The Asian Chronicle

        GENEVA (12 August 2016) – The UN Committee against Torture has published its findings on the countries it examined during its latest session from 25 July to 12 August: Kuwait, Honduras, Burundi and Mongolia.   The findings cover positive aspects of how the respective State is implementing the Convention against Torture, Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and also main matters of concern and recommendations. The reports, officially termed concluding observations, can be found here:  http://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_ layouts/treatybodyexternal/ SessionDetails1.aspx? SessionID=1084&Lang=en The Committee will next meet from 7 November to 7 December  when it will review Armenia, Cape Verde, Ecuador, Finland, Monaco, Namibia, Sri Lanka, and Turkmenistan. More information here:  http://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_ layouts/treatybodyexternal/ SessionDetails1.aspx? SessionID=1085&Lang=en ENDS   For more inform...

  GENEVA (11 August 2016) – Criminalising migrants for entering and leaving Bulgaria irregularly “places many of them in an invidious Catch-22 situation” and raises serious concerns about the State’s compliance with international law, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said Thursday, after the second of two visits to Bulgaria by his staff in the past eight months revealed a number of disturbing policies and practices relating to migrants and refugees.   Zeid noted some positive developments since the first visit by UN Human Rights Office staff last November, notably that the time limit for the registration of an asylum claim has been fixed at six days. This has occurred since the entry into force in December 2015 of legal provisions bringing Bulgaria’s law in line with the European Union’s Asylum Procedures Directive.  The UN human rights chief also said that his team had been impressed by the “many excellent, engaged and professional staff” ...

Turn off for: French La version française se trouve ci-dessous French version, see below Burundi torture review: UN experts concerned at reported reprisals Geneva (8 August 2016) – The UN Committee against Torture has voiced grave concern about reported reprisals against four Burundian lawyers who provided information to it for a special review of Burundi.   The Committee has sent a letter to the Burundian ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, seeking urgent reassurances that no member of Burundian civil society would be subject to reprisals for cooperating with the Committee. The four lawyers - Armel Niyongere, Lambert Nigarura, Dieudonné Bashirahishize and Vital Nshimirimana - contributed to an alternative report by a coalition of Burundian NGOs for the Committee’s review, and three were present at the review in Geneva on 28 and 29 July. On 29 July, a Burundian prosecutor asked the President of the Bujumbura Bar Council to strike the lawyers off, all...

UN disability rights committee to review Uruguay, Ethiopia, Bolivia, United Arab Emirates, Guatemala, Colombia, Italy   GENEVA (8 August 2016) – The UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is meeting in Geneva from 15 August to 2 September to review the following countries:   Uruguay (15-16 Aug); Ethiopia (16-17 Aug); Bolivia (17-18 Aug); United Arab Emirates (18-19 Aug); Guatemala (22-23 Aug); Colombia (23-24 Aug); Italy (24-25 Aug). The above are among the 166 States that have ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and so are required to submit regular reports to the Committee, which is composed of 18 international independent experts.  During the meetings in Geneva, Committee members will hold question and answer sessions with the respective State delegations. They will also hear from organisations representing disabled persons, NGOs and national human rights institutions.  Venue: Palais Wil...

UN disability rights committee to review Uruguay, Ethiopia, Bolivia, United Arab Emirates, Guatemala, Colombia, Italy   GENEVA (8 August 2016) – The UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is meeting in Geneva from 15 August to 2 September to review the following countries:   Uruguay (15-16 Aug); Ethiopia (16-17 Aug); Bolivia (17-18 Aug); United Arab Emirates (18-19 Aug); Guatemala (22-23 Aug); Colombia (23-24 Aug); Italy (24-25 Aug). The above are among the 166 States that have ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and so are required to submit regular reports to the Committee, which is composed of 18 international independent experts.  During the meetings in Geneva, Committee members will hold question and answer sessions with the respective State delegations. They will also hear from organisations representing disabled persons, NGOs and national human rights institutions.  Venue: Palais Wil...