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A group of independent United Nations human rights experts today expressed alarm at the ongoing spike in executions in Iran, including the recent hanging of a former child bride amid questionable circumstances.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today said that the international community cannot afford to lose focus or turn away from war-torn Syria, and called for renewed political efforts to end what is now, after three years of bloodshed, the biggest humanitarian and security crisis in the world.

The United Nations refugee agency announced today that the family visit flights between Sahrawi refugees living in camps near Tindouf, Algeria, and their families in the territory of Western Sahara are set to resume next month.

The head of the United Nations agency tasked with defending press freedom today stressed that decisive action must be taken to ensure the safety of media workers in Iraq, following the recent killing of two cameramen.

States that condemn torture while using information and products obtained through the practice in other countries are hypocritical, a United Nations human rights expert declared today, regretting that many Governments refuse to subject their intelligence agencies to strict scrutiny on the subject.

The United Nations Security Council today regretted the lack of progress in implementing a two-year-old agreement between Sudan and South Sudan on security, the common border and economic relations, and called on both Governments to renew their commitment to the aims of the accord, particularly regarding the status of the long-contested Abyei area.

The rampant destruction of Syria’s cultural heritage – including ancient cities, houses and temples – is deepening hatred in the war-torn country and must stop, United Nations and Arab League officials warned today, stressing that the protection of Syria’s ancient history is inseparable from the protection of its people.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon strongly condemned today’s multiple rocket attacks from Gaza against Israel, for which Islamic Jihad has claimed responsibility.

The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) reports increasing difficulties in implementing its mandate due to growing restrictions of movement, and calls on all parties to respect the work done by UN staff and the inviolability of the Organization’s assets and premises.

The United Nations said today that in addition to logistical challenges that hindered Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights IvanŠimonović from traveling to the autonomous Ukrainian region of Crimea this week, he was informed by authorities that he could not be received there.