez for the Human Rights Council updates.
Good morning everybody joining us here in online.
So I'll just be brief just to walk you through the Human Rights Council programme for today, three July.
This morning at 10:00, the Council continued its attractive discussion with the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons.
At roughly 11/30, 11:45 or so, we'll hear a presentation of a report by the Special Rapporteur on the right to education.
That's Kombu Bolibari, whose report addresses the impact of COVID-19 on the right to education.
She's also presenting a mission report to Qatar and Tunisia.
In fact, 2 mission reports After a break at 3:00 PM, we'll resume with the rapporteur on education before moving on to a continuation of the discussion which began yesterday with the Special Representative of the Secretary General on Children and Armed Conflict, Virginia Gamba.
At roughly 4:30 this afternoon, we'll hear a presentation of report from the Special Rapporteur on the right to health, Mr Danius Perez, who's been quite vocal these last few months.
In fact, his report is focusing on the issue of mental health, and they will touch on COVID-19 as well.
Of course, has given the mental health implications on COVID and on his mission to Ecuador.
Very briefly, just look at tomorrow, or rather Monday, that the right to health interactive discussion will continue on Monday morning.
And then in the afternoon we'll hear from the Working Group on Discriminations, Discrimination against women, whose report focuses on women's human rights in the world of work.
They also have a mission report to Greece.
And then we have the rapporteur on the rights of migrants, Mr Felipe Gonzales Morales, whose report addresses the right to freedom of association of migrants.
He also has a mission report to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
And time permitting, at the end of the day, we might hear from the rapporteur on leprosy, Alice Cruz.
I just wanted to note that there is a slightly revised programme of work reflecting some of the changes we've experienced due to the programme shifting a bit.
If you can't find it, give me a shout.
And last note, housekeeping, just to remind you of the bulletin of informal meetings.
While there are no side events per SE, there are several informal consultations, negotiations on draught resolutions which of begun in full force.
We have 123456 today alone, so do consult that bulletin in these are public meetings you can sit in.
These are again the exceptional side events taken, side meetings taking placed in next to the the formal meeting and they are taking place in room 18 and room 20.
And last note, just to remind you of an app that we're using for the session called SKED, short for schedule SCHED.
It has updates, timely updates.
I would recommend that you download that and consult it to be updated on our programme.
Rolando, any question to Rolando in the room online, anybody would like to ask questions to Rolando?
So thank you very much, Rolando.
And I see we have connected.
Mark Grassi of your nap, who has a brief announcement to make.
Could you please unmute Mark?
Yes, Mark, you're connected.
As you may know, Monday 6th of July is World Zoonosis Day, commemorating the work of Louis Pasteur.
And you may have seen many papers on COVID-19, mostly focusing on the response to the public health crisis or how to mitigate the effects of the pandemic.
But on Monday, we have a new report which takes a step back and looks at the root causes of such diseases.
It's titled Preventing the Next Pandemic, Zoonotic Diseases and How to Break the Chain of Transmission.
So the report documents how human activity is eroding the natural buffer we've had against such diseases because deforestation, agricultural expansion, livestock intensification and habitat degradation are bringing wild animals into closer contact with people, resulting in the spillover of zoenotic diseases.
The climate crisis is also driving this because changes in temperature, rainfall, humidity can affect whether such diseases can spread into new areas.
And the report's not just about COVID-19.
It's about the many other neglected zoonotic diseases, which are unfortunately killing 2 million people every year, mostly in low and middle income countries.
The report has 10 recommendations for how to prevent and control zoonotic diseases, including the reversal of land degradation, more incentives for sustainable Land Management and a One Health approach.
Which is where people bring public health, veterinary and environmental expertise together.
And the report also documents how Africa has a lot of experience in dealing with zenotic diseases and can use this to lead and prevent future outbreaks.
For example, Uganda has reduced deaths from diseases such as malaria by using satellites to predict heavy rainfall, which can trigger mosquito swarms.
So you should have the embargoed report, press release and frequently asked questions.
Everything's embargoed until Monday, 6 July at 6:00 PM Geneva time.
And as mentions, the UNEP Europe Director is available for interviews.
So please let me know if you would be interested.
Thank you very much, Mark, very clear.
I look at the journalist in the room, no questions online, no questions.
Antonio FA, you have the floor.
I just want to know if there's going to be a press conference here or in New York to to explain a bit better this this report.
Antonio, I I don't know if you got my e-mail yesterday in time there was an online briefing.
There is not going to be a physical press conference.
However, I'd be happy to put you in touch with the experts to, to dive into more, more details.
If you'd be interested, we can be in touch.
I would like also to add, Mark, I don't know if you we want to mention this, but your executive director will participate in the noon briefing on Monday, if I'm not wrong, in the New York noon briefing with Stefan Youjadic, so together with Jimmy Smith, Director General of the International Livestock Research Institute.
But of course this is going to be in New York.
If it's virtual, maybe you can explore the possibility of having the journalist from Geneva to participate in that, in that non briefing.
I don't know if it's possible.
At least you can watch it, that's for sure.
I don't know, but just just as a possibility maybe.
Any other question for Mark?
So thank you very much, Mark, for this briefing.
Tariq is also online, I think from The Who studios.
Yes, very well, but we can't see you.
I'm sorry I don't have a camera.
I'm on my desktop for some reason.
Oh, OK, I'll be, I'll be, I'll be a bit very short.
So just to announce the press conference that we will have on Tuesday, July 7th at 6:00 PM.
The the press conference will look into how COVID-19, COVID-19 is impacting services for HIV and related health areas.
We'll provide new data and perspectives on this topic.
We know that COVID-19 has raised serious challenges for health services, including those related to HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections.
This press briefing will then have a look at it.
The speakers will share data and evidence on essential service disruptions, supply chain challenges and stock outs.
There will be also finding of a new study on the associated risks and poor outcomes due to COVID among people living with HIV with special focus on South Africa.
There will be also information shared on the impact of COVID-19 on hepatitis services and achieving viral hepatitis elimination.
Speakers will include Doctor Meg Doherty who is our director of HIV department.
There will be Doctor Martina Penazzatto who is working also in the department, HIV, hepatitis and St is we will have Marian Davis who is from the University of Cape Town.
So that's why the focus will be on, on, on South South Africa.
And then we will also have Salim Abdul Karim, director of the Centre for the AIDS Programme and Research, also in South Africa.
So this again, it's Tuesday, 6 O clock, 7 July.
And we will be sending the, the the the media advisory in time for that.
Well, first of all, let me look at the room.
So I'll go online and I have Antonio again.
Antonio, you are asking for the flow.
Tariq, do you know if the rhythm for press conferences of The Who is going to be staying the same in July and August, these 33 press conferences per week?
This is under discussion right now.
So as soon as we have some sort of of of a decision on that we will we will announce it.
So, so right now we are discussing there are always like we have to be flexible as well.
For example, there will be no today there will be no regular press conference because we have a exclusive press conference for Akanu.
So there will be no regular ones.
So, but if there is a really like changes in the pattern, we will we will announce once we once we have it.
Sorry I can't hear anything, but I don't know if you can hear me.
I just had a question about the, the, the mission to China.
I was wondering if there's any update on specifically who and when.
I know it's I don't have, I don't have, I don't have anything beyond what Doctor Ryan said on Wednesday.
And I think there are no other questions.
Bon conference, the press and I go now to Babar.
Babar is with me on the podium in Room 3.
Babar, you want to brief us on Afghanistan, right?
We're talking about the Afghan situation today.
Elysia, the UN refugee agency, is calling for targeted investments inside Afghanistan and in refugee hosting Iran and Pakistan, warning that inaction could lead to further population flows, continued suffering and instability, and a deepening regional socio economic crisis.
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, as long as the long running crisis in Afghanistan enters its 5th decade, A renewed focus on international solidarity is needed to ensure another decade of displacement and despair is averted and hope is restored for millions of Avans.
Some 2.7 million of 1 refugees still live outside the country 4142 years since the crisis in the country, while another 2.6 million are displaced within Afghanistan.
Since 2012, Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan have pursued a regional approach which they call which we call as the solution strategy for Avan refugees to build an environment conducive to voluntary repatriation, sustainable reintegration in Afghanistan, while working to ease pressure on host communities.
Working together with these three countries and our other partners, UNICIAR has come up with a range of humanitarian and development projects in education, health, livelihoods, shelter, energy, water and infrastructure to boost human capital and ultimately support refugee returns and reintegration in Afghanistan.
Since 2002, nearly 6 million of 1 refugees have returned home, including some 5.3 million with UNICIAR support, with the hope of rebuilding their country.
However, the pace of return has not been matched by investments in development.
Voluntary returns to Afghanistan in 2019 were among the lowest recorded in the last 18 years.
The latest negotiations to bring peace and stability to the country represent a watershed movement for Afghan people.
However, many Afghans in exile are pinning their hopes on seeing improvements in the situation before making the decision to return home.
The majority of refugees are in the Islamic Republic of Iran and Pakistan.
Cite several main obstacles to their return and sustainable sustainable reintegration back in Afghanistan.
These include lack of access to livelihoods, land, shelter, basic services as well as continued insecurity in the country inside Afghanistan.
Glaring gaps also need to be addressed in the provision of education.
Nearly half of the Afghan population, which is at this time is some 37 million people, are under the age of 15.
The initiative is seeking strategic investments to expand education opportunities, skilled trainings, youth empowerment and development, and developing public infrastructure including schools inside Afghanistan.
Displaced and host communities are also in urgent need of shelter, cash grants and targeted intervention in health, waters, sanitation sectors as well as investment in their livelihoods.
This coming Monday, July the 6th, UNICER will be joined by representatives from Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan in a virtual **** level meeting to seek practical support and galvanised action under the Solution Strategy which has been in place since 2012.
This initiative seeks investments from donor countries, bilateral and multilateral development actors, international financial institutions, UN agencies, the private sector and NGOs, and civil society.
The future of Afghanistan's people depends on a new partnership and sustained commitment by the international community.
Questions were about Nick.
Nice to see you in the flesh.
You mentioned the returnees dropped in 2019.
Do you have a number for how many went and are you seeing your warning about outflows?
Are you seeing outflows already taking place?
Uh, when we started, uh, the voluntary repatriation process in 2002, thousand and two, uh, then there were millions of Afghans who have returned home or the number this was dropping.
And this year so far, the number is limited to some hundreds of Afghan refugees that have returned from Pakistan and Iran.
You may have seen reports of some undocumented Afghans returning from Iran and Pakistan because of the COVID measures and because of their own fears.
So what we are trying to press here is a while Son has seen 4 decades of war insecurity and also in terms of since 2002, the hopes that Afghan people had with, with seeing the infrastructure coming back to the country and refugees who are returning, hoping to be able to reintegrate.
Unfortunately, that level of expectation that Afghans had has not been met in terms of the outflows we do some Afghans even now trying to reach beyond the region.
And when we talk about population flows, if we look at those who are arriving from Turkey into Greece, a couple of weeks ago, the number was more than 10,000 arrivals and nearly 40% of them were Avalans who are now trying to reach because of a desperate situation beyond the region of their immediate hosting countries of Iran and Pakistan.
But going back to Afghanistan, inside you may have been following the horrible reports that have been coming in terms of civilian casualties, targeting of human rights workers, religious leaders and and others.
So first and foremost, there's need for peace to come back.
Afghans have been hoping for a sustainable ceasefire for too long.
But those who are outside some 2.7 million as refugees, they really want to see improvements, but they really want to see when is the moment for them to return home.
And on this, Nick, I don't know if you saw the declaration of the UN assistance mission in Afghanistan yesterday.
Otherwise, we can send it to you.
Yes, I can send it, absolutely, no worries.
Basically what they say is that they are extremely worried by the recent spate of violent incidents in which members of Afghanistan civil society have been targeted.
It's a whole declaration on that.
I'll, I'll send it to to the journalists if useful.
OK, so let me see now if we have any question online.
For this briefing, let's stay on migrant and refugees.
I'll ask Paul to talk to us about Don Paul Dylan for IOM.
A bit of bandwidth issue here this morning.
Apologies, Yes, I wanted to bring you up to speed on efforts in Sudan to return 15,000 of their nationals.
The Government of Sudan last month began facilitating the return home of the first of an estimated 15,000 Sudanese nationals stranded overseas, many in urgent need of assistance.
With the support of the International Organisation for Migration, IOM has been advocating globally for the creation of predictable safe return mechanisms of balance mobility with the need for a robust public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
We're working with the World Health Organisation in Sudan to strengthen health surveillance measures at points of entry including Khartoum International Airport, Port Sudan New International Airport and the Swatkin Seaport.
IOM has provided the Khartoum International Airport with protective Pardon me personal protective equipment including over 50,000 masks, 63,000 gloves, 1600 hand sanitizers and five thermal scan thermometers for use.
The terminal signage for physical distancing and COVID-19 awareness and prevention was also provided.
Additional support to the airport will include the rehabilitation of the screening and isolation facilities and the training of frontline border officers on infection prevention and control.
I won't expect this pandemic will fundamentally reshape the migration, health and border management landscape in a way that's not been seen since 911.
States will need to make quick decisions about immigration and border management, assessing new relevant health data while respecting personal data and data protection regulations.
Science based health information, medical screenings and referrals are critical.
Remote visa processing and advanced passenger information systems are examples of initiative state states must take on to manage the pre departure phase and reduce wait times while addressing public health concern.
IOM is creating a toolkit of standardised border management and migration health tools and standard operating procedures that we believe will help states build operational capacities and provide timely information along the entire mobility continuum, including at international points of entry like Khartoum International Airport.
Ibrahim Adlan, the Director General of Sudan Civil Aviation Authority, says the airport has taken all the necessary precautions and compliance with international guidelines and procedures set by the Ministry of Health.
All incoming passengers will be tested before boarding and upon arrival in the country to ensure the safety and health of everyone, including passengers, airline staff and airport workers.
The majority of the 15,000 people wishing to return home are in the Middle East, North Africa and Asia.
Priority has been given to the elderly and those in need of medical treatment.
Thank you very much, Paul.
Any question to Paul, I also don't see any.
So thank you very much, Paul.
And let's go to Elizabeth.
Elizabeth, you have an item on COVID-19.
Yes, I will continue on the social economic challenges induced by the measures to contain COVID-19 in West and Central Africa.
WFP estimates that the number of food insecure people in the region could more than double to 57.6 million by the end of the year, up from the 36 million before COVID-19.
23 million of these people are in Africa most populous nation Nigeria, a further 10% in Nigeria and and around 5% each in Burkina Faso, Chad, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Mali and Senegal.
Many of the new hungry people in the region are the urban poor who live end to mouth.
Border closure and suspension of weekly and open air markets in country across the region have led to reduced regional trade and prevented farmers selling their produces, sometimes leading to localised food scarcity and increased prices.
Price increase of between 15 and 20% were observed in April in Central African Republic, China and Nigeria.
In Liberia, the price of fresh cassava, which is the main staple, spiked to 60%, five times higher than in the past five years.
A COVID-19 unfolds at the peak of the lean season, when hunger and malnutrition are the most severe.
Even before the pandemic, 21 / 21 million people were estimated to struggle to meet their food needs.
WFP and UNICEF estimate that 11.6 million children will be acutely malnourished in the region in 2020 due to the impact of the pandemic and 16% an 18% increase on pre COVID levels.
Before COVID-19, 4.5 million children were anticipated to suffer from acute malnutrition in the six alien countries, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Senegal.
Today, with growing insecurity and COVID-19, that number has jumped to almost 5.4 million children, according to UNICEF and WFP.
We work closely with UNICEF to try to address this situation.
WFP plans to assist 23 million people in the region with life saving food and nutrition support and this is an increase 8.9 million increase from the initial plan after at the start of the year.
For to continue and scaling up assistance, WFP requires an additional $770 million to provide crucial assistance for the next 6 months, July to December in the countries where we operate in West and Central Africa.
Over I just would like also a word about the funding for common services, which is logistic.
Last week, I think Liza asked for an update on what we the, the, the funding requirements.
We needed 960 sixty five, $965 million to provide this logistic support to UN agency NGO and partners.
And so far, I confirm that we have only got 142 million of confirming pledges.
And we said that if we do not get the amount by the end of the first week of July, it would be a real problem.
And I hope that the donor will listen to our urgent call to fund those logistic services, which are badly needed in this time of COVID pandemic.
Thank you very much, Elizabeth.
How much time does 142 million buy?
Sorry, Elizabeth, you don't.
And if she, I think you have to repeat the question.
Yeah, you say you've got 142 million in confirmed pledges.
How much time does that buy?
We will continue all the the operation for the flight and the operation possible until we, we, we have exhausted our resources.
I do not have more details.
I ask our logistics services to provide me with more details about what we can do with 142 million and it's far from the 906, 5,000,000 which are needed until the end of the year.
So let's be optimistic and let's hope that donors will listen to our call.
Question online, there are none.
OK, this is going on really mostly OK.
So thank you very much, Elizabeth.
That leads us to our last speaker.
I'm yes, Rupert, good morning.
So yes, two items today, China and the sorry, I don't know if you have a problem with your camera, but we can't see you.
We can hear you, but not see you.
That's strange because I can see myself on the little video.
OK, but let's see if this can be solved because here in the room we don't see you.
But hopefully, hopefully that can be solved.
OK OK, now you're on and we can see you.
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China and the problems in Ethiopia.
So to start with Hong Kong, we're in the process of analysing the contents of the new national security law that was adopted on Wednesday.
We're looking at this very carefully in terms of its compliance with international human rights obligations applicable to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
We're alarmed that arrests are already being made under the law with immediate effect when there is not full information and understanding of the scope of the offences contained in the law.
We note the laws explicit affirmation that human rights, in particular fundamental freedoms in Article 4, the presumption of innocence and due process rights in Article 5 and the fair trial rights in Article 58 shall be protected, and that the provisions in the two Covenants on International Covenants on Civil and political Rights and economic, Social and cultural Rights shall remain protected in Hong Kong as well, and that's in Article 4.
We hope these provisions are interpreted in a way that does indeed give full effect to the binding provisions contained in those two key international Covenants.
On the preliminary analysis, we're concerned that the definition of some of the offences contained in the law are vague and overly broad.
This may lead to discriminatory or arbitrary interpretation and enforcement of the law, which could undermine human rights protection.
It's essential that offences created under national security legislation comply with the legality principle which is enshrined in Article 15 .1 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the **** Commissioner noted in the press release issued on the 19th of June.
Such laws should never be used to criminalise conduct and expression that is protected under international human rights law, and so the UN Human Rights Office will continue to monitor closely the ongoing developments.
We're also concerned about the provisions governing the offence of collusion with a foreign country or with external, and I'm quoting here, quote, collusion with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security, End Quote, which is contained in Article 29 of the new law.
This may lead to a restriction of civic space and of the possibility for civil society actors to exercise their right to participate in public affairs.
These provisions could also lead to criminalising human rights defenders and activists for the exercise of their right to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly.
Nick has a question for you.
Have you communicated these concerns directly to the Chinese authorities?
And secondly, there was a statement in the Human Rights Council earlier this week, backed by a bunch of countries led by the UK, asking the **** Commissioner to step up her kind of proactive monitoring and reporting on this.
Do how do you expect to follow through on that?
Well, I think that's on the on the sort of monitoring reporting.
I think what will be very key actually will be something taking place later this year, which is the review of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region by the UN Human Rights Committee.
So as you know, that's the committee that monitors the implementation of the international government on civil and political rights.
So many of those points I raised earlier would be looked at by the committee.
They have been, you know, examining Hong Kong periodically ever since it acceded to the to the covenant.
So I think, you know, that that should take place at some point later on this year.
So I think that will be a key moment.
And the committee, of course, is, is, you know, has has considerable force in terms of interpretation of the of the covenant and of how the various articles in the government should be implemented by states.
Well, just to follow up on that, I mean, I appreciate that the Human Rights Committee will be meeting on this, but I think people are looking to the **** Commissioner herself for some sort of leadership on this.
So can we expect a statement from her in the 44th session of the Human Rights Council?
And secondly, I appreciate that, you know, the whole COVID phenomenon has completely dislocated any possibilities of an immediate visit to Xinjiang or China by the **** Commissioner.
But is this a subject that has been maintained in discussions between her office and and the Chinese government or has that basically been put on the shelf?
I can't tell you what what's happened on most recent weeks or months.
I'd have to check on that.
But yes, I mean, periodically over the past nearly two years since she's been **** Commissioner, these issues have been discussed in terms of what will happen at the next Council.
I mean, you know, the, the, the Council follows a normal pattern.
So usually in September there'll be issues raised on, on a number of countries.
Obviously China is not the only China and Hong Kong are not the only countries or issues we have concerns about.
But as as I said earlier, she, she already made a statement on this law before it was published and finalised a couple of weeks ago.
We're making another comment today, but it's still very early.
It's really how the law is applied, how it's implemented, how it's interpreted.
Many people have been raising concerns.
We share some of those concerns, but we're going to have to see a little bit how it works out.
Also to do a really a deeper analysis of the text of the law because that only was, that was only available, you know, 2 days ago.
So we're still in the early days, Lisa.
The next question was great and I'd like to follow up on it because I don't think you fully answered it, if I may be so bold.
There has been a a, a lot of activity on the part of human rights organisations, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, on and on and on.
To have at least some kind of a statement at the Human Rights Council about what is happening in about the Uyghurs and the other really terrible infractions, human rights problems that are occurring in in China and in Hong Kong, of course.
So if following up on next question, will there be some kind of a statement, some sort of an acknowledgement made about these problems at this particular council session?
I think he's and Nick, that that's really a question you should be putting to the states.
As you know, the states control the agenda of the Council.
We don't control the agenda of the Council.
So it's, it's I think a perfectly legitimate question to put to states where, where, what are they moving?
They must have heard the same calls that you refer to.
So it but it's very much in their hands as there's not really anything we can do one way or the other in terms of dictating that kind of agenda.
It's an Interstate body and it sets its own agenda according to the wishes of the membership.
So I would put that question to to various states indeed.
Any other question to report on this subject, Gabriela.
These law is, I mean the efforts of this law in China, I, I heard about some lawyers that have been in in gaol because of this very harsh law.
Yeah, if you can comment on that.
Well, as we pointed out in in a couple of weeks ago in the, in the press release, you know, this law is, is different to the, to the law in China.
But HHR itself, but also the another, various other independent UN human rights experts, including Committee against Torture have expressed concerns that the National Security law adopted in 2015 for mainland China does not comply with international human rights standards.
Other there are considerable issues with, with the mainland law.
So I think that more or less answers your question, Stephanie.
What is what office, what information does your office have regarding arrests and the status of, you know, how many people are being held under this new law, whether they have had access to council, you know, whether they are accounted for and so forth?
I don't have much detail on that.
I think several 100 people have been arrested since the protest began on Wednesday.
I think the last I heard, we understood 1010 of those people have been charged under the new law.
But I don't have more details at this point on the nature of the charges and so on.
But colleagues are very much actively trying to get get those kind of details and see what concerns we have on, on individual cases.
I was just wondering, I wanted to come back on next question because I didn't hear a response to the fact of what interaction there's been between the **** Commissioner and China since Tuesday on this, if there's been direct contact on it and what kind of response you've received.
And also given that you have a very **** profile human rights defenders who are fleeing Hong Kong, do you have any comment on that, that aspect of it?
Nina, I'd have to check if we've had any direct contact since Tuesday.
Obviously, that commissioner herself has been exceptionally busy.
So I'm not sure she will have, but possibly other colleagues have, but I'd have to, I'd have to double check on that.
In terms of the people who've left so far, I don't really have anything to say because I'm not sure there's a specific human rights concern there yet, but obviously that's something we follow as well.
So, yeah, it's very much a situation in flux.
I don't see any other question, Rupert, for you on this matter.
So maybe we speak about Ethiopia.
You may have seen, I think we've distributed it to you, the statement by the spokesman of the Secretary General who said that the Secretary General continues to follow closely developments in Ethiopia in the wake of the killing of prominent artist Hakalu Andesa on 29th of June.
The Secretary General extends his condolences to the family and to those who have lost relatives in the disturbances this week.
He welcomes the commitment of the Government of Ethiopia to ensure that the perpetrators has been brought to justice.
He also calls for calm and for all stakeholders in Ethiopia to refrain from any action likely to full tension.
And Rupert has more on this.
Rupert, thank you, Miss Sandra.
Yes, we're deeply concerned that the violent events in Ethiopia this week where a prominent singer and activist from Romeo region, Hatch a Little Andesa, was shot and killed in the capital Addis Ababa on Monday.
The killing of Honduras sparked protests across the country, including in the capital and in the Roma region itself.
While some of the protests were peaceful, number were violent from the outset and according to information we have received, roads were reported to be blocked in most parts of Roma region.
Buildings have been vandalised and burned and they've been gunfire and bomb explosions in Addis Ababa.
The authorities responded to the spread of the protest by shutting down the Internet in Romeo region as well as in Addis, making it extremely difficult to verify reports about the number of people killed and injured.
According to the government, around 50 people were killed, while media sources indicate a higher figure, around 80 people who've died so far, including three members of the security forces.
We know with concern that the protests following ambassador's killing have increasingly taken on an ethnic undertone.
We therefore call on everybody, including young people in particular, to stop carrying out ethnically motivated attacks and to stop the incitement to violence.
You know, because these acts are only serving to exacerbate the underlying tensions.
We also the brutal forces to exercise restraint and managing protests and to refrain from using unnecessary or disproportionate force.
35 people are reported to have been arrested by security forces on Tuesday evening during a process over the location of Mr Hunter's funeral.
According to the police, the protesters who wanted the singer to be buried in that is Ababa, unsuccessfully tried to prevent his body being taken to his hometown of Ambo.
Whether his funeral did in fact go ahead in Ambo on Thursday.
The shutting down of Internet services is a particular concern as it is disproportionately restricts the enjoyment of the right to freedom of expression, including freedom to seek, receive and impart information, and risks further exacerbating tensions.
We urge the authorities to restore Internet access without further delay.
The authorities have also announced that suspects in Hachalu Gundesa's ****** have been arrested.
It's essential there is a prompt, thorough, independent, impartial and transparent investigation into his death to ensure those responsible are held accountable and the his family members and victims and families in general have the right to justice, truth and reparations.
We also stand ready to support to the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission in its investigation of potential human rights violations during these during these protests and violent defence this week.
Questions on Ethiopia, not in the room and not online.
So thank you very much, Rupert.
Well, actually this brings us to the end of our briefing.
I just want I hear some voices online.
OK, so I just wanted to tell you to inform you that there is no plenary meeting of the Conference on Disarmament scheduled for next week.
Next week is actually the last week of the second part of the 2020 session.
So we will keep you informed of meetings for the third part of the session, which will run from the 3rd of August to the 18th of September.
After Austria, whose presidency ends today, Bangladesh and Belarus will also hold the presidency of the conference for the rest of the session of the year.
And that was the only announcement I had on my list.
So unless there are questions, which I don't see, I thank you all very much and wish a very good weekend.
