December 2021 — Page 3 of 17 — Human Rights & Charity

US contributes $10 million to support UN food agency efforts on COVID-19 response, future pandemics

The funding, announced on Thursday, will support the UN agency’s COVID-19 Response and Recovery Programme, part of its broader One Health programme .

The initiative helps safeguard human, animal, plant and environmental health throughout the food chain, from production to consumption and waste management.

FAO joins with partners the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), forming a tripartite on the One Health approach, and expands its collaboration with the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) to mainstream and support implementation globally.

Strenghthening national response

The US contribution will specifically be used to strengthen national and international One Health systems through enhanced multi-sectoral early warning, risk assessment and risk reduction, and progressive management of emerging and endemic high impact animal and plant pests and diseases, including those with epidemic and pandemic potential.

“We thank the Government of the United States of America for its generous support to FAO’s COVID-19 Response and Recovery Program and One Health Tripartite risk assessments at national levels,” said FAO Director-General, Qu Dongyu.

“A science-based One Health approach across agrifood systems is critical for early warning and prevention of zoonotic diseases.”

The US funding will benefit countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Near East.

Americas: COVID-19 cases surpass 100 million

The announcment comes as COVID-19 cases in the Americas surpassed 100 million, while the Omicron variant has been reported in nearly 20 countries and territories, according to the regional office for the World Health Organization (WHO).

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) said cases continue to rise in North America, with the United States driving a 36 per cent increase in the past week, while parts of Central and South America showed declines.

‘Downward trend’ in Central America

South America experienced an overall case drop of 10.7 per cent, and a 6.3 per cent decrease in deaths, latest epidemiological data revealed.

Bolivia reported a sharp increase, and Argentina and Ecuador also saw cases rise.

PAHO said Central American countries continued to see a “downward trend”, with a 10.8 per cent drop in cases.

Analysis showed that in the Caribbean, cases rose by 16 per cent. Trinidad and Tobago continued to report an increase. Although Barbados and the Cayman Islands have reported large numbers of cases, these are now decreasing.

Keep up health measures

The Omicron variant has now been reported in 19 countries and territories, accounting for an estimated 73 per cent of virus sequences over the past week.

PAHO continues to recommend vaccination and other public health measures to reduce coronavirus spread, such as wearing masks, maintaining physical distance, frequent hand washing and avoiding crowded spaces, especially indoors.

“These measures are effective against all variants, including Omicron”, Director Carissa F. Etienne said recently. “Countries should sustain their public health measures to limit transmission of the virus and adjust them according to local transmission risks”.

Meeting vaccine target

More than 868 million vaccine doses have been administered in Latin America and the Caribbean, where nearly 58 per cent of the population has completed inoculations.

PAHO has projected that most countries across the region will have reached, or surpassed, the WHO target of vaccinating 40 per cent of their populations by the end of the year.

However, current estimates show Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Guatemala, Saint Lucia, and Grenada, could miss the goal.

Meanwhile, some 33 countries have received vaccines through the COVAX solidarity mechanism. So far, the total is 75 million, including 25 million donated doses.

The logistics for these deliveries was handled through PAHO’s Revolving Fund for Access to Vaccines, which has served the region for more than 40 years. The Fund is also working with countries to purchase COVID-19 vaccines directly from manufacturers.

Stepping up assistance to Venezuelans crossing Chile’s inhospitable northern border

“Children, adolescents, pregnant women and the elderly often need urgent medical support after several days traveling on foot”, said Rebeca Cenalmor-Rejas, Head of UNHCR’s National Office in Chile.

An arduous journey

Since November, local authorities have reported that between 400 and 500 refugees and migrants from Venezuela have been crossing the border every day from Bolivia into Chile.

“All of them hope to find safety and stability in Chile”, said Ms. Cenalmor-Rejas.

They are driven by the economic impact of COVID-19, which has left many destitute, and are hoping to reunite with family members.

Most Venezuelans use irregular routes, braving the remote Atacama Desert, where dangers include sexual exploitation and abuse by criminal groups.

They journey by foot, lacking the appropriate clothing for the extreme weather conditions of the desert’s long, very hot days and night temperatures that drop to -20 degrees C.

Many arrive hungry and in ill health, suffering from malnutrition, dehydration, hypothermia and altitude sickness.

Moreover, the new arrivals often lack proper shelter and are forced to sleep out in the open.

Since the beginning of the year, some 21 people have lost their lives at Chile’s northern border.

Providing assistance

Without proper documentation, those on the move cannot find regular jobs and, without resources, face difficulties in continuing their journey from border areas to other cities.

“UNHCR is strengthening its response at the northern border to support national, regional and local authorities in guaranteeing safe access and improving reception conditions”, said Ms. Cenalmor-Rejas.

Coordinating with the authorities and shored up by partners, UNHCR is providing information and legal counselling to the newly arrived Venezuelans, along with food, cash assistance, fuel vouchers, medical care, emergency shelter, and basic relief items – such as blankets and winter clothes.

International support ‘crucial’

Since the beginning of the year, UNHCR has assisted 20,000 refugees and migrants from Venezuela in the northern regions of Chile.

And it is increasing its staffing and partners at the northern border, aiming to reach more of the vulnerable refugees.

To assist in controlling COVID-19, the UN refugee agency is also working with local and national authorities to set up a centre in the town of Iquique, where new arrivals will undergo the required quarantine in safe and dignified conditions.

In parallel, anticipating that Venezuelans will start looking for opportunities in other parts of the country, during 2021, UNHCR strengthened its collaboration with five partners to distribute assistance in cities in southern Chile.

“UNHCR, as part of the inter-agency response, is committed to offering relief to those in need and the communities welcoming them”, said Ms. Cenalmor-Rejas. “However, timely support by the international community is crucial for us to continue expanding our programmes”.

Venezuelan migrants

Chile is currently home to an estimated 448,100 refugees and migrants from Venezuela, not counting the thousands who have entered the country through irregular border crossings.

In 2022, UNHCR will need a total of $20.3 million to ensure adequate humanitarian assistance and support Venezuelan communities to become self-reliant across the country.

Libyan elections postponed, new date expected within 30 days

Having arrived in Libya on 12 December, Special Advisor Stephanie Williams said that she has heard “time and again the overwhelming desire of Libyans to go to the ballot box to determine their future and to end the long transitional period through the holding of inclusive, free, fair, and credible elections”.

“I have also heard their genuine hopes that elections must be part of the solution and not part of the problem in Libya”.

Postponed elections

Yesterday, the High National Elections Commission announced that despite being technically prepared, it was unable to meet the 24 December date set by the political roadmap for national elections.

Citing inadequacies in electoral legislation and challenges and appeals related to candidates’ eligibility, the Commission requested that the House of Representatives set, within a 30-day period, another date for the first round of the Presidential election.

They also asked that the necessary measures be taken to address the difficulties facing the completion of the electoral process.

“The United Nations takes note of the Commission’s recommendation to the House of Representatives and welcomes its commitment to the ongoing electoral process and to continuing the review of the applications of the candidates for parliamentary elections”, said Ms. Williams.

Standing ready

The Special Adviser maintained that she is ready through mediation and the UN’s good offices, to work with the concerned Libyan institutions and interlocuters to address challenges.

She called upon those concerned to honour and support the will of the 2.8 million Libyans who have registered to vote.

The current challenges in the electoral process “should in no way be instrumentalized to undermine the stability and progress which has been achieved in Libya over the past 15 months”, she stressed, strongly urging the relevant actors to focus on the electoral process and on creating the political and security conditions needed to hold “inclusive, free, fair, peaceful and credible elections, whose outcome will be accepted by all parties”.

UN chief weighs in

Secretary-General António Guterres issued a statement through his Deputy Spokesperson, Farhan Haq, taking note of the announcement.

“It is imperative that the will of the people is respected. Presidential and parliamentary elections must take place in Libya in the appropriate conditions to peacefully end the political transition and transfer power to democratically elected institutions”, he said.

Elections must take place in Libya in the appropriate conditions to peacefully end the political transition and transfer power – UN chief

He added that Ms. Williams will “continue to support a Libyan-led and Libyan-owned process to address outstanding challenges and ensure the holding of Presidential and parliamentary elections as soon as possible”.

‘Tangible progress’

In addition to her work surrounding the election, the Special Adviser met with hundreds of people from all regions to lead mediation efforts and engage with Libyan and international partners.

She observed since the UN-facilitated ceasefire agreement was signed in October 2020 and the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum Roadmap adopted in November 2020, “tangible progress” has been achieved.

Against the backdrop of relative calm across the country as the ceasefire continues to hold, she was able to travel on the coastal road between Misrata and Sirte, which was reopened through the efforts of the 5+5 Joint Military Commission (JMC), comprised of military representatives from opposing sides.

During her trip, Ms. Williams was “particularly pleased to witness a shift from a discourse of conflict to one of peaceful dialogue”.

From conflict to ‘peaceful dialogue’

Despite the many hardships endured by numerous Libyans and the pleas of those still displaced by the 10-year conflict, she spoke with scores who had recovered a sense of normalcy.

“Even those who only last year bore arms against each other have continued to come together”, she said.

“I have heard stories of separated families that could finally travel to visit relatives – a development made possible by the ceasefire and resumption of flights and the reopening of roads”.

Despite ‘rampant’ poverty, ‘existential’ lack of funding impedes UNRWA's work

Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, said that chronic and drastic funding shortfalls could even precipitate its collapse.

“Today, austerity has reached its limit and is impacting the quality of our services”, he said, highlighting that despite “rampant” poverty, the agency can no longer increase the number of refugees that it supports, .

He added that “austerity reaches its limit when we put 50 children in a classroom or leave the most deprived children without transportation or stationery…when a doctor can only spend three minutes with a patient…[and] when many teachers and sanitation laborers are daily paid workers. These are frontline staff and it really pains me that UNRWA cannot yet give them more stable jobs”.

Distress

In an open letter to Palestine refugees, Mr. Lazzarini wrote that he was “painfully aware” that further uncertainty about UNRWA’s “dire” financial situation added another layer of distress to their lives.

“When everything around you falls apart, being able to send your children to school, receive health care and be part of a social safety net are a lifeline”, he added.

The Commissioner-General spoke of his many meetings with Palestine refugees throughout the year, including children in Gaza who were mentally scarred in May by 10 days of rocket fire and airstrike exchanges between Israeli forces and armed groups in the enclave.

He also recalled encountering refugee families in the West Bank “living with the daily threat of forced displacement; young graduates in Burj Baranjeh camp whose only hope for a better future was to emigrate through dangerous migration routes; and refugees in Jordan who faced immense financial hardships under COVID-19”.

Today, well over five million Palestinians have registered with UNRWA as refugees in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan.

Political attacks

In his open letter, Mr. Lazzarini said that since 2018, political attacks on the agency’s mandate had threatened to sever the “lifeline” of education, healthcare and social welfare that UNWRA provides.

Attacks are based on the foolish and wrong idea that by closing UNRWA they will erase 5.8 million Palestine refugees – UN official

“These attacks aim at harming the reputation of the Agency…[and] are based on the foolish and wrong idea that by closing UNRWA they will erase 5.8 million Palestine refugees”, he said.

“Let me reassure you that your rights, including your right of return and compensation, are enshrined in international law and UN resolutions and have nothing to do with the UNRWA mandate”.

The agency chief acknowledged that for close to a decade, stagnating donor funding remained below the amount needed to provide quality services.

At the same time as the refugee population has continued to grow, poverty and vulnerabilities have skyrocketed.

To promote long-term funding security, Mr. Lazzarini said that the agency planned to expand its donor base, increase digital fundraising and look into innovative funding mechanisms to ensure that Palestine refugees have continued access to all services.

Authorities urged to protect women and children following violence and protests in Sudan

Kambou Fofana, Acting UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, made the appeal in a statement on reported excessive use of force against children.

“UNICEF calls on all authorities in Sudan to protect all children from all forms of violence and harm including during conflict and political events. The use of excessive force against civilians is unnecessary and should be avoided, always,” he said.

Violence displaces families

Mr. Fofana reported that an increase in inter-communal violence in West Darfur, most recently in Jebel Moon, has resulted in a high number of deaths, with children among the victims.

Families continue to be displaced by the fighting, and UNICEF has also received reports of gender-based violence in the area.

Children and women were also among those injured in demonstrations in Khartoum earlier this week, he added.

‘Harrowing reports’ of rape

Thousands took to the streets on Sunday to mark the third anniversary of the uprising which led to the April 2019 overthrow of President Omar al-Bashir, who had ruled for three decades.

“We are closely following harrowing reports of rape of women and girls during the protests,” said Mr. Fofana.

Meanwhile, the UN official fighting to stamp out rape during wartime was also gravely concerned about reports of sexual violence and sexual harassment by Sudanese security forces during the demonstrations.

Credible reports of violations

Pramila Patten, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, expressed deep concern over credible reports of serious human rights violations, including the use of rape and gang rape of women and girls, to disperse protesters who had attemptedto hold a sit-in close to the Republican Palace.

While some survivors have filed judicial complaints and sought medical assistance, others have not due to social stigma, fear of persecution and reprisals, her office said on Thursday.

Ms. Patten underlined that the absence of criminal accountability for these crimes can prevent survivors from seeking redress, and perpetuate “cycles of impunity” that hinder peacebuilding and recovery efforts.

Identify and prosecute

She urged the Sudanese authorities to take effective measures to ensure survivors have access to medical, legal and psychosocial support, and to establish accountability mechanisms to prevent the recurrence of such violence, in line with relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

“The perpetrators of these human rights violations must be identified and prosecuted,” said Ms. Patten.

“I join the call of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights for a prompt, independent and thorough investigation into the allegations of rape and sexual harassment”.

End all violence

She also requested that Sudanese authorities work with the UN towards implementing a framework for cooperation on the prevention and response to conflict-related sexual violence, signed last year.

 Ms. Patten further called upon the international community, including members of the Security Council, to use their good offices role with Sudan’s leaders to demand an end to all forms of violence and intimidation against civilians, including sexual violence.

“With further protests planned, it is crucial that security forces act in full respect for international laws and standards regulating the use of force,” she said.

Champions of the Earth: Mia Mottley versus the ‘faceless few’

When the top Barbadian politician stood up in front of the UN General Assembly earlier this year, she was not in a mood to pull punches.

In front of world leaders, she decried the “faceless few” pushing the world towards a climate catastrophe and imperilling the future of small-island States, like her own.
The impassioned speech would grab headlines around the world and for many, it was an introduction to Mottley.
But the Barbados Prime Minister, this year’s Champion of the Earth for Policy Leadership, has spent years campaigning against pollution, climate change, and deforestation, turning Barbados into a frontrunner in the global environmental movement.

Under Ms. Mottley’s watch, the country has developed an ambitious plan to phase out fossil fuels by 2030.

Her vision is for nearly every home on the island to have solar panels on the roof and an electric vehicle out front. At Ms. Mottley’s urging, Latin America and the Caribbean became the first region in the world to agree on the Action Plan for the UN Decade on

Ecosystem Restoration, an effort to prevent and reverse the degradation of natural spaces worldwide.

You can find out more about the Prime Minister’s plans to secure a sustainable future for Barbados, here.

Champions of the Earth

The United Nations Environment Programme’s Champions of the Earth and the Young Champions of the Earth recognize individuals, groups and organizations whose actions have a transformative impact on the environment. Presented annually, the Champions of the Earth award is the UN’s highest environmental honour.
The United Nations General Assembly has declared the years 2021 through 2030 the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, is designed to prevent, halt, and reverse the loss and degradation of ecosystems worldwide. It aims at reviving billions of hectares, covering terrestrial as well as aquatic ecosystems. Visit www.decadeonrestoration.org to learn more.

Ignoring COVID-19 will just perpetuate it, WHO warns

That message from the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) in the Eastern Mediterranean region, indicated that the pandemic is far from over, wherever you may live.

Citing the latest modelling data, Ahmed Al-Mandhari said that 22 countries and territories in the region would probably see more than 17 million cases and over 314,000 deaths by the end of the year.

Despite the holiday season, “failure to apply the established public health and social measures could cause alarming surges in the number of COVID-19 cases and related deaths”, he said.

Follow COVID guidelines

While the Omicron variant has already been found in 14 countries across the Middle East and eastern Mediterranean region, more research is needed before its impact on existing vaccines, diagnosis and treatment, is fully understood, the WHO Regional Director explained.

“COVID-19 will continue to evolve in the months to come; simply because the virus continues to mutate”, he continued. “This is what viruses do: they change as they circulate”.

He underscored that following COVID-19 prevention guidelines is “the only way we can stop the virus from spreading…now more than ever”.

Three good reasons

Dr. Al-Mandhari explained why everyone needs to stick to the guidelines: “First, the winter season has been characterized by spikes of cases and deaths. Second, the holiday season with gatherings of friends and families. Third, the arrival of Omicron, which has the capacity to become a dominant variant in a matter of weeks wherever it emerges.

“I must also remind you that increasing levels of social mixing provide the virus with the highest opportunity to spread”, he added.

Although everyone is tired of hearing about COVID-19 and its restrictions, “we need to face an undeniable fact…the virus is still very much present among us”, he added.

‘Another storm’ rolling in

WHO’s top official in Europe, Hans Kluge, also issued a statement against the backdrop of rising Omicron cases, revealing that last week, Europe and central Asia saw 27,000 additional COVID-19 deaths and 2.6 million new cases.

Although infections stem predominantly from the Delta variant, since its identification 27 days ago, Omicron has been detected in at least 38 of the 53 Member States in WHO’s European Region.

“We can see another storm coming – Omicron is becoming, or already has become, dominant in several countries, including in Denmark, Portugal and the United Kingdom, where its numbers are doubling every 1.5 to three days, generating previously unseen transmission rates”, he said.

“This variant can evade previous immunity in people – so it can still infect those who have had COVID-19 in the past, those who are unvaccinated, and those who were vaccinated many months ago”.

Furthermore, those who have recovered from COVID-19 are three-to-five times more likely to be reinfected with Omicron, compared to Delta.

Protect and prevent

On a positive note, early evidence supports the assumption that COVID-19 vaccines continue to do their job and save lives.

Because the virus has been transmitted mostly among adults in their 20s and 30s, spreading in social and workplace gatherings, Dr. Kluge, noted “three things that we need to do urgently”.

“Protect ourselves through vaccination, prevent further infections, and prepare health systems for a surge in cases”.

He insisted on the importance of scaling up vaccines for everyone: “If you are unvaccinated – get the jab. If you have had COVID-19 in the past – get the jab. If you are due a booster – get the jab”.

Preparation

Dr. Kluge said that vaccinations should go forward along with other infection-prevention measures, such as avoiding crowded, closed, and confined spaces; keeping physical distances; washing hands; and wearing a mask.

“Governments and authorities need to prepare our response systems for a significant surge”, he underscored.

Testing and tracing capacities must be increased, health and frontline workers supported hospitals prepared for a surge, he elaborated.

“None of our tools are made redundant by Omicron. All are as relevant as before, and we know what to do”, he said.

Yemen alert: 8 million face reduced rations amid funding shortages

From January, eight million who are going hungry in Yemen will receive a reduced food ration, while five million others who are at immediate risk of slipping into famine, will remain on a full ration.

“Desperate times call for desperate measures and we have to stretch our limited resources and prioritize, focusing on people who are in the most critical state”, said Corinne Fleischer, Regional Director of the World Food Programme (WFP) for the Middle East and North Africa.

The lowest point

The reductions come at the worst possible time for families in Yemen who are dependent on WFP’s food assistance to survive.

As currency devaluation and hyper-inflation drive the economy to near collapse, inadequate food consumption has risen rapidly, affecting half of all families over the last three months.

And food prices have more than doubled across much of Yemen through the course of the year.

Meanwhile, fighting across multiple frontlines continues to force families to flee.

“The Yemeni people are now more vulnerable than ever, reeling from relentless conflict and the deepening economic crisis that has pushed millions into destitution”, said Ms. Fleischer.

From bad to worse

Beginning in January, families will receive barely half of WFP’s daily minimum ration.

Moreover, without new funding, more severe reductions will soon be unavoidable, perhaps even cutting people from food assistance programmes completely.

Malnutrition treatment and school meals may also be reduced.

“Every time we reduce the amount of food, we know that more people who are already hungry and food insecure, will join the ranks of the millions who are starving”, said the WFP official.

‘Dangerously low’ stocks

Currently, more than half the Yemeni population – some 16.2 million people – face acute hunger and 2.3 million children under five, risk malnutrition.

“WFP food stocks in Yemen are running dangerously low at a time when budgets for humanitarian crises around the world are stretched to the limit”, Ms. Fleischer said.

WFP needs $813 million to continue to assist the most vulnerable in Yemen through May.

And in 2022, the agency will need $1.97 billion to continue to deliver vital assistance to families on the brink of famine.

“We desperately need donors, who were so generous in the past, to work with us to avoid this looming hunger catastrophe”, she concluded.

WHO warns against blanket boosters, as vaccine inequity persists

“No country can boost its way out of the pandemic,” said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, speaking in Geneva during his final press briefing for the year.

“And boosters cannot be seen as a ticket to go ahead with planned celebrations, without the need for other precautions,” he added.

Diverting vaccine supply

The WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) has issued interim guidance on booster doses, expressing concern that mass programmes for countries that can afford them, will exacerbate vaccine inequity.

Currently, around 20 per cent of all vaccine doses administered are being given as boosters or additional doses.

“Blanket booster programmes are likely to prolong the pandemic, rather than ending it, by diverting supply to countries that already have high levels of vaccination coverage, giving the virus more opportunity to spread and mutate,” said Tedros.

He stressed that the priority must be on supporting countries to vaccinate 40 per cent of their populations as quickly as possible, and 70 per cent by the middle of 2022.

“It’s important to remember that the vast majority of hospitalizations and deaths are in unvaccinated people, not un-boosted people,” he said. “And we must be very clear that the vaccines we have, remain effective against both the Delta and Omicron variants.”

Against vaccine inequity

Tedros reported that while some countries are now rolling out blanket programmes – for a third, or even fourth shot, in the case of Israel – only half of WHO’s 194 Member States have been able to inoculate 40 per cent of their populations due to “distortions in global supply”.

Enough vaccines were administered globally in 2021, he said. Therefore, every country could have reached the target by September, if doses had been distributed equitably through global solidarity mechanism COVAX and its African Union counterpart, AVAT.

“We’re encouraged that supply is improving,” said Tedros. “Today, COVAX shipped its 800 millionth vaccine dose. Half of those doses have been shipped in the past three months.”

He again urged countries and manufacturers to prioritize COVAX and AVAT, and to work together to support nations furthest behind.

While WHO projections show sufficient supply to vaccinate the entire global adult population by the first quarter of 2022, and to give boosters to high-risk populations, only later in the year will supply be sufficient for extensive use of boosters in all adults.

Hope for 2022

Reflecting on the past year, Tedros reported that more people died from COVID-19 in 2021 than from HIV, malaria and tuberculosis combined, in 2020.

Coronavirus killed 3.5 million people this year, and continues to claim some 50,000 lives each week.

Tedros said although vaccines “undoubtedly saved many lives”, inequitable sharing of doses resulted in many deaths.

“As we approach a new year, we must all learn the painful lessons this year taught us. 2022 must be the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. But it must also be the beginning of something else – a new era of solidarity,”

Guidance for health workers

New WHO guidance recommends that health workers use either a respirator or medical mask, in addition to other personal protective equipment (PPE), when entering the room of a patient with suspected or confirmed COVID-19.

Respirators, which includes masks known as N95, FFP2 and others, should especially be worn in settings with poor ventilation.

As many health workers across the world are unable to access these items, WHO is urging manufacturers and countries to scale up production, procurement and distribution of both respirators and medical masks.

Tedros stressed that all health workers must have all the tools they need to do their jobs, which includes training, PPE, a safe work environment, and vaccines.

“It’s frankly difficult to understand how a year since the first vaccines were administered, three in four health workers in Africa remain unvaccinated,” he remarked.

Experts call for immediate release of Kashmiri human rights defender

Mr. Parvez has documented serious human rights violations in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, including enforced disappearances and unlawful killings, they said, and has faced reprisals reportedly for sharing information with the UN.

Apparent new retaliation

He was arrested in November by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on charges related to conspiracy and terrorism.

“We are concerned that one month after Mr. Parvez’s arrest, he is still deprived of liberty in what appears to be a new incident of retaliation for his legitimate activities as a human rights defender and because he has spoken out about violations,” the rights experts said.

“In view of this context of previous reprisals, we call on the Indian authorities to immediately release him and ensure his rights to liberty and security.”

Mr. Parvez is detained at the Rohini Jail Complex in Delhi, which the experts described as among the most overcrowded and unsanitary prisons in the country, posing immediate risk to his health and safety, in particular from COVID-19.

‘Worrisome rise’ in arrests

He was arrested on 22 November under Indian counter-terrorism legislation, the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).

Introduced in July 2019, the Act allows the authorities to designate any individual as a terrorist without the requirement of establishing membership or association with banned groups.

The rights experts said the UAPA has resulted in a “worrisome rise” in the number of arrests in India, and especially in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir.

“We regret that the Government continues to use the UAPA as a means of coercion to restrict civil society’s, the media’s and human rights defenders’ fundamental freedoms in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir as well as in the rest of the country. We therefore once again urge the Government to bring this legislation in line with India’s international legal obligations under human rights law,” they said.

Mr. Parvez was brought before a court in Delhi on 30 November and 4 December, when it was decided he should be transferred from NIA custody to judicial custody.

This Thursday, the NIA Special Court may decide on another extension of his detention for a further 90 days, the experts said. If convicted, he could face up to 14 years in prison, or even the death penalty.

Role of independent experts

The rights experts who issued the statement were appointed by the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

They report to the Council on specific country situations or thematic issues, such as the situation of human rights defenders.

These Special Rapporteurs, independent experts and members of working groups are not UN staff, nor are they paid by the Organization.