Michelle Bachelet: Latest News

COLOMBO (News 1st); Michelle Bachelet, the UN Human Rights Commissioner has said that the current Sri Lankan Government has not only demonstrated its unwillingness to pursue accountability, but it has also incorporated military officials implicated in alleged war crimes into the highest levels of government, reinforcing a narrative of impunity.“There have been some recent signs of increased engagement by the government with OHCRH and certain steps to initiate reform,” she told the 11th meeting of the 49th session of the Human Rights Council.The proposal to amend some provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism Act and release some detainees under the act are welcome initial steps, she said adding that she encourages the government to take further steps to address the fundamental problems with the PTA, as well as undertake legal, institutional, and security sector reforms that are critically needed to put an end to impunity and prevent any recurrence of past violations.“Regrettably, the past year has also seen further obstruction and setbacks to accountability.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Archbishop of Colombo His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith on Wednesday (3) met with Michelle Bachelet, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 49th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

GENEVA (AP) - The U.N. human rights chief, in a landmark report launched after the killing of George Floyd in the United States, is urging countries worldwide to do more to help end discrimination, violence and systemic racism against people of African descent and "make amends" to them — including through reparations.The report from Michelle Bachelet, the U.N.

Joe Biden will be “much, much better” when it comes to human rights, and warned of shrinking “democratic space” in Hong Kong — saying her office will be monitoring the rights situation there.Michelle Bachelet spoke to reporters in Geneva in a catch-all news conference to recap the year and look ahead to 2021.She cited concerns about the inequalities exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic and systemic racism like that highlighted by the Black Lives Matter movement.

GENEVA – The United Nations' human rights chief lamented a deteriorating situation in Belarus and said Friday that reported beatings of protesters by security forces may in some cases amount to torture.Michelle Bachelet, the high commissioner for human rights, told the U.N. Human Rights Council there has been no improvement since a September debate about Belarus and “recent weeks have seen continued deterioration, particularly with respect to the right of peaceful assembly.”Belarus has seen mass protests triggered by President Alexander Lukashenko’s election to a sixth term in an Aug.

NAIROBI – Alarm spiraled Tuesday over Ethiopia's imminent tank attack on the capital of the defiant Tigray region, with a rush of warnings about protecting civilians three weeks after the war began.Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's 72-hour ultimatum for the region's leaders to surrender ends on Wednesday. His military has warned civilians of “no mercy” if they don’t move away in time – which some human rights groups and diplomats say could violate international law.“The highly aggressive rhetoric on both sides regarding the fight for Mekele is dangerously provocative and risks placing already vulnerable and frightened civilians in grave danger,” United Nations human rights chief Michelle Bachelet said.

GENEVA – The U.N. human rights chief appealed Monday for “urgent and profound action to combat systemic racism” in the United States, and encouraged Hong Kong authorities to “monitor closely” the enforcement of a national security law in China derided by many activists.The comments from Michelle Bachelet came in a catch-all speech to open the latest session of the U.N.-backed Human Rights Council on Monday.

The UN rights chief has said the coronavirus pandemic's disproportionate impact on ethnic minorities in the US and protests triggered by George Floyd's death had laid bare "endemic inequalities" that must be addressed.

The United Nations’ top human rights official Michelle Bachelet said Monday that rules related to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as those surrounding movement and police checks, should not be used “as a weapon” against opposition, to control the population, or for a government to extend its time in power.

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

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has called for any sanctions imposed on countries like Iran facing the new coronavirus pandemic to be "urgently re-evaluated" to avoid pushing strained medical systems into collapse.