Emergency measures may well be needed to respond to this public health emergency. But an emergency situation is not a blank cheque to disregard human rights obligations, says Michelle Bachelet GENEVA : The coronavirus crisis is not a “blank cheque" to flout civil liberties, the UN human rights commissioner warned on Thursday as she criticised some states’ adoption of “unlimited" emergency powers. “Emergency measures may well be needed to respond to this public health emergency.
But an emergency situation is not a blank cheque to disregard human rights obligations," said Michelle Bachelet. The former Chilean president was addressing the first-ever virtual meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva. “Emergency measures