turkey

Children and families are huddled together, after being forced to flee their homes, before embarking on the long journey to safety at Syria's Al-Hol camp, which became home to many, believed to be families of former ISIL terrorist fighters.
© UNICEF/UN0277723/Souleiman

Monday’s Daily Brief: 70,000 children displaced in northeast Syria, Guterres commends UN-led peace deal for Ecuador, deadly airstrikes in Libya's Tripoli

14 October 2019
Peace and Security

A recap of Monday’s stories: UNICEF estimates some 70,000 children have been newly displaced in northeast Syria; UN chief sounds alarm on threat of ISIL amid fighting in Syria; Secretary-General welcomes start of Ecuador peace dialogue; Deadly Libya attacks 'blatant violation' of human rights; Food agencies reveal scale of global food waste problem. 

Families in tents in the reception area of Syria's Al-Hole camp, tense since the announcement of US troop withdrawals from the area.
UNICEF/Delil Soleiman

Thursday's Daily Brief: Updates on Syria, refugee data centre, billions raised to fight global diseases, Colombia's peace process

10 October 2019
Peace and Security

A recap of Thursday's stories:  Guterres calls for military de-escalation in Syria's north-east; the role of cities in the climate crisis; new UN data resource to support refugees; reintegration of Colombia's ex-rebels; global community raises billions to eliminate diseases.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres speaks at a press conference in Copenhagen, Denmark.
UNOPS

De-escalation of Turkish military operation in northern Syria ‘absolutely essential’

10 October 2019
Peace and Security

A de-escalation of renewed conflict in northern Syria is “absolutely essential,” the UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Thursday. His comments follow the launch of airstrikes and a ground offensive by Turkey on Wednesday just days after the United States announced it would pull its troops out of Syria.

Michelle Bachelet, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights at the Human Rights Council 39th regular session on 10 September 2018.
UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferré

World ‘deserves to know the truth’ behind Khashoggi disappearance: UN human rights chief

17 October 2018
Human Rights

United Nations human rights chief Michele Bachelet said on Wednesday that she was open to an independent, UN-led investigation into the fate of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, if joint efforts by Turkey and Saudi Arabia, fail to uncover the facts.

Michelle Bachelet, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferré

Top UN rights official urges transparent probe into Khashoggi disappearance

16 October 2018
Human Rights

The top United Nations human rights official has called on Saudi Arabia and Turkey to “reveal everything they know” about the disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein.
UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferré

State of emergency must be lifted for ‘credible elections’ in Turkey, says UN rights chief

9 May 2018
Human Rights

Long-term restrictions on “freedoms of expression, assembly and association” are incompatible with the holding of “credible elections” in Turkey, said the United Nations human rights chief on Wednesday, calling on the Government to lift its extended state of emergency.

High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein.
UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferré

Turkey’s 18-month state of emergency has led to profound human rights violations – UN report

20 March 2018
Human Rights

The United Nations on Tuesday called on Turkey to end its 18-month-old state of emergency, saying that the routine extension of emergency powers has resulted in “profound” human rights violations against hundreds of thousands of people and may have lasting impact on the country’s socio-economic fabric.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey addresses the General Assembly’s annual general debate.
UN Photo/Cia Pak

At UN Assembly, Turkey calls on world to fulfil aid pledges for hosting Syrian refugees

19 September 2017
Stressing that his country has spent over $30 billion to care for more than three million Syrians and 200,000 Iraqis fleeing war in their own homelands, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan took to the podium of the United Nations General Assembly today to call on the world to fulfil its pledges of aid.
Elizabeth Throssell, OHCHR.
UN Photo/Violaine Martin

Rights defenders ‘must not be silenced,’ says UN office, urging Turkey to release activists

7 July 2017
Human Rights

The United Nations today voiced grave concern about the arbitrary detention and arrests of human rights defenders in Turkey and called on the Government to ensure that activists can carry out their work in a safe and enabling environment without fear.

A busy street in Istanbul, Turkey.
World Bank/Simone D. McCourtie

State of emergency should not overshadow rights protection, UN experts stress ahead of Turkey referendum

13 April 2017
Human Rights

Ahead of this Sunday’s plebiscite on proposed constitutional amendments in Turkey that would, among other things, empower the President alone to declare states of emergency and determine the measures to be taken, a group of United Nations human rights experts have reiterated that even under such circumstances, protection of human rights must not be compromised.