The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
UNOG Bi-weekly press briefing 24 July 2020
/
52:08
/
MP4
/
490.7 MB
Syria
Alessandra Vellucci, for the UN Information Service (UNIS), informed that the United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Geir O. Pedersen, in briefing to the Security Council yesterday, had said that his office had now firmed up plans to convene the third session of the Syrian-led and Syrian-owned Constitutional Committee. Earlier this week, he had been able to confirm with the Co-Chair nominated by the Syrian government and the Co-Chair nominated by the Syrian opposition that they would begin in Geneva on 24 August – provided that travel conditions do not change. He had also been able to inform the Middle Third members of this as well. He had encouraged all to prepare for a productive session on the agenda. And he hoped that thereafter we will be able to proceed in subsequent sessions in a regular, business-like and substantive manner.
Answering questions, Ms Vellucci confirmed that the meeting should be held physically in Geneva and that correspondents could be accredited for the session. [Later on, the Office of the Special Envoy clarified that journalists who requested accreditation and whose entry into Switzerland met Swiss requirements related to the COVID-19 situation could be accredited. The Office of the Special Envoy would make every effort to keep all interested journalists informed of developments.]
COVID-19, protests and arrests in Zimbabwe
Elizabeth Throssell, for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), said the Office was concerned at allegations in Zimbabwe, which suggested that the authorities may be using the COVID-19 pandemic as a pretext to clamp down on freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful assembly and association. Among the latest incidents, investigative journalist Hopewell Chin’ono had been arrested on 20 July and charged with inciting public violence, after he had tweeted his support for nationwide protests against government corruption and worsening economic conditions. Jacob Ngarivhume, an opposition leader who had been calling for the protests on 31 July, had also been detained and similarly charged. Merely calling for a peaceful protest or participating in a peaceful protest were an exercise of recognized human rights. The Office was concerned at reports of police using force to disperse and arrest nurses and health workers for infringing lockdown restrictions as they were trying to protest for better salaries and conditions of work. While recognizing the Government’s efforts to contain the pandemic, it was important to remind the authorities that any lockdown measures and restrictions should be necessary, proportionate and time-limited, and enforced humanely without resorting to unnecessary or excessive force.
Responding to a question, Ms. Throssell, said it would be important for the Govern to engaged with society and other stakeholders to find solutions. The country faced huge challenges, some of which were pre-existing and had been exacerbated by COVID-19. The lockdown had affected some of the most vulnerable segments of the population, and inflation had had adverse effects even for those working in the formal economy. In such a context, it was important to uphold social, cultural and economic rights. Further, there was pattern of intimidation in the country. People’s rights and freedoms must be protected in accordance with Zimbabwe’s human rights obligations, she stated.
Protests in the United States
Answering questions on the federal law enforcement officers deployed in US cities, Elizabeth Throssell, for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), said peaceful demonstrations in cities such as Portland should be able to take place without those participating and the journalists reporting on them risking arbitrary arrest nor any other violations. There had been reports of peaceful demonstrators being detained by unidentified officers. That was worrying as it may give rise to arbitrary detentions and other violations. It was important that any victims should have access to remedies. Ms. Throssell pointed out that the Human Rights Committee would soon be issuing a General Comment on Article 21 (Right of Peaceful Assembly) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the Office had recently issued guidelines on less-lethal weapons in law enforcement.
UNHCR support to refugees in Brazil
Babar Baloch, for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), said UNHCR, was stepping up efforts in Brazil to protect tens of thousands of refugees and migrants from Venezuela and their host communities, as the Latin American country battled the COVID-19 pandemic. Brazil had become the second worst affected country in the world, with nearly 83,000 confirmed deaths and a continuing increase in confirmed cases. Considered an epicenter of the pandemic in Latin America, the situation was taking its toll on the most vulnerable – including the poorest, indigenous populations and other native communities, as well as refugees. All had been disproportionately impacted. While the total number of refugees who had contracted the virus in Brazil was unknown owing to the fact that disaggregated data based on status was not available and absence of widespread testing, UNHCR was aware of at least 19 COVID-19 related deaths among refugees of whom nine were indigenous Venezuelan refugees. As socio-economic conditions worsened among refugee and asylum seeker communities, UNHCR had been disbursing cash assistance to those most vulnerable, including to single mothers, people facing eviction, those severe health issues and survivors of violence.
Full briefing note is available here.
Tropical storm season and situation the Arctic
Claire Nullis, for the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), said conditions were ripe for a busy tropical storm and hurricane season. Tropical storm Hanna was expected to make landfall in coming days. Turning to Siberia, she noted that exceptional and prolonged heat in Siberia had fueled devastating Arctic fires. At the same time, rapidly decreasing sea ice coverage had been reported along the Russian Arctic coast. Temperatures in Siberia had been more than 5°C above average from January to June, and in June up to 10°C above average. A temperature of 38°C had been recorded in the Russian town of Verkhoyansk on 20 June. Temperatures in parts of Siberia the week beginning 19 July again topped 30°C. The prolonged heat was related to a vast blocking pressure system and a persistent northward swing of the jet stream, allowing warm air into the region. The Siberian heat wave this past spring had accelerated the ice retreat along the Arctic Russian coast, in particular since late June. The melting of ice and thawing of permafrost – thus potentially releasing the greenhouse gas methane – was having a major impact on infrastructure and ecosystems throughout the region.
Responding to questions, Ms. Nullis said wildfires released carbon and reduced the ability of these forests to trap carbon in future years. This was a vicious cycle. As for the temperature, it was not yet possible to say this was a new record, but WMO was updating categories in its weather and climate archives, and setting up a committee to review the tools and instruments it used in that region.
Other announcements
Catherine Huissoud, for the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), said that UNCTAD and the Government of Barbados would officially agree on the organization of the 15th quadrennial United Nations Conference on Trade and Development by signing the Host Country Agreement setting the details of the event to be held in spring 2021. The signing ceremony would be live on WEBEX. The short event would be followed by a press conference with Mia Amor Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados, and Dr. Mukhisa Kituyi, Secretary-General of UNCTAD on Wednesday 29 July 2020 at 3.30 pm Geneva (Switzerland). For this online WEBEX event, journalists would have to register prior to the event at unctadpress@unctad.org. The link to the event would be shared upon registration prior to the event. A press release under embargo would be sent to media on Monday 27 July.
Ms. Huissoud also informed that, on Monday, UNCTAD would issue a document on plastic pollution and how trade policies could help reduce it.
Alessandra Vellucci, for the UN Information Service (UNIS), informed that the Human Rights Committee would close its 129th session today. In a public meeting starting at 5 p.m., the Committee should formally adopt the General Comment No. 37 on Article 21 (Right of Peaceful Assembly) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which it reviewed during the virtual 129th session ending now.
Ms Vellucci also informed that for the next two weeks the UN Geneva press briefings would be organized as follows:
- 28 July: online briefing (no presence in Room III)
- 31 July: no briefing (official UN holidays, Palais des Nations closed)
- 4 August: online briefing (no presence in Room III)
- 7 August: online briefing (no presence in Room III)
From the week of 10 August on, the briefings would resume with the current hybrid format.
Ms Vellucci finally reminded that 3 August was also an official holiday of UN Geneva and the Palais des Nations would be closed.
Teleprompter
Good morning, everybody.
Thank you very much for being with us today for this press briefing from Geneva.
I would like to start by reading to you a message that has been sent by the officer of the UN Special Envoy for Syria, Mr Gayle Pedersen.
Mr Patterson, in his briefing to the Security Council yesterday, noted that he was able to confirm with the Co Chair nominated by the Syrian government and the Co Chair nominated by the Syrian opposition that the Constitutional Committee will convene in Geneva on 24 August, provided that travel conditions do not change.
Mr Patterson was also able to inform middle, sorry middle third members of this as well.
The employee has encouraged all to prepare for a productive session on the agenda and he hopes that thereafter the Committee will be able to proceed in subsequent sessions in a regular business like and substantive manner.
I believe yesterday night we've sent you his full remarks by e-mail and then I'll turn to Katherine who is with us in the podium for an announcement enacted.
Thank you.
Secretary General Madam Mia Amor Motley said Conference the Global Global a long time to create business at present important for value to control legality and objective the prosperity Portuski motive like you said.
Politic, commercial, perv, You have a question on the line.
Yes, good morning.
Alexandra.
The question is regarding Syria.
I'm sorry, does it mean that Mister Peterson received already confirmation from both parties that they will participate?
And it that mean also that it will be physical attendance, not a hybrid or not.
And in just in case of yes, what about foreign correspondent will be allowed to cover it as well physically in the Palais?
Thank you.
OK, Obviously what I'm going to say should be then confirmed by Jennifer.
But first of all, what I read here, he he was very clear.
They said he had been able to confirm.
So my reading of this is that yes, this has been confirmed together with the participants, but what you're saying is very important.
Mr Pedersen from the beginning said he wanted to have a physical meeting and that is why the announcement has been made under the condition that travel, the travel situation would not change.
So definitely the travel part is a part they are looking at attentively.
And so therefore if the meeting has take place because the conditions allows it, people like foreign correspondents you're working, you're worrying about would be allowed to to come.
That's that's about it.
I don't see other questions.
So I will now go to Elizabeth Russell for WH Sorry for OHCHRI would like to tell you just a couple of things.
First.
First of all, you have received the attendance list of today, but we also have Paul Dylan for OIO for IOM and Yens in the room if you have any questions.
And also just a little bit of housekeeping.
I, I say it now because I, I would not like to leave it for the end if anybody has disconnected or gone just for your information, we have a little bit of change in the way the briefing will be done in the next two weeks because of the holidays and stuff situation.
So as of next week, on Tuesday, the the briefing will be fully virtual.
That's the 28th of July, fully virtual.
The 31st is a Friday and it's a holiday at the UN.
So the building will be closed.
We will not, we will be on official holidays.
The same thing for the 3rd of August, which is a Monday, no briefing, but the Palais will be on holiday.
We will be on holiday, on official holiday and then on the 4th and 7th of August.
So next Tuesday and Friday, the briefing will be virtual and we will start again with this hybrid format as of the week of the 10th of August.
So as I repeat 28th July virtual briefing, thirty 31st of July and 3rd of August official holiday.
And then on the 4th and 7th of August, the briefing will be fully virtual again.
And then we will start again with the hybrid format.
The week after.
We will send you a note to correspondent, obviously with all these dates.
Thank you very much.
And I'll now go to Elizabeth for her briefing.
Elizabeth, you have point on Zimbabwe.
I believe I do indeed.
Good morning everyone.
We are concerned at allegations in Zimbabwe which suggests that the authorities may be using the COVID-19 pandemic as a pretext to clamp down on freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
Among the latest incidents, investigative journalist Hopewell Chinono was arrested on the 20th of July and charged with inciting public violence after he tweeted his support for nationwide protests against government corruption and worsening economic conditions.
Jacob Negarivume, an opposition leader who has called for the protests on the 31st of July, was also detained and similarly charged.
Merely calling for for a peaceful protest or participating in a peaceful protest are an exercise of recognised human rights.
We're also concerned at reports of police using force to disperse and arrest nurses and health workers for infringing lockdown restrictions as they were trying to protest for better salaries and working conditions.
This pattern of intimidation echoes the events in May, when three members of the main opposition party were arbitrarily arrested and detained for taking part in a protest.
The women, Joanna Mamombe, Cecilia Chimbiri, and Ned Sai Marova, alleged that state agents abducted them from the police station, tortured and sexually assaulted them.
The women were then formally arrested in June, charged with participating in the protests and faking their abduction.
They were recently released on bail.
Now it's clear that COVID-19 has added greatly to the challenges that Zimbabwe faces amid A deteriorating economy and placed a further burden on an already struggling health sector.
Zimbabwean President Emerson Mnangagwa, highlighting an increase of 600 COVID-19 cases in a week to a total of 1713, on Tuesday announced a series of measures that he said were necessary to curb the spread of the disease.
These include a dusk to dawn curfew and the curtailment and suspension of freedoms that, as he put it, Zimbabweans have always enjoyed.
While recognising the government's efforts to contain the pandemic, it is important to remind the authorities that any lockdown measures and restrictions should be necessary, proportionate and time limited, and enforce humanely without resorting to unnecessary or excessive force.
We encourage the government to engage with civil society and other stakeholders to find sustainable solutions to grievances while ensuring that people's rights and freedoms are protected in accordance with Zimbabwe's human rights obligations.
These include the responsibility of the state to guarantee economic, social and cultural rights.
Thank you.
Thank you, Liz.
Questions to Liz.
Nick.
Hi Liz.
I wondered if you've reached the conclusion that any kind of progress on human rights since the change of administration in Zimbabwe has really now been lost and that the situation has regressed to what it was under the previous administration?
Well, I think what we can say is precisely we are concerned at a pattern of intimidation that we have noticed in recent months amid the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
And that is why we are making this call to the government to to really engage with civil society and other stakeholders to find solutions.
Zimbabwe faces huge challenges.
It is an example of a country where COVID-19, you know, has exacerbated severe challenges that already existed.
Now with regards to the economy, we've got two things here.
A lot of Zimbabwe's economy is informal, as you know, and the the lockdown measures have really impacted some of the most vulnerable in society.
At the same time, you have the impact of the **** inflation, deteriorating local currency on people who work in the formal sector like the health sector.
And that is why the country in recent weeks has has seen strikes by nurses, protests calling for better working conditions, calling for for better salaries, in some cases calling for their salaries to be pegged to the US dollar, not lagging behind.
And also in some cases calling for more personal protective equipment as as they try and deal with the the COVID-19 cases that are coming before them.
So it's clear as we've stressed that that Zimbabwe faces huge challenges.
What we are concerned about is what we have seen recently does indicate that there is some pattern of intimidation and and that is why we're highlighting it now.
Just to follow up though, I mean, you're linking this specifically to reaction to COVID and I'm asking whether this isn't really a reassertion of old systemic abuses.
Well, I think that's why we are calling that for the importance of Zimbabwe to abide by its international human rights obligations and specifically stressing this includes economic, social and cultural rights.
And that is very much has very much been brought to the forefront precisely because of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the impact on our health sector that was already really struggling, underfunded, really stretched.
So it is very important that the government prioritises these rights, that it doesn't resort to to arresting and detaining people who are, as we're saying, merely voicing their opinions, merely calling for protests, participating in peaceful protests.
So that is is what we're stressing today.
Peter.
Yeah.
Liz, Peter Kenny here.
I'd like to ask you if you've had any reports about the use of COVID-19 for restrictive measures in other Southern African countries.
For instance, there have been media reports in South Africa of heavy-handed actions by security forces.
Thank you.
Please.
Well, I think what we have said right from the outset of the, the COVID-19 pandemic is that it, it does pose a huge challenge for the authorities because they are tasked with upholding public health measures, protecting the, the right to life, the right to health of their population, but also guaranteeing that their, their fundamental rights like freedom of expression, freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
As you may recall, we gave a briefing where we talked about specifically about the states of emergency that, that were called around the world and highlighting some fundamental human rights principles here.
And I alluded to them in, in the briefing.
Note that that these do refer to the measures that should be taken.
And, and, and countries do have the rights when they are faced with, with, with public health emergencies, with crises, to suspend some of these rights.
But the core principles of the the suspension should be legal, should be necessary.
So it should be essential to do this.
It should be proportionate and of course it should have a limited duration.
Now, that might not mean a specific date, but there should be a process in place where any special measures are reviewed in a timely manner.
And something that we have also stressed right from the start of, of this crisis is the importance of communication, that governments, that authority should really commute, communicate very clearly to the population what steps they are taking, why they are taking them and what scope and duration they should have.
So you're, you're right to, to, to flag that this is, this is an issue that is faced by, by countries, not only in Southern Africa, but in many parts of the world.
It is incredibly difficult, but we have throughout stressed and repeated the importance of abiding by international human rights standards, abiding by these principles of necessity, proportionality and legality.
And yes, if could you please unmute.
And yes, she's on the on the line.
And yes, you have the floor.
Do you hear me?
The The the Hapo, Hockey, Fuenta, the police federal.
The Manifesto.
Hello, this question on a person who can collect the OMS and linear she really say Liz upon at the premier question.
Liz, would you like to take up the question on the US?
Obviously, what has been happening with regard to to the protests taking place there has been making the the headlines.
We are very much aware of that.
I think what we would say is that peaceful demonstrations that have been taking place in in cities in the US, such as Portland, really must be able to continue without those participating in them and also the people reporting on them.
The journalists are risking arbitrary arrest or detention, being subject to unnecessary, disproportionate or discriminatory use of force, or suffering other violations of their rights.
There have been reports that peaceful demonstrators have been detained by unidentified police officers and that is a worry because it may place those detained outside the protection of the law and may give rise to arbitrary detention and other human rights violations.
I think what we would stress is that the authorities should ensure that the federal and local security forces deployed are properly and clearly identified and use force only when necessary, proportionally and in in accordance with international standards.
I think also it is important that any victims of of unnecessary excessive use of force do have the right to a remedy and there should be as, as we often say, prompt, independent, impartial and transparent investigations into any allegations of human rights violations and that should ensure those responsible are held accountable.
If, if I may add, because clearly you have lots of questions with regards to protests that are taking part taking place or have taken place around the world.
We ourselves have briefed on, on numerous occasions relating to this.
The UN Human Rights Committee, which as you know, monitors the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, often examines specific issues and issues, what it calls general comments.
And these are basically an analysis and guidance for states on key aspects of the Covenant and how they should be implemented.
So next Wednesday, that's the 29th of July, the committee will be issuing a general comment on the right to peaceful assembly.
And clearly given the questions that that you all have, this is hugely topical.
The the committee has been analysing this, this issue for a considerable amount of time.
It will be looking at a whole range of issues regarded.
With regard to the right to peaceful assembly, and that includes both people who are protesting physically and people who may also be engaging online, there've also been plenty of questions regarding public order and also the work of the media.
As I as I stressed, it's very important that people covering protests should be able to do so.
So the Human Rights Committee will be issuing its general comment on Wednesday.
I think it will be an incredibly important, useful reference document for all of us, from you journalists to to us working in the human rights sphere.
So if you would like more information about that, please do contact my colleague Vivian Clock, who works directly with the treaty bodies.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Agnes, you I'm waiting for the answer for the virtual.
Lisa, you have the floor.
Good morning, Liz, I'd like to follow up on Agnes's question regarding the United States and then afterwards, Alessandra, I have a question on Zimbabwe.
So I'm I'm making it into two so it doesn't get too complicated.
OK, Liz, regarding the United States, when whenever you talk about your concerns regarding protests and the in other parts of the world, you have you have great expressions of concern regarding the excessive use of force, the use of tear gas pellets, various so-called benign tactics which are often not benign.
Do you see this happening in the United States?
Are you concerned about what?
I mean, I've heard reports about people being attacked, just a journalist being attacked, observers who are doing nothing.
I'd like your comments regarding that.
And then what do you think about the federal stormtroopers coming into places like Portland and Chicago, Philadelphia and so forth without the express permission of the authorities within in Portland?
I understand they weren't even informed, Liz.
Yeah.
Thanks, Lisa.
I think what you've highlighted the concerns of of, you know, what may be a necessary excessive use of force is precisely what I mentioned in in my reply to Anya's.
It's what we say.
And it is very important that that people are able to protest peacefully, that people aren't subject to a necessary disproportionate or discriminatory use of force.
It is incredibly important that law enforcement personnel abide by by various principles.
We refer often to the basic principles on the use of force by by law enforcement, the code of conduct.
We also have guidance on on the use of of less lethal weapons such as the tear gas, the the the rubber pellets, the the pepper sprays that we have seen used.
I think what we would say and reference it is that it is very important that whatever law enforcement, whatever forces are deployed are properly and clearly identified as such that that they are not sort of unidentifiable.
That is incredibly important with regard to to the deployment of federal forces into specific U.S.
cities.
Well, to be honest, Lisa, we have our human rights concerns regarding how protests are policed generally.
I think that is really very much more of a political question precisely given the nature of of the US form of government, which is a federal, state and local level.
But I think what we would say and we would say with regard to other protests is that it's it's really important that the authorities should ensure that the people deployed are not threatening use of force to deter peaceful protesters.
And as I say, we we do have these various guidelines with regard to to the way that law enforcement should conduct themselves, the way that they should use less lethal weapons when they are policing demonstrations and protests.
And you had a question on Zimbabwe.
Lisa, colleagues, could you please unmute Liz that she had a second question on Zimbabwe?
Yeah, thank you.
Unmuted, Liz, Just very quickly before I get to Zimbabwe and I'll ask the question immediately, you talk about the importance of these federal agents identifying themselves.
Why is that so important?
You stress that?
And then on Zimbabwe, they everything seems to be in quite a mess.
The health personnel are in strike and so forth.
And I was wondering what you know about the conditions of people who are ill with the disease, the the treatment that they are getting.
Has the president responded at all to the criticisms that you have made?
And then you came out with what I sound, what sounds like a curious phrase to me.
You you say in your report that you are calling for the containment of curtailment of freedom, which is that the government has been calling for the curtailment of freedom, which is what Zimbabweans have enjoyed.
Have they really enjoyed their control, curtailment of their freedom?
I mean that sounds very curious.
Thank you Lisa, many questions.
It is.
So let me let me try and sort of work my way through them.
Your first one was with regard to the importance of of sort of police officers, federal forces being clearly identified.
Well, I mean that is absolutely precisely because it is very important when there is an incident that then it can be traced back to, to who is responsible.
When you don't, when people who are taking on a policing role are not identifiable, that can really heighten the risk of, of arbitrary detention.
So it's really to to_the accountability of the the forces that are being deployed that it is really important that they are clearly identifiable on Zimbabwe.
If I can start with your last point and, and that is a really crucial 1 and thank you very much for raising it.
Lisa.
This is what the President himself said in his address on the 21st of July.
That is his wording.
And it is worth underscoring that it, it does strike us as somewhat concerning that he put it that way.
But that's what he said when he was introducing these measures.
He spoke about the curtailment, the suspension of freedoms and he referred to these are the freedoms that Zimbabweans have themselves always enjoyed.
And that is why, you know, when I was briefing, I said that is how he put it.
That is not our interpretation, that is not our call.
That is how he presented it when he was announcing a range of measures in response to to what was a significant jump of of COVID cases of 600 in a week.
I don't have specific details with regard to the conditions in in the hospitals, but I think given precisely that the the health sector was already struggling, was already suffering complete shortages, we can imagine that it is a real challenge to be able to treat people.
As I said, COVID in Zimbabwe as in other countries, but in this specific case of Zimbabwe has really exacerbated huge problems that were already there.
You may recall that doctors went on strike in September last year over pay and poor conditions and that brought the, the health sector largely well paralysed it to to a greater degree for almost four months.
So this strike only ended in January this year after four months.
So that actually points to problems that were existing prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The pandemic now has has made those problems even more difficult.
Last question from Catherine.
Can you please unmute Catherine Jankong, do you hear me?
Hello, Go ahead.
OK, thank you.
Good morning.
This is a follow up on one of Lee's questions regarding the political protests in Portland.
I would like to know if the human rights, human rights did react or Iran Khan, the new Special Rapporteur on on the freedom of expression did react on the arresting, threatening to arrest and the targeting force against journalists or observers that were at the protest.
And I take the opportunity that I have the floor to see what Anya's in fact to back what Anya said that Akanu is very concerned about the fact that who did organise a briefing this morning at 10:30, knowing that we have the UN briefing.
And as and yes mentioned, it is a very important briefing because the, the topic is the vaccines and the therapeutics and it is with Doctor Sumiya Swaminathan.
So we're very, very surprised about that.
And it has been announced 7 minutes before the UN briefing.
So Alessandra, please could you kindly remind who spokespersons that they are when briefings on Friday mornings and Tuesday morning?
Thank you.
Thank you.
Katherine, two things.
First of all, I've sent a message the question from about the content of this event to the colleagues WHOM if I get an answer during the briefing, I read it to you.
I understand this was a question and answer session on social media, so I think it was more sort of a explaining session than more than a press conference announcing things.
But I take your point and I take the Academy point on the second issue.
I will give the floor to lease.
I just would like to to read to you what this spokesperson of the Secretary General said on the 22nd of July about the protests and the and what had happened to journalists.
And he said that it is clear that journalists everywhere need to be able to do their work free from any harassment, whether it's from law enforcement or from protesters.
And any case of journalists being harassed or beaten, wherever it occurs needs to be fully investigated and leads.
Maybe you have more.
Yeah.
Thank you.
So, Katherine, your, your question is relating to the special rapporteur.
I don't, I don't know basically because we, we from this side don't deal directly with the rapporteurs.
But what I could suggest is that maybe if you just send me a quick e-mail, I can forward it on to, to the people who work directly with her.
Thank you.
OK.
So thank you very much, Liz.
And I'll turn to my right.
Bye.
Bye is with us.
Thank you.
Bye.
Bye.
And I give you the floor for your briefing on Brazil.
Thank you, Alexandra.
Good morning everyone.
UNICR, the UN refugee agency, is stepping up its efforts in Brazil to protect 10s of thousands of refugees and migrants from Venezuela and their host communities as the Latin American country battles COVID-19 pandemic.
Brazil has become the second worst affected country in the world with nearly 83,000 confirmed deaths and a continuing increase in confirmed cases of the coronavirus.
The situation is taking its toll on the most vulnerable, including the poorest indigenous populations and other native communities, as well as refugees.
Brazil is host to more than 345,000 refugees and asylum seekers, for whom the consequences of the pandemic are especially harsh.
While the total number of refugees who have contracted the virus in Brazil is unknown, mostly to the fact that this aggregated data based on status is not available and absence of widespread testing, Unit CR is aware of at least 19 Kuwait related deaths among refugees, of whom nine were indigenous Venezuelan refugees.
Since the onset of the pandemic, Unit CR has been supporting local and national authorities in prevention and response efforts.
We have been scaling up our support to help mitigate the ****** of the virus among refugees, migrants and the local communities hosting them by providing infrastructure to strengthen the National Health system, cash assistance, hygiene items and life saving information such as informative sessions on preventive measures.
Since March this year, UNICIA has been supporting an emergency hospital in Bua Vista, the capital of the northern border state of Roraima, which has the capacity to treat and isolate up to 17182 COVID-19 confirmed and suspected patients.
To date, 625 Venezuelans and many Brazilians, including indigenous Brazilians, have received care at the hospital.
More than 570 people have recovered and many others under isolation have now finished their quarantine period.
But sadly, as I mentioned earlier, 20 people, including refugees, migrants and Brazilians have, however, sadly lost their lives.
This hospital is also staffed with Venezuelan health workers who have contributed to life saving efforts utilising their experience and skills.
Joining their Brazilian peers in the response, Unicial is also addressing rising humanitarian and health needs among refugees living on the streets and in the crowded shelters and unsanitary conditions in the northern regions of Brazil, including in the Amazonas, Roraima and the Para States.
In the Amazon Estate, one of the most affected region in the country, with more than 92,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and more than 300 related deaths, UNICIAR and partners supported local authorities with housing relocation for more than 117 indigenous Venezuelan refugees.
Their new accommodation provides more adequate shelter, sanitation facilities, better protecting them against the risk of the virus.
In an effort to limit the spread and impact of the virus, UNICR is enhancing community awareness including to information campaigns and other session.
Also, as the socio economic conditions worsen among refugees and asylum seekers communities, Unit CR has been dispersing cash assistance to the most vulnerable, including to single mothers, people facing eviction, those with severe health issues and survivors of violence.
In the first half of the year, Unit CR has distributed 325 thousand U.S.
dollars among more than 3100 refugees and asylum seeker.
There are a few more details in the note as well.
I'll stop here.
Thank you, which we have distributed already.
OK, thank you very much.
I'm looking at question in the room first.
No and on the line visa.
Hi, good morning, Babar.
Nice to see you.
You may not be able to answer this question, but I ask it anyway.
We haven't heard anything from the President Bolsonaro in a while.
He's usually very vocal about his opinions.
And he does have COVID-19.
Do you happen to know what his state of health is?
Maybe he's it's affecting him worse than he previously has said anything.
Does anyone know anything about that?
I mean, it's kind of curious.
He's a man who likes to talk.
Thank you, Lisa.
It's rightly identified.
I'm not sure I'm the right person to answer that.
Maybe.
Or other colleagues?
Yeah, thank you.
Maybe that's another question for our colleagues.
Of WHO?
Lisa?
Any other question on what the bar briefed about?
I don't see any hand up neither in the room nor online.
So thank you very much.
Bye.
Bye.
I'll turn to my left.
Hello and welcome for your briefing on the Arctic.
Yes, OK, morning everybody.
Before we get to the Arctic, I'd just like to flag this is really for the coming weeks that we are experiencing very active tropical storm season in the in the Atlantic.
We're currently up to Tropical Storm Hannah, which is the letter H and it's the earliest on record that we've reached the letter H Until now, you know, we haven't seen any major hurricanes making landfall, causing a lot of devastation.
But just to say, you know, conditions are right to have a busy tropical, you know, tropical storm hurricane season certainly as we go into, into August, right.
Moving on to Siberia, yes, we've we've called our briefing note heat, fire and melting ice.
What we've been seeing this year in Siberia has really been exceptional.
We've had exceptional and prolonged heat for for months now and this has fuelled devastating Arctic fires.
And at the same time, we're seeing, you know, rapidly decreasing sea coverage along the Russian Arctic coast.
As we've said before, temperatures in Siberia have been more than 5°C above average in the first six months of the year.
And in June alone, there are up to 10° C above average.
We saw the record temperature of 38°C, so that's above 100°F in a Russian town of the Verkoyansk on the 20th of June.
And temperatures in parts of Siberia this week have again topped 30°C.
So it's been warmer in Siberia than, you know, many parts of Florida, California.
Why are we having this heat?
It's related to a vast blocking pressure system and a northward swing of the jet stream, which means that we do have warm air in the reason in the region.
And in fact it's been blocked is it's concentrated over over Siberia.
If you look at maps of the Arctic, it's not Arctic wise.
So, you know, we can't say the entire Arctic is is seeing this exceptional heat.
But in general, the Arctic is heating more than twice the global average.
It's having a big impact on local populations and ecosystems.
But we always say what happens in the Arctic doesn't stay in the Arctic.
It does affect our weather in different parts of the world where hundreds of millions of people live.
The there was a study last week which said that the extreme heat that we've we are seeing would have been almost impossible without climate change.
So it does have a clear fingerprint of climate change on it.
For the second consecutive year, fires are raging well inside the Arctic Circle.
This time last year, I was sitting and also briefing on fires in the Arctic.
And it's a, it's a sense of deja vu.
It's happening again and we're seeing, you know, dramatic satellite images which show the extent of the burns of surface.
The fire front of the northernmost currently active Arctic wildfire is less than 8 kilometres from the Arctic Ocean.
You know this, this should not be, this should not be happening.
The estimated total carbon emissions since January from these fires are the highest in the 18 year old data record of Europe's Copernicus Atmospheric Atmospheric Monitoring Service.
This is a service which monitors fire activity and the resulting pollution to assess the impact on the atmosphere.
It's not over yet.
We're still July, you know, maybe you know, the the season typically extends also through through August.
There's more details in the briefing notes which which we have sent you.
Arctic sea ice, as I as I said, it's been very rapid melt, especially along the Russian coast and the northern Sea route, which is an important sea passage appears to be nearly open again, which is, which is exceptional.
Just because it's open doesn't mean it's not dangerous.
We always say that these these are, you know, Arctic conditions and not, not not to be messed with.
They can be very, very dangerous, but you know, for, for, for vessels, the, the melting of ice and the thawing of permafrost, which is also ongoing.
Thus, permafrost potentially releases the greenhouse gas methane, which, you know, is a powerful greenhouse gas.
It is having a major impact on infrastructure and ecosystems throughout the region.
There was a study published earlier this week in Nature Climate Change.
It's not the WMO study, but it is indicative of the wider picture.
It says that polar bears, which as we all know is a symbol of climate change, may be nearly extinct by the end of the century because of shrinking sea ice.
So on that cheerful note, open it to questions, please.
There's your day.
Go ahead.
It's my day.
Hi.
Yay.
Hi.
Hi, Claire.
Nice to see you that that was pretty depressing.
Thank you.
What is happening in Siberia?
I mean, you you talked there's a clear association with climate change.
I mean, is what's happening there and in the Arctic reversible or have we gone beyond a certain certain wall that shouldn't have been breached?
What to be done?
Climate action in 2 words, Implement the Paris Agreement in three words.
What's happening in the Arctic?
It's it's, it's a vicious cycle.
So we've got the melting of Arctic sea ice, which means there's a much bigger open dark surface.
Ice and snow reflect heat.
Dark surfaces trap it.
So, you know, that has a, as I said, it's a knock on effect.
It's it's a vicious circle.
And there is concern among the scientific community that once we see the permafrost starting to thaw and there aren't signs of that happening big time yet, but it is an area of concern.
Thawing permafrost releases methane.
The wildfires in the Arctic, they're releasing carbon, but they're also reducing the potential of those forests to trap carbon in in future years.
So it is as, as I keep saying it's it's a vicious, it's a vicious cycle.
And it will be very, very hard to reverse because of the the law of physics.
You know, the levels of carbon dioxide which we've got in the atmosphere now will carry on heating, you know, surface temperatures for, you know, for generations to come that the lifetime of CO2 in the atmosphere is, you know, it runs into many, many, many decades.
Peter, Morning.
Cleo, Could you just explain to us why melting ice is dangerous to shipping?
Thank you.
Just because you can't see it on the surface doesn't mean it's there.
And what what we as WMO are doing is we're putting a lot of effort into trying to improve weather forecasts and see ice forecasts in the region.
It's not an easy thing to do.
It's an area where typically there's not many weather observations and certainly not many sea ice observations.
So the risks are, you know, there are a lot of potential potential risks.
And as I said, the fact that we can't see the sea ice doesn't doesn't mean it's not, it's, it's not, it's not there.
Yes, Nick.
Oh, hi, Ken, Have you qualified at all?
How much of the forest was destroyed in the fire last year and how much is risk this year?
No, I was looking for that this morning and I couldn't find any, any data.
I'll, I'll, I'll check to see if I get if we do get anything else.
The the Russian federal service for for hydrometeorological and environmental monitoring, they said yesterday on their website and this is Google Translate, so I hope it's reliable.
According to satellite monitoring, there were 188 points of probable fire on the 22nd of July on the territory of Siberia.
We'll we'll probably get better figures from Copernicus atmospheric monitoring services.
The as as the season goes on, you know, they will be doing a regular, a regular update.
Was was the extent significant last year?
Yes, Yeah.
I mean, you're talking about huge, huge areas.
You know, this is like a vast expanse.
But yes, it was, it was significant.
Yeah.
I'm sorry.
One last question is Siberian forest, is it able to regenerate as fast as forest in more temporary clients that I don't know, I'd have to check on on that.
And there's been a lot of debate on, you know, the type of soil as well, you know, if it's more combustible.
So I'll I'll check, I'll check on that.
And I'm not a forestry expert.
And yes, yes, hello Claire.
And yes, hi.
Just something you, you said just at the beginning, you talked about this record of 38° in June.
I can't remember the day, but in June, but if I remember well, you explained that it would take quite a lot of time to establish that it's a record.
So today the word record.
So has it been established already?
No.
OK, So for Ross Hydromet, which is the Russian Meteorological Service, they have confirmed that it's certainly a record for that weather station where it was, it was measured.
So what we have to do now as the World Meteorological Organisation is to set up a committee to, to verify that, you know, that all the measuring instruments were, were, were, were accurate, were correct.
That takes time.
And what we're also going to have to do is in our weather and climate extremes archive, until now we haven't had a category for record heat north of the Arctic Circle.
So we're also going to establish a new, a new category for that.
So it will, it will take time.
But having said that, you know, it was recorded at a weather station which has a long track record.
You know, it, is it, it, it, it, it is reliable.
So, but we can't yet say that, you know, this is a new record for the Arctic.
It will take more time.
Sorry.
OK, that concludes the question for you, Claire.
I don't see any other in the room either.
OK.
So thank you very much.
That was the last of our briefing items.
I just would like to remind you that the Human Rights Committee will close its 129th session today and in a public meeting starting at 5:00 PM.
The Committee should formally adopt the General common #37 on Article 21, Right of Peaceful Assembly of the International Covenant, Civil and Political Rights, which was reviewed during this session.
And that's it.
If there are no more questions.
Thank you very much.
I remind you then the schedule for next week, 28th, the virtual briefing, 31st and of July and 3rd of August, the holiday, official holidays, and 4th and 7th of August virtual briefing.
And we'll start again with the hybrid briefing the week of the 10th.
Thank you very much and have a nice weekend.