Human rights are under assault globally, says UN Secretary General

during a air transfer to Mexico City. The US provided intelligence support for the operation and confirmed by a Mexican defense ministry the US had designated the jel Cinco New Generation cartel as a terror organization and offered a reward for information leading to Elmncho's capture. Following his death, the violent protests with roadblocks and burning vehicles occurred in uh

j Sinco and other states in Mexico. That was, of course, over the weekend and coming into the well at the beginning of the week most of the of the civil unrest was over and things started to return back to normal form Mexico and it well. One of the more interesting parts about the whole operation and the is with the US involvement because some of the civil unrests is shall we say, typical of how certain types of operations happened for the United States so that the US can

get control of particular governments. And we know that right now that the Mexican President and of course the US President are at odds, especially when we look at some of the illegal actions that are happening with ICE and how master deportations without due process are happening, and they can't actually answer the question. Ice can't answer always answer the question of where are those people that they are supposed to be deporting, which brings in the question about

human rights and with ICE. And I'm going to use that as a segment to talk about the United Nations Human Rights Council, and in Geneva right now they're the sixty first, sixty first session of the United Nations Human Rights Council is happening with questions about different things are happening around the world and what is human rights. The Human Rights Council opened in Geneva, and Antonio Guerrera is the Secretary General of the United Nations ward human rights

are under attack globally. He said this that this is not coming from the shadows. It is happening in plain sight and often led by those who lead, who hold the greatest power. Antonio Guerra's blamed political choices and donor shifts, citing the US President Donald Trump twenty twenty five eight cuts and other major donors following suit weakening the rights,

weakening rights enforcement across conflicts from Sudan to Mira. Mark Gotaris pointed out a massive VENs suffering and said humanitarian needs are exploding while funding is collapsing targets targeting refugees, LGBTQ, communities, minorities, and indigenous people. You and Human Rights Office is now in survival mode, according to guitarists and as funding shortnesses and blockages of twenty twenty five investigations and Washington paid for one hundred and six million dollars of over four

billion ode. Uh So, needless to say, and we're going to say it anyway.

and Trump deny that. Well, Israel was one of the biggest violators of human rights, especially by cutting off humanitarian efforts and leaving hundreds of thousands, including children, to left to die in destitute areas after the IDEF went through and destroyed homes and attacked civilians. So they just left

people left to die. That's not a violation of human rights. Well, point out a more hard example, you know, the decision to end the funding for under the legislation halted American funding until March twenty twenty five, can firming that it would not be restored under Donald Trump. Okay, let's talk

about Donald Trump and well global programs. This isn't surprising to us at all, because Donald Trump pulled out of Paris Agreements other types of climate actions citing and he has cited in the you in General Assembly as one of the global leaders he said he outrights, said that all of that stuff and the LGBTQ movements and indigenous movements are hurtful to all the countries around the world

and it should be disbanded. He actually said that, he said that by inviting diversity into the into the ranks of of global leadership that it is it is hurtful to all countries who are adopting diverse ways of doing things. Well, then why this should not be a surprise that the the United States is pulling out of the Human Rights Council, That maybe we should be looking even closer at some of the human rights violations that are being caused by the US federal government by way of what they what

it's called ice. Maybe we should be looking a little closer at that. Well, all that is being said about the United States, if we look at Canada, where we're actually broadcasting from, they are total support of the Human Rights Council, and while they did have they still do have some question marks about the actions of UNRA and

some of the individuals within UNRA. They are not in total support of disbanding the organization and or disbanding aid to the Balastinian people who need to rebuild their homes.

So along with that, we're actually going to hear well because there were some question marks about what is happening, uh with the conflicts of Sudan and me or Mar. We're going to hear a little bit more about UH what is happening in Sudan with human rights and and UH at the Human Rights Council about uh what is going on in Sudan and how the the people there are recovering and how civilians are simply just trying to

avoid some of the fighting there. So we'll hear more about that, and we will hear some brief statements from other leadership within the Human Rights Council. As the sixty first session of the Human Rights Council began. So why don't we move forward and listen to today's show.

even amid pressures on the foundations of multilateralism. Your presence reaffirms the determination enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, and that is to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human persons, and in the equal rights of men and women and of

nations large and small. As we mark the twentieth year since the establishment of the Human Rights Council, we reflect not only on two decades of meaningful contributions, from fostering dialogue and cooperation among states, to advancing norms and standards, to strengthening accountability mechanisms, but also on the resiliency of

this body. The Council has evolved, it has expanded its tools, it has responded to emerging crises, and it remains a central pillar of the international human rights architecture, from digital and technological risks to the packs of climate change, conflict, inequality and food insecurity. The Council has sought not only to deliberate, but to promote tangible improvements on the ground.

This sustained engagement reflects the Councils enduring relevance and our shared commitment to universal respect for human rights, guided by universality, objectivity, non selectivity, and the equal treatment of all rights, including the right to development. At the same time, you must acknowledge the ongoing financial constraints within the United Nations have

affected our collective ability to fully implement our mandates. The other that yet, rather than retreat, these contraints compel us to act with greater resolve, to innovate, remain responsive, and reinforce the multiple layers of the global human rights architecture. Regional organizations and national human rights institutions, alongside civil society,

are therefore the Council's indispensable partners. Let this session therefore serve as a renewed call to listen, to cooperate, and to act and mark the Council's rights to the demands of the moment. Excellencies distinguished participants. Before handing over the floor to our distinguished guests for their opening statements, I now call on the Council to observe a moment of silence in memory of all victims of human rights violations around the world.

social coision, trust, solidarity. This is precisely why the tools of Human Rights Counsel, such as the special rapportereurs, special procedures, investigative mechanisms and universal periodic review are essential, and it is precisely why as we mark the Council's twenty anniversary, we also recognize it's more important than ever to translate

geopolitical engagement into a past towards strengthening human rights everywhere. Excellencies, Tomorrow I should address the Security Council on the force anniversary of Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine, where more than fifty thousand civilians have been killed.

to happen. And a few days ago I was at the African Union Summit where Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

every other global fracture. Humanitarian need are exploding, while funding collapses. Inequalities are widening at staggering speed. Countries are drowning in debt and despair. Climate chaos is accelerating, and technology, especially artificial intelligence, is increasingly be used in ways that suppress rights, deeper inequality, and expose marginalized people to new forms of discrimination.

rolled back, children's rights ignored, persons with disabilities excluded. Democracy's eroding the right of peaceful assembly crushed, and I can then once again the recent violent repression of protests in Iran. Migrants arrested, arrested and expelled with total disregard.

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are not a luxury, They are not negotiable. They are the foundation of a more peaceful and secure world, and states are bound by their obligations under the Charter and international law. We still have much work ahead together, but since this is my final address to the opening of your session, I leave you with this appeal. Do not let the erosion of human rights become the accepted price

of political expediency or geopolitical competition. Do not let power write a new rule book in which the vulnerable have no rights and the powerful have no limits. Let these human rights counsel be the voice and shields for all those in needs. Let this be the place that helps end the broad and brutal assault on human rights, because the world that protects human rights protects itself.

to meet the massive needs. There are concerns over ethnic cleansing in both Gaza and the West Bank, while Israel

is accelerating efforts to consolidate unlawful annexation. Any sustainable solution must be based on two states living side by side in equal dignity and rights, in line with you and resolutions and international law tomorrow my four years since Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine, four interminable and agonizing years, civilian casualties have soared, and Russia's systematic attacks on Ukraine's

energy and water infrastructure could amount to international crimes. The fighting needs to end, and I urge a focus on human rights and justice in any ceasefire or peace agreement. In Myanmar, five years after the military coup, the awful conflict is claiming even more civilian lives and the humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate. The recent elections staged by the

military have only deepened people's despair. Across most violent conflicts, Today, journalists, health and aid workers are targeted in platent violation of international law. These actions must not be allowed to harden into the new normal. States needs to be persistent objectors to violations of the law by pursuing accountability and by

clearly denouncing these egregious crimes with consistency and without exception. Meanwhile, violence and tensions are researching in some countries, including South Sudan and Ethiopia, and authorities in Iran have violently repressed mass protests with lethal force killing thousands. I will provide more detail on these and other country situations in my Global Update later this week. Excellencies, developments around the world point to a deeply worrying trend. Domination and supremacy are

making a comeback. If we listen to the rhetoric of some leaders. What works behind it is a belief that they are above the law and above the Yuan Charter. They claim exceptional status, exceptional danger, or exceptional moral judgment to pursue their own agenda at any cost, and why wouldn't they try when they are unlikely to face consequences. They build and sustain systems that perpetuate inequalities within and between countries. Some weaponize their economic leverage. They spread this

information to distract, silence, and marginalize. A tight clique of tech tycoons controls an outside proportion of global information flows, distorting public debate, markets, and even governance systems.

cling on to power. That is what makes human rights radical, and that is what gives them force. They are universal, timeless, and indestructible excellence.

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person LGPT, the mayor on defiles ensemble por reclameustis pollers on Frontisperu, the La Gentine sirie o Sri Lanka, e Legeanne and feontine de l'urvois Paula custisclimatic excellencies. Human rights are the thread that runs through all these movements, and we do not take their achievements for granted. Tyranny will seize any chance and exploit any opening. We must keep standing up for human rights in solidarity with each other, and when we come together, we wield more power than

any autocrat or tech billionaire. The struggle for human rights can never be derailed by the whims of a handful of leaders with reactionary supremacist agendas. While some states are weakening the multilateral system, we need bolder and more joined up responses. First, this means calling out violations of international law, regardless of the perpetrators. Too often, denouncing violations by one

party is labeled as siding with the enemy. In reality, it is upholding the universality and the pursuit of justice for all. The alternative, selective, fragmented responses weakens international law and hurts us all. The entire human rights ecosystem is designed to promote universality and insure consistency. This includes the tools that are mandated by this Council, and I condemn all attacks against them. Second, we need stronger commitment to accountability.

This includes strengthening the International Criminal Court and encouraging national prosecutions under the principle of universal jurisdiction, we need to increase the cost of breaking international law. Third, let's forge coalitions to champion what unites us and uphold equality, dignity and justice for all. We must protect the diversity of the human family and demonstrate what we gain by standing together.

In the coming weeks, we will set in motion a global alliance for human rights to capture the energy and commitment that is palpable everywhere. It will be cross regional, multi stakeholder involving states, businesses, cities, philanthropists, scientists, artists, philosoph with young people and civil society. It will confront top down domination with grassroots solidarity and support. It will represent the quiet majority who want a different world. Human rights

are not a political currency. They are not up for grabs. Our future depends on our joint commitment to defend every person's rights, every time, everywhere.

findings to the Human Rights Council next week. And now they're here to answer any questions that you may have. Joining us today by Zoom or the Chair of the Fact Finding Mission, mister Mohammed chan day Affman, and fellow expert Miss Joy and Gozi Yazello. And here in the room in Geneva with me is Miss Mona Rishmaui. We'll start off with brief opening statements by each of the experts and then we'll open the floor to your questions.

One of the experts may be having a slight difficulty with her connection, so I'm not sure if either the Chair or Professor and Iszello should go first, but perhaps one of you please go ahead, and if missus Ello cannot join, we would ask mister the Chair to read both statements, so please go ahead.

means of survival of his predominantly non urt population. Particularly There's a gawain Full, culminating in catastrophic humanitarian collapse out there is unfold From mid twenty twenty four, the rapids are Word Forces RSF encircled encircled the city, cutting off food, water, electricity, and medical supplies, while subjugating residential areas, displacement camps, markets, and places of worship to repeated shelling and drone strikes.

He then burns developed by the RSF and trenches extending over thirty one kilometers around Alfasha, restricted civilian movements and effectively and trammed its population. The RSF also launched ground attacks and displacement camps and then fashion neighborhoods, destroying and looting markets. A humanitarian convoy were blocked, and community kitchens providing little food that remained in the city were also attacking. Survivors reported surviving on animal folder called amboos, tree leaves,

and residual oil. Children and the elderly died from malnutrition, water systems were damaged and destroyed, posing reliance on unsafe sources of water and accelerating diseases. Medical services also collapsed, so by the time of the takeover on twenty fifth or twenty sixth of October, only one remaining hospital was functional, but following the hour safe entry into Elfashare, that facility, Al Saudi Hospital, ceased operating. Pestis suffering from pitable disease or moderate injuries died.

the road and out of the city. Hundreds of children arrived in safe areas without their parents or any family members. So participants or the survivors described Fashire as a ghost town. Physical destruction was compounded by profound psychological trauma and survivors reportedly and during starvation, witnessing family members killed and or repel subjected to other sexual violence, and disappearance of the loved ones. Many remain desperate and the knowledge of their

whereabouts is still unknown. Their suffering is compounded by the loss of bread winners in their families, living a woman and children in extreme vulnerability. The culminative effect of prolonged starvation, denial humanitarian aid and medical care, and restricted movements and targeted violence rendered survival increasingly impossible for the affected communities, creating condition of life incapable with human survival.

our long eating burns surrounding the city. Survivors described men being bound and shot in groups, bodies left unburied along roots, and wounded persings executed at kilose range. In some instances, women and children were also killed. Verified videos and satellite imagery corroborate accounts of mass killings, including at El Fashire University and the former Children's Hospital, which was converted into a detention and execution site.

and ethnically targeted. Women and girls seven to seventeen were subjected to rape, mass and gang grape, and other forms of sexual and gender based violence, including killings, wheeping, beating, humiliation, first nudity, and sexual harassment, while being robbed of their belongings,

often in front of family members or among copsies. Survivors reported the perpetrate that perpetrators explicitly targeted women from non Arab communities, particularly the Zagawa, using dehumanizing and exymmetry languages, a language with numerous women and girls being raped during the seven incident, indicating that the cases documented by the Mission represent only a fraction of a wider pattern. Segul violence was used deliberately to terrorize and destroy the social fabric.

The social fabric of the targeted communities. Survivors offered severe physical and psychological harm, laughing, trauma, and in some cases debt, highlighting the extreme vulnerability and gendered impact of the conflict. The mission also documented the widespread forms of torture and

correct treatment, habituality, detention and for disappearances and extortion. Men and boys were separated from women and children at checkspoint and burns, detained in trucks, shipping containers, and makeshift facilities, and subjected to severe beatings, burning, mutilation, and humiliation.

the deliberate starvation, and the targeting specific ethnic communities. In this case it's the Zagawa and the four. A broader, more alarming legal conclusion emerges based on the pattern, consolidation, scale, systematic nature, and cumulative effect of these crimes. There is only one possible conclusion. It's an indication of a path

of genocide. Our mission found that at least three of the under lying acts of genocide have been committed, and any of these acts, if committed by with the with the intention to destroy specific ethnic, ethnic national or racial

group could constitute genocide. So the three underlying acts are killings of members of a protected group in this case is the Zagawa and the Four, causing serious bodily harm, mental bodily and mental harm, rape, sexual violence, torture, and so on, and deliberately in fact, inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about the physical destruction of the protected group in whole or in part. The Four, Masalite and Zagawa are protected groups under international law, and already the

International Criminal Court told us as that much. After carefully considering all possible alternative explanations, the Mission concluded that the only reasonable inference that can be drawn from the pattern of conduct in and around Al Fasher is that the perpetrators acted with genocidal intent. This is not a conclusion

we reach lightly. It is inferred from the body of evidence as a whole, from the scale and sequence of attacks, from the coordinated mass killings and executions, from the widespread rape, from the starvation siege, from the pattern of ethnic targeting, and from the statements by the perpetrators expressing intent to eliminate and destroy these communities. The risk of further genericidal violence remains serious. And ongoing, particularly in the conflict around

in Kurduvan. Therefore, our recommendations are the following. First, civilians must be protected immediately. We have already recommended the deployment of an international protection force, and this recommendation has been reiterated by the African Union and the African Commissions Join fact finding Mission. There is now an urgent lead to translate this recommendation into practice. Second, our forearms embargo must be fully enforced and expanded to cover the entire Sudan.

States must prevent the transfer of weapons, ammunitions, equipment, financial and logistical support to any party implicated in the violations. Third, meaningful targeted sanctions should be imposed against those who are responsible for the atrocity climes and against those enabling them. Sanctions must be denied to disrupt them capacity to continue

committing these violations. Fourth, and that's really key, unrestricted humanitarian access must be secured and freedom of movement guaranteed for civilians. We don't actually know what is happening to the people of al Fasher. Very few of them came out of Al Fasher right now, so and we know that it looks like a ghost doAnd people need to be allowed to leave if they can. Fifth, accountability is essential. Perpetrators continue to commit these crimes because they believe they can

act with impunity. They must be fully There must be full cooperation with the International Criminal Court and serious condition consideration for additional judicial avenues capable of addressing atrocity crimes called atrocity crimes, particularly the general side now committed in Sudan. Sixth, the survivors must be supported. We saw them. They are in desperate conditions. They must receive sustained medical and psychological support along with meaningful reparative measures.

expand the embargo, ensure strict compliance and advance accountability. Next week, we will be formally presenting our finding to the findings to the United Nations Human As Counsel. That Council, too, must respond with clarity and resolve by sustaining independent investigations, supporting protection measures, and reinforcing credible pathways to justice. So that has already showed the world the cost of hesitation.

There should be no additation. The evidence is before US, legal analysis is clear, and the warning signs are unmisctakable. The responsibility now lies with states to protect civilians, to protect to prevent further destruction, and ensure accountability before more lives are lost.

say is that we are engaging with main parties. It's called it like this main part is and we hope that they'll understand the message enough is enough. We reach the point of genocide. Now enough is enough, and really we all need to take our responsibilities seriously, and states need to take the responsibility seriously. You'll hear more from about this from us soon.

Of course, the report pinpoints to one individual, uh, a notorious individual, and I think this is not in any violation of his due process rights because these are something which is really in the public domain already, but we have compiled and I think this is in relation to best practices of Human Rights Commission to document names of Indian visuals persons of interest and I think this will be shared appropriately with any international or credible national judicial

mechanism that is ready to exercise universal jurisdictions.

the war. And also I wanted to know if there's going to be any approached procedures to take this to the courts or how what what are you planning to do with this evidence?

the population drastically. This was a siege that did not allow humanitarian assistance to get in.

very very serious. So that pattern of on that has to stop because when you basically prevent the population from food drinking very you know, good to drinking water, and medical attention and prevent them from humanitarian It's just as what do you want you want to destroy them, you want to kill them for eighteen months, what do you wanted to exhaust? To exhaust the ability to continue living?

And that's really the escalation, So that's really important. That's I think what distinguishes al Fasher from let's say, other situations that we have documented before. And that's why we are afraid that the same methods are being now used in other areas in Courdovan. That's why we it is this method of approach, this genocidal pash that must be stopped. So when you say one of the motivations is the motivation is to attack these particular ethnic groups, and I

mean Alfasher is mostly the Zarawa community. In the displacement caps around it Zamzam and Abushuk, you had mostly mostly four community and a bit of Massalids, and these people came from other displacement They were displaced multiple times. So

the attack was about these particular populations. And when the attackers were attacking, particularly during the rape and massive killings, and those who survived horrific massacres were telling us that the attackers were using slayers were basically looking for Zarawa's looking for food to kill them, to kill them. So we know that the intention was to destroy these people, and that's really very very serious. I hope I answered

your questions. We have a manded of course to cooperate with judicial bodies, and of course we are cooperating with the judicial bodies. The International Criminal Court has a jurisdiction over the situation in Darfur, and al fashion is in the midst of Darfour is actually an important It was the capital of darfour, advanced stage of North Darfour, so

it's really an important area. And so of course we are cooperating with the judicial bodies, including the International Criminal Court, but we also think that there has to be this The International Criminal Court can only do so much, very important that they work that they are doing. This is why we are recommending that there should be a separate independent institution judicial institution judicial like a court that works in tandem with the ICC and also states must must

exercise universal jurisdiction. A lot of the commanders that we are talking about, and their names are everywhere in the report, travel all over all over countries that have jurisdiction to do something about it, and that's really important.