Europe

Roma civilians on the move in search of safety, inside Kosovo.
UN Photo/UNHCR/Roger LeMoyne

Rights experts urge UN to compensate displaced Roma poisoned in camps in Kosovo

15 April 2016
Two United Nations independent experts today called on the world body to hold the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) accountable for leaving Roma families exposed to lead poisoning in camps for those internally displaced in the territory.
Two little boys warm up by a fire outside the camping tent that has been provided for them by humanitarian organisations in Idomeni, Greece.
UNICEF/Tomislav Georgiev

Violence, use of teargas at Greek border 'matter of great worry' – UN refugee agency

11 April 2016
The United Nations refugee agency today expressed concern about yesterday's violence at the border between Greece and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia near Eidomeni and the extensive scenes of teargas in use.
Child refugees in Greece. (file)
UNICEF/Tomislav Georgiev

Greece: UN agency urges full hearings for stranded refugee and migrant children

8 April 2016
With the process of returning refugees and migrants from the Greek islands to Turkey underway as part of a European Union-Turkey agreement, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is reminding States of their duty to care and protect all children and give them a full and fair hearing when deciding on their future.
UN International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY).
ICTY

Prosecutor to appeal UN tribunal's acquittal of Vojislav Šešelj of war crimes in the Balkans

6 April 2016
The long-serving Prosecutor of the United Nations tribunal for the former Yugoslavia today announced that he will appeal The Hague-based court's recent acquittal of Serbian politician Vojislav Šešelj on war crimes charges in connection with actions committed by Serbian forces between August 1991 and September 1993.
In Ukraine, cash and food voucher assistance by WFP allow people to go to the market and pick the food they prefer.
WFP/Abeer Etefa

Two years of conflict leaves 1.5 million people hungry in eastern Ukraine – UN agency

4 April 2016
The two-year long conflict in eastern Ukraine has left around 1.5 million people hungry, including almost 300,000 people who are severely food insecure and in need of immediate food assistance, the United Nations food relief agency said today.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
UN Photo/Amanda Voisard (file)

As Nagorno-Karabakh violence flares, Ban urges 'immediate end to fighting'

2 April 2016
Peace and Security

Deeply disturbed by the recent reports of large-scale ceasefire violations along the Line of Contact in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today urged all relevant parties to put an immediate end to the fighting and take urgent steps to de-escalate the situation.

Newly-arriving refugees wave as the large inflatable boat they are in approaches the shore, near the village of Skala Eressos, on the island of Lesbos, in the North Aegean region of Greece.
UNICEF/Ashley Gilbertson VII

UN refugee agency urges safeguard compliance before any returns begin under EU-Turkey deal

1 April 2016
The United Nations refugee agency today urged parties to the recent EU-Turkey agreement on refugees and migrants to ensure all safeguards are in place before any returns begin.
UN International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY).
ICTY

UN tribunal acquits Vojislav Šešelj of war crimes in the Balkans

31 March 2016
The United Nations tribunal for the former Yugoslavia today acquitted Vojislav Šešelj of war crimes and crimes against humanity in connection with actions committed by the Serbian forces between August 1991 and September 1993.
Radovan Karadžic at his initial appearance in court, July 2008.
ICTY

UN welcomes 'historic' guilty verdict against Radovan Karadžić

24 March 2016
Calling today “historic” for the people of former Yugoslavia and for international criminal justice, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today expressed support for the victims who suffered under former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadžić, following his guilty verdict by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY).
In March 2016, despite border restrictions in the Balkans, the influx of refugees and migrants to Idomeni, Greece, has continued.
UNICEF/UN012804/Georgiev

UN rights chief concerned over 'collective expulsion' of migrants after EU-Turkey deal

24 March 2016
The top United Nations human rights official today expressed serious concern over the recent accord between the European Union (EU) and Turkey to stem the large-scale flow of refugees and migrants into Greece and Europe, stressing that individual cases must be assessed adequately to avoid a “collective expulsion.”