Asia Pacific

Philippines: UN rights office appalled over simultaneous killings of ‘red-tagged’ activists  

The UN human rights office (OHCHR) said on Tuesday that it was “appalled” by what appears to be the simultaneous arbitrary killings of nine activists in the Philippines during police-military operations in provinces surrounding the metropolitan area of the capital, Manila. 

Myanmar: UN calls for safe release of trapped protesters in Yangon

The United Nations Secretary-General on Monday called for the safe release of hundreds of peaceful protesters trapped by security forces for several hours in residential buildings in the Yangon neighbourhood of Sanchaung. 

Hopes for UN Security Council action against Myanmar military coup ‘waning’ fast, warns Special Envoy

Hopes placed in the UN and the Member States that serve on the Security Council to take action against leaders of Myanmar’s military coup, are waning fast, the UN Special Envoy for the country warned on Friday.

UN rights expert calls for ‘urgent and decisive’ action to support people of Myanmar

The United Nations independent human rights expert on Myanmar has called on the Security Council for “decisive and unified action” against the military junta, including targeted sanctions and an arms embargo. 

Stop murdering and jailing protestors, UN human rights chief tells Myanmar military

The United Nations top human rights official, on Thursday, said that the military in Myanmar must halt their “vicious crackdown” on peaceful protestors, amid reports that at least 54 people have been killed since the 1 February coup, 38 of them on Wednesday alone. 

‘Stability of the region’ hangs on Myanmar, declares UN Special Envoy

UN Special Envoy for Myanmar, Christine Schraner Burgener, warned on Wednesday that the situation in the country challenges “the stability of the region” and could lead to a “real war”. 

Bangladesh: UN rights chief urges transparent probe into writer’s death, review of law under which he was charged

The UN's top human rights official on Monday called for transparent investigation into the death in custody of a writer in Bangladesh, who was held in pre-trial detention for nine months for publishing an article and sharing social media posts critical of the Government’s COVID-19 response. 

Myanmar: UN condemns escalating violence in deadliest day of protests so far

In response to the killing of at least 18 protesters demonstrating against Myanmar’s military coup, the UN human rights office (OHCHR) on Sunday together with the UN chief, strongly condemned the “escalating violence” and called for an immediate end to the use of force.

Relief programmes hit by ongoing crisis in Myanmar, UN humanitarian office says

The political unrest in Myanmar has impacted the ability of humanitarians to respond to the needs of vulnerable communities, including internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the country’s conflict-affected areas, the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Thursday. 

UN independent experts ‘appalled’ by deportation of migrants to Myanmar, in defiance of court order

Independent UN human rights experts castigated Malaysia on Wednesday over its decision to deport more than1,000 detained migrants back to crisis-ridden Myanmar – despite a court order to suspend their return, pending a judicial review.