Timour Azahri, June 11, 2025 Associate Dean Rabbi Abraham Cooper is pictured in his office at the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles, California December 10, 2015. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/File Photo Peace between Syria and Israel is "very possible", a Trump-linked evangelical Christian pastor said after he and a pro-Israel American rabbi held talks this week with Syria's Islamist leader Ahmed al-Sharaa at the presidential palace in Damascus. Rev. Johnnie Moore, a White House adviser during President Donald Trump's first term, and Rabbi Abraham Cooper, from the Jewish human rights organization Simon Wiesenthal Center, have promoted interfaith dialogue in Arab states for years. The two men met Sharaa late on Monday during a visit to Syria that they said was not aimed at discussing potential ties with Israel, though the topic came up. "I think peace is very possible, if not probable, but the first priority has to be Syria focusing on Syria," Moore told Reuters in a phone interview late on Tuesday, after they had concluded their trip. Sharaa "articulated issues of concern he has, but also the potential for a very positive future", Moore added. A Syrian presidency media official did not respond to a request for comment. Since ousting former strongman Bashar al-Assad last year, Syria's Sunni Muslim rulers, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, have rapidly built international ties. But tensions persist with religious minority groups inside Syria, such as Druze and Alawites, as well as with neighbouring Israel. Cooper's visits to nations such as Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, which had no ties with Israel at the time, are credited by some observers with indirectly paving the way for landmark 2020 deals normalizing relations. Efforts by the U.S. to bring more Arab states, chiefly Saudi Arabia, into the deals known as the Abraham Accords have faltered amid regional outrage over the deaths of more than 50,000 Palestinians as a result of Israel's war in Gaza following Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. 'UNICORN' Still, Syria's new rulers have from the outset indicated that they seek calm and even eventual peace with Israel. Moore and Cooper said they believed Sharaa was uniquely able to deliver on a peace-making agenda. "The Syrian president is what in Silicon Valley is called a unicorn; he's one of a kind," Moore said. Cooper added: "What's clear is there is now a window of opportunity to bring about a more positive state of affairs... [though] that doesn't minimize the scale of the task ahead." Last week, Moore was named as the new executive chairman of the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which has begun distributing aid to the Palestinian territory in an operation that uses private U.S. security and logistics companies and has been criticized by the United Nations. Moore, who has publicly backed Trump's proposal for the United States to take over Gaza, said he did not discuss the GHF and its work with Sharaa during their meeting. Moore and Cooper proposed to Sharaa joint humanitarian projects "to tear down stereotypes and create an unofficial army of goodwill ambassadors". They declined to give details. The two men also met with Syrian Christian leaders and walked freely around Damascus, Cooper wearing his yarmulke without issue, he said. This contrasted with a 2024 visit to Saudi Arabia, where Cooper was asked by a Saudi official to remove his prayer cap, a request he refused, after which the U.S.-Congress mandated delegation he was heading cut short their trip. Israeli officials initially branded Syria's new rulers as "terrorists" due to their al Qaeda past and the Israeli Air Force waged a fierce campaign of aerial bombardment that has subsided since mid-May, when Trump turned decades of U.S. policy on its head by lifting sanctions on Syria and meeting Sharaa in Riyadh. After meeting Sharaa , Trump said the Syrian leader had agreed to a request to normalize ties with Israel, though it would take time. Reuters has reported that Syria and Israel in the past weeks held indirect , and then direct talks aimed at calming tensions. © 2025 Reuters.

Eyewitnesses tell MEE children and the elderly were killed and wounded during two attacks in besieged enclave Medical sources in Gaza told Al Jazeera that at least 74 people have been killed by Israeli fire since dawn, with 56 of the dead reportedly struck while collecting humanitarian aid. Hospitals across the territory are struggling to cope with the rising number of casualties, amid ongoing Israeli assaults targeting densely populated areas. Israeli  forces killed at least 80 Palestinians and wounded hundreds in two ambushes at US-run aid distribution centres in the southern Gaza Strip on Tuesday.  Eyewitnesses told Middle East Eye that Israeli forces ambushed thousands of starving Palestinians, killing and wounding hundreds in the attacks. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, approximately 30 people were killed in the al-Alam area of ​​Rafah, while the death toll rose to nearly 50 in the al-Tahlia area of ​​Khan Yunis. The attacks occurred as residents gathered at aid distribution points, where they came under artillery shelling from Israeli forces. "We headed to the distribution point after hearing that wheat would be handed out - at 7am, we were ambushed in the Tahlia area," said Abdalla Elyyan, a resident of Khan Younis.  He told MEE that they had been informed that aid would be distributed in 30 minutes when, without warning, Israeli forces unleashed artillery shelling and gunfire. "Chaos erupted. People were strewn across the streets - so many killed and wounded," said Elyyan. "Can you imagine shells raining down on thousands of people packed into a small area? The number of people killed was staggering." 'Chaos erupted. People were strewn across the streets - so many killed and wounded' - Abdalla Elyyan, Khan Younis resident  The ministry said emergency, intensive care and operating rooms in Gaza's hospitals were severely overcrowded due to an influx of patients, amid a severe shortage of essential medicines and supplies. Nidal Abu Nseira, another resident of Khan Younis, said shells landed in the middle of a crowd of up to 5,000 people. "Hundreds were killed or wounded. I personally transported at least 50 injured people - many had injuries to the head and legs. Body parts were scattered across the streets," he said. At least 5,139 people have been killed since Israel resumed strikes on the territory on 18 March following the unilateral ending of a ceasefire, according to the health ministry. The overall death toll in Gaza since the war broke out on 7 October 2023 has reached 55,432 people. Aid attacks and communication cut The besieged enclave's population is grappling with starvation as a result of an Israeli blockade on essential food and water supplies entering the territory. Israel and its allies in Washington have only allowed the controversial US-run Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) to distribute essential supplies to Palestinians. However, massacres of those seeking aid by Israeli soldiers and GHF-aligned mercenaries have been a daily occurrence. "It's a trap, not an aid organisation. It's a trap to kill our men," said one woman, whose cousin was killed in Tuesday's attacks. "He went out to get food for his family. And he was killed. They set up this new aid mechanisms so they can lure our young men and kill them one by one." On Thursday, all internet and landline telecommunications services were completely cut off when Israel launched a direct attack on the last remaining main fibre optic route connecting Gaza. In a statement, the Gaza-based Government Media Office described the action as "a crime aimed at obscuring the truth and deepening the humanitarian catastrophe". "The widespread and recurring interruption of communications and the internet cannot be considered a technical or accidental failure," it said. "Rather, it is a deliberate and premeditated crime aimed at isolating the Gaza Strip from the outside world, obscuring the truth, and depriving citizens of the most basic necessities of life, safety, communication and assistance." The blockaded enclave's southern and central governorates were affected by the destruction, joining Gaza City and the northern region, which have been disconnected since the beginning of the week.  Following a partial return to telecommunication and internet services over the weekend, renewed disruptions - caused by resumed Israeli military action - were reported on Monday across central and southern Gaza. Copyright © 2014 - 2025 .  Middle East Eye. All rights reserved. Only England and Wales jurisdiction apply in all legal matters.

Mass deportations violate U.S. and international law. They’re also crimes against humanity. By Dr. Gregory H Stanton Founding President Genocide Watch President Donald Trump…credit: Fulton County Sheriff’s Department President Trump’s order to arrest and deport millions of undocumented immigrants, including hundreds of thousands of refugees, violates US obligations under the 1967 Protocol on the Status of Refugees. The US Senate ratified that treaty unanimously in 1968. 147 nations are States Parties to the treaty. The US adopted the Refugee Protocol into US law in the United States Refugee Act of 1980, passed unanimously by the Senate and signed by President Jimmy Carter, who noted, “The Refugee Act reflects our long tradition as a haven for people uprooted by persecution and political turmoil.” The 1967 Protocol and the 1951 Convention on the Status of Refugees Article 1  defines “refugee” as any person who is outside the country of his or her nationality owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion, and who is unable or, owing to such fear is unwilling to return to his or her country. Refugees seeking asylum who cross borders illegally are not to be considered criminals. Article 31  says states shall not impose penalties, on account of their illegal entry or presence, on refugees coming from a territory where their life or freedom was threatened. They must promptly present themselves to the authorities and show good cause for their illegal entry or presence. Article 33 , the heart of the Refugee Convention, says: “No Contracting State shall expel or return (“ refouler ”) a refugee in any manner whatsoever to the frontiers of territories where his life or freedom would be threatened on account of his race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion.” Convicted criminals are not eligible to be protected as refugees. Article 1 F denies refugee status to anyone against whom there is evidence of a war crime, crime against humanity, or a serious non-political crime.  However, Article 32  holds that States Parties shall not expel a refugee from their territory except in pursuance of a decision reached in accordance with due process of law. Massive ICE roundups and forced deportations without trials fall far short of that standard. The US might invoke Article 9  and claim that the smuggling of fentanyl by undocumented migrants is a grave and exceptional circumstance that threatens US national security and requires their expulsion. The fatal flaw in this rationale is that the people being deported are already in the US and pose no more threat to national security than ordinary American citizens. Two-thirds of undocumented immigrants in the US have lived in the US   for ten years or more . Countries expected to resettle deportees are not legally obligated to accept the return of their citizens. They may invoke Article 4  of the Refugee Protocol and dispute any “national security” claim in the International Court of Justice. Refugee Protocol Article 9  requires a State Party to give one year’s notice to the UN Secretary-General to withdraw from (denounce) the Protocol before the denunciation takes effect. Trump’s deportations are crimes against humanity. At Nuremberg, Nazi leaders were tried for crimes against humanity that included forced deportations of Jews. Today, forced deportations are outlawed by many decisions of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. In 2002, the International Criminal Court became a permanent world tribunal to try such crimes. The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court Article (7(1)(d)) makes deportation or forcible transfer of a population a crime against humanity. The Rome Statute defines deportation as “forced displacement of the persons concerned by expulsion or other coercive acts from the area where they are lawfully present, without grounds permitted under international law.” The US is not a State Party to the Rome Statute. The ICC cannot try US citizens unless they commit a crime against a citizen or on the territory of a country that is a State Party to the ICC. 125 nations are States Parties to the ICC Statute. If the US deports a citizen of El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Colombia, Guatemala, Afghanistan, Brazil, Bosnia, DR Congo, Nigeria, Ukraine or 114 other ICC States Parties, those countries could ask the ICC Prosecutor to bring charges against a US official who participated in the deportation of their citizens. There is no immunity in the ICC for crimes against humanity committed by heads of state or government officials. Though it is politically unlikely, even President Trump himself could be charged for these mass deportations and put on trial. Refugees who have sought asylum are lawfully present in the US under both US and international law. They are not criminals for entering without visas. So, too, are persons granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS) by Presidential Order. Venezuelans, Haitians, Cubans, Salvadorans, and others fleeing dictatorships or countries controlled by criminal gangs were granted protected status by President Biden. President Trump has now rescinded TPS for Venezuelans and wants to deport 600,000 Venezuelans back into the tyranny run by the Marxist dictator Maduro of Venezuela. President Trump’s revocation of their Temporary Protected Status was arbitrary and capricious. The US Supreme Court should strike it down because it violates the US Refugee Act and international law. Universal Jurisdiction Crimes against humanity, like genocide, torture, and war crimes, are crimes of universal jurisdiction. Like piracy, they can be prosecuted no matter where the crime was committed and regardless of the defendant’s nationality. Such crimes constitute peremptory norms ( jus cogens ) and violate duties owed to all of humanity ( erga omnes .) Fifteen countries enforce universal jurisdiction in their courts: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Mexico, Netherlands, Senegal, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The US has universal jurisdiction for torture and genocide. US officials who order or carry out mass deportations are committing crimes against humanity. In the future, they may travel to Europe for business or vacations. If they travel to a country with universal jurisdiction, their identities are verified, and evidence is prepared against them, they could be arrested and charged as soon as they step off their flights in Paris, Barcelona, Mexico City, or Copenhagen. They could be put on trial in courts there for crimes against humanity. It would not be an auspicious way to begin a vacation.   Dr. Gregory H. Stanton is the Founding President of Genocide Watch and the Alliance Against Genocide. He founded the Cambodian Genocide Project. He was a Professor in Genocide Studies at George Mason​ ​ University and was the James Farmer Professor in Human Rights at the University of Mary Washington. He was a law professor at Washington and Lee University. He wrote the UN Resolutions in the State Department that established the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. He wrote the rules of the Khmer Rouge Tribunal. He holds degrees from Oberlin, Harvard Divinity School, Yale Law School, and a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago.

Subhanjana Das For several months in 2021-2022, Río Negro police blocked access to the Lof Quemquemtrew community in Argentina’s Patagonia region, preventing deliveries of food and other supplies. The community was evicted entirely in March 2025, part of President Javier Milei’s efforts to force the Indigenous Mapuche people from the area as they struggle for control of their land and foreign mining interests take hold in the ecologically rich terrain. DENALI DEGRAF Jorge Millán’s home in the small town of El Maitén in Argentina’s Patagonia was raided in February this year. “It was total madness,” said Millán, who belongs to the Indigenous Mapuche community and works at the local radio station, La Radio Comunitaria Mapuche Petü Mogeleiñ. His home was invaded by Argentine military border police officers, who, Millán recalled, told him they were looking for Molotov bombs, or anything that would start or accelerate a fire. “They arrived unexpectedly and violently,” he said in Spanish. Millán’s house wasn’t the only one raided. It was one of many carried out in towns across the Chubut province, located in central Patagonia, targeting many Mapuche, the biggest Indigenous population in Argentina, where disastrous forest fires have leveled over 50,000 hectares of land (about 123,000 acres) and forced hundreds of Mapuche from their homes since December 2024 as well as areas in neighboring Río Negro Province. Besides record-breaking heatwaves and strong winds, a crippled fire management system and weakened environmental protections have wreaked even more damage. Since coming to power in 2023, President Javier Milei — who maintains a denialistic stance on climate change — has defunded the National Fire Management System by 81 percent, severely limiting the country’s capacity to prevent and respond to forest fires in ecologically vulnerable regions like Patagonia. He has also downgraded the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, which responsible for national environment policy strategy and coordination, to an undersecretariat status; eliminated the fund that supports the landmark 2007 Native Forests Law to help regulate the use, conservation and restoration of Argentina’s native forests; and repealed the 2011 Land Law that regulates foreign-land ownership in rural areas to protect natural resources. Milei has been toying with the possibility of Argentina dropping out of the Paris climate agreement and has denounced the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, adopted by consensus in the General Assembly in 2015 to end poverty and hunger and ensure gender equality worldwide by 2030 — calling them “nothing but a supranational government program that is socialist in shape.” In 2024, Argentina was the only country to reject the UN Indigenous Peoples’ rights resolution directed at strengthening access to justice, environmental protections and the preservation of their cultures and languages. As the devastating fires raged across Patagonia, Milei’s government responded by doubling down on arrests, charging people with starting these fires. It declared Mapuche individuals and groups like the Ancestral Mapuche Resistance (RAM) “terrorists,” made multiple arrests in El Bolsón (Río Negro), Epuyén, Atilio Viglione and El Hoyo (Chubut) with unverified claims that have been met with skepticism and condemnation from the Indigenous community. On the day Millán’s house was raided, Victoria Nuñez Fernández, a non-Indigenous community member who also lived in Chubut Province, was arrested on charges of setting fire to machinery in a ranch and detained for about two months. “They are trying to use this in order to persecute solidarity with the Mapuche people,” Nuñez Fernandez said, whose case awaits further investigation in court. The Mapuche — which translates to “people of the Earth,” or “children of the land” (“mapu,” meaning “Earth” or “land,” and “che,” meaning people or children in Mapudungun) — are one of the 35 officially recognized Indigenous groups in the country. With a 300,000-strong population, they make up a big part of the 2.9 percent of Argentina’s people that self-identify as Indigenous. They are spread across Patagonia, inhabiting some of the most ecologically rich terrain of the country, which has long coveted foreign investment interest. Faced with evictions, criminal and terrorism charges, as well as discrimination, the community has always endured a highly strained relationship with the Argentine state. Their struggle for autonomy centers around three issues: for the government to honor and respect the treaties signed with Indigenous communities; the return of their ancestral lands and territories; and political autonomy for their traditional authorities and institutions. According to the Mapuche, Milei’s policies and actions deny all three. (Argentina’s environment ministry did not respond to requests for a comment.) “Terrorists disguised as Mapuches set fire to our Patagonia to extort the government and demand privileges. They will pay behind bars,” Mariano Cúneo Libarona of the National Ministry of Justice posted on X . Along with disempowering environmental bodies and laws, Milei’s government has also weakened Indigenous protections that were introduced early in his presidency: he revoked the Indigenous Territorial Emergency Law recognizing the pre-existence of Argentina’s Indigenous people and protected them from being forced out of traditionally occupied lands; closed the Community Strengthening Program, which provided legal advice to Indigenous peoples and communities; and dissolved the National Registry of Indigenous Communities that determined legal personhood of indigenous people by identifying their population. The Mapuche say that it’s a convenient triple ploy for the government: to distract from its inaction to quell the fires; criminalize the Indigenous people who have been protesting against destruction in the Patagonian region; and divert attention from foreign investment interests for megaprojects, such as mining. “There are visionary interests behind the fires,” said Moira Millán, a Mapuche weichafe (meaning “warrior,” or “guardian”) from Corcovado whose house was also raided by the gendarmerie. “They want to implement megaprojects in Mapuche territory. But if you recognize the rule of law, you have to consult us. And that is going to be unfavorable for them. So, to remove us as objectors of extractivism, they have to delegitimize us and show us as criminals to the rest of the country. And with that excuse, they take away our rights.” Plans of large-scale, multimillion dollar industrial and mining developments are underway in Río Negro and Chubut Provinces as Milei pushes his goals to create an ultra-open-market economy in Argentina, which has suffered from the world’s second-worst inflation — going from a peak of 300 percent in early 2024 to a current rate of 62 percent — after Venezuela. The British-based Rio Tinto Company is set to invest in a new lithium mine at Salta; Argentina’s state oil firm invested $3 billion in a pipeline from the Vaca Muerta formation in northern Patagonia to a new export terminal in Río Negro; Patagonia Gold announced investments to advance gold and silver extraction in Chubut and Río Negro ; and Pan American Energy (PAE) is set to explore “unconventional” gas reserves in the hydrocarbon-rich San Jorge Basin in Chubut. These are only a few examples of the many recent investments under Milei. “With these land sales, the government is dispossessing ancestral peoples of their territories for the construction of hydroelectric dams, depriving them of their free and open use, and developing mega-real estate projects for tourism, with no benefit to the communities that live on the land,” Fany Llanque said. She is a member of the Movement of Indigenous Women and Diversity for Good Living. Experts and Indigenous communities fear that “it’s the worst situation in many, many years,” according to Juan Carlos Radovich, a social anthropologist at the University of Buenos Aires, whose work has focused on the Indigenous people for four decades. “In the 1800s, during the Desert Campaign, there was a genocide to remove the Mapuche from Argentina,” said Carina Inés Fernández, communications manager at the Movement of Indigenous Women and Diversity for Good Living. “We are living a second Desert Campaign, but now, instead of only going with the army, they are criminalizing the indigenous people with the judicial apparatus.” (The Desert Campaign was a military plan against the Indigenous.) Moira Millán said: “It’s not just about the Mapuche. Environmentally, it would be devastating because Patagonia’s glaciers are a very important reservoir of freshwater, which is scarce in the global north. The Mapuches are fighting to protect a territorial space that has an impact on the global ecosystem of fundamental importance. It’s like the Indigenous brothers of the Amazon who are protecting the planet’s lungs; we are protecting a freshwater reservoir through the glaciers. If people understood that the Mapuche people’s fight is to be the guardians of the water, there would probably be more support than we have.” © 2025 – PassBlue

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1r6tRiuUHMvUgbJdyy2enrzkCSXvTgp5Di93Ws94DhsQ/edit International Day for Countering Hate Speech Hate Speech and Artificial Intelligence Nexus Monday, June 16, 2025 United Nations Headquarters New York, NY The Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Morocco to the United Nations and the United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide marks the 4th High-Level event for Countering Hate Speech highlighting the importance of using Artificial Intelligence to Counter Hate Speech Date: Monday, 16 June 2024 Time: 10:00 - 1:00pm EDT (New York time) Place: ECOSOC Conference Room 5 • United Nations, New York 10:00 - 11:00 AM: Opening • UN Secretary-General (represented by SRSG Gamba) • President of the General Assembly (represented by Mr. Ivor Fung, Chef de Cabinet, Office of the President of the General Assembly) • H.E. Mr. Omar Hilale, Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Morocco to the UN • USG Virginia Gamba, UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide a.i • H.E. Miguel Angel Moratinos, High Representative of the Alliance of Civilisations • USG Melissa Fleming, Global Communications • USG Amandeep Singh Gill, UN Special Envoy for Digital and Emerging Technologies (video message) • H.E. Mr. Adama Dieng, Special Envoy on the Prevention of Genocide, Africa Union (video message) • ASG Felipe Paullier, Youth Affairs Moderated by SRSG Gamba, UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide a.i. 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Session I “Decoding the Future: Beyond Prompts and Algorithms” • Dr. Abdelaltif Bencherifa, Dean, College of the Humanities, Political & Social Sciences; Head, Public Policy Centre, International University of Rabat • Dr. Gregory Stanton, Founder and Chairman, Genocide Watch • Mr. David Greene, Civil Liberties Director and Senior Staff Attorney, Electronic Frontier Foundation • Ms. Theresa Rajah, Director of Online Violence Prevention, Moonshot (virtual) • Ms. Gabrielle Guillemin, Human Rights Manager, Expression and Standards Lead, META (virtual) • Ms. Eliška Pírková, Senior Policy Analyst and Global Freedom of Expression Lead, Access Now (virtual) Moderated by Mrs. Hanaa Bouchikhi, Counsellor, Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Morocco to the UN 12.00 PM – 1.00 PM: Member States’ Statements from the floor Moderated by H.E. Mr. Omar Hilale, Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Morocco to the UN Illustration of a person screaming with bullets flying out of the mouth as a metaphor for hate speech and aggression. [credit: Stockfoto / Getty Images] Day 2: Wednesday, 18 June 2024 Time: 3:00 - 5:00pm EDT (New York time) Place: ECOSOC Conference Room 11 • United Nations, New York 3.00-3.15 Welcome by KoM representative Opening remarks by SRSG Gamba 3:15 - 4:20 PM Panel 2: "Together We Are Stronger: Partnership Against Hate Speech" • Mr. Mohammed El Sanousi, Executive Director, Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers • Ms. Beatrice Mutali, UN Resident Coordinator in Zambia • Ms. Martina Landi, General Manger, GARIWO Foundation • Ms. Khalida Popal, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Girl Power Organization • Mr. Ahmed Shaheed, Professor, Essex University Human Rights Centre • Ms. Dahlia Fahmy, Associate Professor, Long Island University • Ms. Nazila Ghanea, UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief Moderated by Ms. Simona Cruciani, OSAPG 4.30 PM – 4.45 PM: Closing remarks by SA OSAPOG Can hate speech ignite genocide? Where Does It Start? UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide Alice Nderitu. click on image to watch video. UN Special Adviser Alice Nderitu on hate speech: click on image to watch video Why tackle hate speech? Since the spread of hateful rhetoric can be an early warning of violence – including atrocity crimes – limiting hate speech could contribute to mitigating its impact.   How to deal with hate speech It can sometimes be hard to assess when a comment is meant as hate speech – especially when expressed in the virtual world. It can also feel overwhelming to try to deal with obviously hateful content. However, there are many ways you can take a stand, even if you are not personally the victim of hate speech. And you can make a difference. Read more about the #NoToHate campaign by downloading our fact sheets . Use them to educate yourself, or in the classroom. The Mothers of Srebrenica The Srebrenica genocide is considered the largest atrocity in Europe since World War II. In 1996, some survivors of the genocide and families of the missing founded “The Mothers of Srebrenica and Žepa”, an activist association representing 6,000 survivors who lost family members in the genocide. The preventive role of education Addressing hateful rhetoric, whether online or in real life, comes easier when one is equipped with sufficient knowledge and skills to identify and counteract hate speech. The United Nations campaign #NoToHate offers insights on how to learn and share knowledge on issues related to tackling hate speech.  Learn more Resources Resolution on the International Day for Countering Hate Speech UN Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech Countering hate speech through sports Countering hate speech through education Countering disinformation Rabat Plan of Action Framework of Analysis for Atrocity Crimes Plan of Action for religious leaders and actors #NoToHate campaign Fight racism Related observances International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime Human Rights Day End Racism Day U.N. Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide Alice Nderitu The Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide To prevent atrocity crimes, it is critically important to understand their root causes. Crimes, such as genocide and crimes against humanity, are not spontaneous acts. They develop as a process over time, during which it may be possible to identify warning signs, including hate speech targeting specific groups. Therefore, the Office of the Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide is the focal point for the implementation of the UN Strategy on Hate Speech . Click on image to watch video No one is born to hate Hatred, conspiracy theories and prejudice infiltrate our societies and affect all of us. We are flooded by information - and disinformation - more than ever before both on- and offline. But no one is born to hate. Hate is learned and can be unlearned. Education for all is the foundation. Learning to think critically about what we see and hear, create and share is essential. Providing learners with media and information literacy skills to challenge those who promote hatred. Why do we mark International Days? International days and weeks are occasions to educate the public on issues of concern, to mobilize political will and resources to address global problems, and to celebrate and reinforce achievements of humanity. The existence of international days predates the establishment of the United Nations, but the UN has embraced them as a powerful advocacy tool. We also mark other UN observances .

President Trump’s ban on visitors from 12 countries comes as troops and protesters clash over harsh immigration enforcement. Protesters have clashed with law enforcement amid a crackdown on immigrants in Los Angeles for a third night [AFP] President Donald Trump’s order banning citizens from 12 countries from entering the United States has come into effect amid rising political tensions over his administration’s harsh anti-immigration policies. The measure, announced by Trump last week as necessary to prevent the importation of “terrorists”, took effect on Monday. The clampdown comes amid chaotic scenes on the streets of Los Angeles as crowds of protesters battled with police and National Guard troops following a wave of arrests by immigration authorities.The divisive order revives similar measures rolled out during Trump’s first term, as travellers from several, mostly Muslim, countries were blocked from entering the US. Many of the countries affected by the new order are afflicted by war and large-scale displacement. No visible disruption was immediately discernible at Los Angeles International Airport in the hours after the new ban took effect, according to the Associated Press news agency. The order applies to citizens of Afghanistan, Chad, Eritrea, Equatorial Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, the Republic of the Congo, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. In announcing the new restriction last week, Trump said the measure was spurred by a recent “terrorist attack” on Jewish people in the US state of Colorado. The group had been protesting in solidarity with captives held in Gaza when they were assaulted by an Egyptian man that the White House said had overstayed his visa. That attack, Trump said, “underscored the extreme dangers posed to our country by the entry of foreign nationals who are not properly vetted”. He warned that new countries could be added “as threats emerge around the world”. Egypt is not among the states affected by the ban or increased scrutiny. Volker Turk, United Nations high commissioner for human rights, warned that “the broad and sweeping nature of the new travel ban raises concerns from the perspective of international law”. 'Unlawful assembly’ zone The ban comes amid protests in the city of Los Angeles against immigration raids, carried out as part of Trump’s hardline policy. Over the weekend, Trump ordered the deployment of 2,000 members of the National Guard to Los Angeles County to quell the protests, bypassing the authority of the governor of California and sending tensions spiking. Thousands of protesters flooded the streets in response on Sunday, blocking a major freeway and setting fire to cars. Law enforcement responded with tear gas, rubber bullets and flashbangs in an effort to disperse the crowds. Early on Monday, authorities declared downtown Los Angeles an “unlawful assembly” zone and ordered the area cleared. California Governor Gavin Newsom has formally requested that the Trump administration rescind the order deploying National Guard troops to the city. The order is believed to be the first time in 60 years that a president has deployed a state’s National Guard without the governor’s consent. The last instance was in 1965, when President Lyndon B Johnson used troops to protect predominantly Black demonstrators during the civil rights movement in Alabama. However, officials from the Trump administration, aware that aggressive immigration enforcement is popular among his base, have been eager to declare that they will clamp down on what they have labelled an “insurrection” and “migrant invasion”. © 2025 Al Jazeera Media Network

Congress Should Repeal Law, Pass Evidence-Based Legislation to Combat Sexual Violence. Lawmakers sit inside Congress as they wait for the arrival of Peruvian President Dina Boluarte, in Lima, Peru, July 28, 2023.  © 2023 Aldair Mejia/Pool photo via AP File (New York) – A  law enacted in  Peru on May 12 purports to combat sexual violence against children and adolescents, but instead undermines freedom of expression and access to information and discriminates against transgender people, Human Rights Watch said today. The law’s vague and overly broad provisions could also be used to suppress expressions of identity, artistic content, and educational materials while failing to effectively address pervasive sexual violence against children and adolescents in the country. The law, the  stated aim of which is to “safeguard the right to sexual integrity of children and adolescents,” also mandates that public restroom access b e restri cted based on “biological sex,” effectively barring transgender people, including trans youth, from using public restrooms that correspond with their gender identity. “Protecting children and adolescents from sexual exploitation and abuse is an important state obligation, but this law turns child protection into a pretext for repression and discrimination,” said  Cristian González Cabrera , senior researcher at Human Rights Watch. “The law opens the door for authorities to censor expression that they deem ‘inappropriate’ under the guise of safeguarding children, while scapegoating trans people, a group already at high risk of violence in Peru.” The levels of sexual violence against children and adolescents in Peru are high. According to the  Ministry of Women and Vulnerable Populations , from January to March 2025, the  Women’s Emergency Centers received 4,910 cases of sexual violence against children and adolescents (out of 15,293 total cases received). In 2024, the total number of such cases was 22,798 (out of 63,489). While Congress has a responsibility to respond to this crisis, the new law fails to provide an effective or rights-based solution, Human Rights Watch said. Article 4 of the law prohibits the “exploitation and sexualization” of children and adolescents in media, advertising, and entertainment. However, because the provision does not define what constitutes its key concepts of “sexual connotation” or “objectification,” it could be used to censor personal or cultural statements, artistic creations, or learning resources. Resulting arbitrary enforcement and censorship could also undermine children and adolescents’ ability to access information relevant to their own sexual development, including as part of an age-appropriate and science-based  comprehensive sexuality education curriculum that could  help prevent sexual violence . The law also modifies the provision of the  criminal code concerning “obscene exhibitions and publications” by increasing the minimum prison sentence from three to four years for “anyone who shows, sells or delivers to a minor … objects, books, writings, images, visual or auditory, which due to their nature may affect their sexual development.” The maximum prison sentence remains six years. Human rights standards  call for specificity and proportionality for any restriction on the freedoms of expression and access to information, particularly when criminal penalties are involved, as vague or overly broad legal language can lead to unjust restrictions and discrimination. Article 5 of the law states that “entry and use” of public restrooms is prohibited for individuals whose “biological sex” does not align with “the sex for which the service is intended.” Such provisions not only discriminate against transgender people but also reinforce harmful and unfounded fears that equate the presence of transgender people in restrooms with a threat to children.   Studies have shown  no correlation between inclusive restroom policies and increased safety risks to women or children. On the contrary, it is transgender people who face  elevated risks of harassment and violence in public spaces, including  restrooms . Enforcing such a discriminatory policy also emboldens intrusive and humiliating scrutiny of individuals’ bodies or identities, potentially exposing people, including transgender and gender nonconforming youth, to suspicion and mistreatment. On May 7, Human Rights Watch  wrote to President Dina Boluarte, urging her to veto the then-proposed law as it curtailed the freedom of expression, the right to information, and the right to nondiscrimination. No response was received. On May 12, the Congressional Ethics Committee  voted to open an investigation against Congresswoman Susel Paredes for  her alleged encouragement of trans women to use the women’s restrooms in congress during a March event focused on gender diversity. The complaint  alleges that she violated the Parliamentary Code of Ethics; she faces a suspension of 120 days without remuneration. Peru’s new law is likely to lead to more arbitrary and baseless legal actions targeting both transgender people and their allies. Peru has  an obligation to uphold children and adolescents’ right to  comprehensive sexuality education , an essential element of the right to education. At its core, comprehensive sexuality education consists of age-appropriate, affirming, and scientifically accurate curricula that can help foster safe and informed practices to, among other things, prevent gender-based violence, including sexual violence. The Committee on the Rights of the Child  has called on Peru to provide all children with appropriate and accessible education on sexual and reproductive health. This new law will threaten that access. Additionally, Peru is a party to several human rights treaties, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the American Convention on Human Rights, which oblige the State to protect all individuals from discrimination on any grounds, including age and gender identity. Enactment of this law violates Peru’s commitments as outlined in these treaties.   “Peru should urgently repeal this law, which fails to respond effectively to sexual violence against children and threatens the rights of the very people it seeks to protect, including trans children and adolescents,” González said. “Instead, Congress should pass targeted and evidence-based laws to prevent sexual violence as well as the high levels of discrimination against transgender people.” © 2025 Human Rights Watch

“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.” -       Archbishop Desmond Tutu    An open letter to the government of Canada From June 15 to 17, 2025, Canada will host the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta. Genocide Watch chairs  the Alliance Against Genocide, a coalition of 125 international human rights organizations. We are writing to express our opposition to U.S. President Donald Trump’s attendance at the G7 Summit.  This meeting is a critical opportunity for Canada to take a stand against Trump’s disrespect for Canadian sovereignty, his imposition of trade-disruptive tariffs, and his weakening of Ukraine’s effort to repel Russian aggression. We urge the Canadian government to bar U.S. President Donald Trump from the G7 Summit. The Trump administration represents the antithesis of G7 values of global cooperation. This is not business as usual. The world is witnessing the U.S. descent into authoritarianism under Trump’s leadership. Trump’s expressed intent to annex Canada as the 51st state is a threat to all Canadians and represents a return to the age of U.S. colonialism. His damaging trade war threatens the stability of the Canadian economy and livelihoods of all Canadians. Allowing Trump to attend the G7 Summit would betray Ukrainian Canadians, one of Canada’s  largest  national diaspora communities. Alberta – where the G7 Summit will be held –  is home to tens of thousands of  Ukrainian Canadians . Trump’s attendance at the G7 summit would signal Canada’s acquiescence in Trump’s approval of Russian aggression against Ukraine. Trump’s suspension of military intelligence assistance  and shipments of U.S. ammunition to Ukraine has already caused the deaths of hundreds of Ukrainian civilians killed by Russian missiles. Trump’s tilt toward Moscow threatens the lives of Ukrainian soldiers who are fighting for Ukraine’s independence and territorial integrity. The International Criminal Court has charged  Vladimir Putin with transferring Ukrainian children to Russia, an act of genocide under Article 2(e) of the Genocide Convention. Ukraine has charged  Russia with violation of the Genocide Convention in the International Court of Justice. Canada must use the G7 Summit to take a firm stand against these Russian crimes against humanity and acts of genocide and demand accountability from Russia and the immediate return of Ukraine’s children. As a country that prides itself on its commitment to democracy and the rule of law, Canada should not allow someone who flouts international law and human rights to participate in a forum designed to foster global cooperation. The U.S. cannot openly threaten its allies while expecting a seat with them at a G7 summit that Canada has convened. Canada should not allow U.S. President Donald Trump to attend the G7 Summit. We call upon Canada to take a firm stand for justice and democracy. We urge Canada to send a clear message to President Trump and his government that there is no place at the G7 Summit for leaders who promote racism, authoritarianism, imperialism, aggression, appeasement of tyrants, and attacks on human dignity. Let Canada be the country that draws the line, a line that bars U.S. President Donald Trump from the G7 Summit. Respectfully submitted, Genocide Watch Chair, The Alliance Against Genocide  LINK TO SIGN LETTER

People shout slogans and wave Romanian and EU flags during a Pro-Europe rally ahead of the presidential runoff at the University Plaza in downtown Bucharest on 5 December 2024. [Andrei Pungovschi/Getty Images] GENEVA  – Romania must ensure the electoral process is fully inclusive, an independent human rights expert said today, after the recent disqualification of a leading presidential candidate. “While states have a legitimate duty to safeguard electoral integrity and fairness, including against foreign interference, such measures must be based on due process and transparent evidence,” said George Katrougalos, the Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order. The expert noted that, on 6 December 2024, Romania’s Constitutional Court annulled the first round of the 2024 presidential election, citing alleged foreign interference and financial irregularities. On 9 March 2025, the electoral committee disqualified the leading candidate stating that his actions and statements were incompatible with the presidential office. The Constitutional Court later upheld the ban, he noted. “These decisions come amid an increasingly polarised political climate, marked by the resurgence of far-right rhetoric and attempts to rehabilitate historical fascist figures as nationalist heroes,” he said, noting that the Constitutional Court’s ruling relied on declassified intelligence documents from Romania’s national security services, which have not undergone independent verification. “While Romania’s legal prohibition of fascist glorification is commendable, barring candidates from elections does not address the root causes of historical revisionism or nationalist extremism,” Katrougalos said. “Such exclusions can embolden anti-establishment narratives, fuel distrust in democratic institutions, and deepen societal divisions.” “A strong democracy must balance majority rule with the protection of fundamental human rights. Both ‘illiberal democracy’ and ‘undemocratic liberalism’ threaten these core values,” the expert warned. He noted that the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights establish a clear link between fundamental freedoms and a functioning political democracy. Excluding political opponents—particularly those with significant electoral support—represents a serious departure from democratic principles. “This approach echoes Bertolt Brecht’s satirical critique, in which a government might ‘dissolve the people and elect another’ – actions amounting to a denial of democracy itself,” Katrougalos said. He urged Romanian authorities to guarantee the participation of all candidates, free from arbitrary exclusions. The expert has been in contact with the government on these concerns. © OHCHR 1996-2025

President Dina Boluarte during an ordinary session of the National Council for Citizen Security in Lima, Peru, on March 18, 2025. © 2025 Presidencia del Perú Amnesty International expresses its objection and concern for the recent approval of the ruling amending Law 27692, a law that established the Peruvian Agency for International Cooperation (APCI), as it threatens Peru’s civic space and unduly restricts the rights of association, freedom of expression and access to justice.  On the grounds of seeking to strengthen the work of the APCI, the law undermines civic space, which is essential for citizen engagement, accountability of authorities and justice, as it increases undue control over the work of civil society organizations and leaves the door open to arbitrary restrictions, discretionality and censorship. It is important to note that civil society organizations already have to provide accountability and are subject to regular monitoring and oversight procedures. Amnesty International recognizes the importance of these procedures but questions the discretionary nature that they could have under the provisions of the recently approved norm. “Any work carried out by civil society organizations using international development funds will have to be approved in advance by the state, leaving decisions at the discretion of the authorities. This could even lead to organizations who are critical of the authorities being removed from the APCI register,” said Marina Navarro, Executive Director of Amnesty International Peru.   Among other issues, this law could threaten access to justice. By classifying as a “very serious” offence the use of development funds to “advise, support or finance, in any form or modality, administrative, judicial or other actions in national or international instances against the Peruvian state”, the right of Peruvians and the entire population to access justice is jeopardized.   “This law hinders access to justice for victims of various human rights violations in Peru – such as state repression, environmental pollution or violence against women – who in the past have been able to access justice with the support of civil society organizations. The law fuels impunity for authorities who violate human rights”, stated Ana Piquer, Americas director at Amnesty International.     The organization warns that this norm could have a negative impact on the accountability and transparency of the state and pave the way for impunity.  We therefore urge the Executive not to approve and observe this norm, on the grounds that it violates human rights. We also urge them to respect the international human rights treaties to which Peru is a party, such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the American Convention on Human Rights, which guarantee the right to freedom of association and expression, as well as the right to participate in public affairs.  © 2025 Amnesty International

Mariana Nuñez del Prado Córdova AgainErick, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons The Peruvian Congress on Wednesday approved an amnesty law for members of the Armed Forces, the National Police, and self-defense militias over the age of 80 who were prosecuted or convicted for crimes committed during Peru’s internal armed conflict, despite continuing concern from human rights groups. The president of the committee that drafted the legislation, Fernando Rospigliosi, stated that the law is not about impunity, but rather a historical and humanitarian necessity: Today, twenty-five years later, there are hundreds—actually over a thousand—military and police personnel prosecuted or under investigation without a final conviction. Many of them face precarious health and economic conditions, trapped in a judicial limbo that neither resolves their legal status nor allows their families to rebuild their lives. According to Peru’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (CVR), the armed conflict began with a “People’s War” led by the Marxist-Leninist party Shining Path (PCP-SL), rooted in marginalized rural and urban areas. Their so-called “revolutionary violence” created a period of terror, resulting in over 69,000 deaths. The CVR attributed approximately 30,000 of them directly to Abimael Guzmán, the leader of Shining Path. The report held state agents responsible for 30 percent of killings, while self-defense committees, paramilitary groups, and other non-state actors are accountable for an estimated 24 percent. Some of these non-state actors were linked to the administration of former President Alberto Fujimori, who was tried for crimes against humanity committed by subordinates under his administration. The state was also implicated in over 4,500 enforced disappearances, more than 6,400 cases of torture and inhumane treatment, and 83 percent of documented sexual violence cases. International organizations such as Amnesty International have consistently expressed concern over the implementation of an amnesty law. Alongside the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, they argue that such measures are “manifestly incompatible” with the letter and spirit of the American Convention on Human Rights. Nevertheless, the working group convened by the Constitution Committee, composed of Peruvians who experienced the conflict firsthand, strongly defends the proposal. Supporters argue the law protects the right to a fair and timely process, one long denied to elderly veterans who now spend their final years burdened by endless prosecutions. Many, they claim, were convicted without clear evidence at a time when military and police forces lacked legal defense while fighting to defend the nation from terrorism. Now in poor health and advanced age, they relive the trauma of a war they helped end. “We are being prosecuted for having fought to restore peace in our country,” said Colonel Juan Partida of the National Police. Captain Sixto Jesús Hugas of the National Police added, “For the sunset years of those who fought against terrorism, it is essential that this bill is approved.” As international organizations have not yet issued a statement regarding the implementation of the new law, pressure remains limited to members of Congress with strong opposing views. For now, it appears that the legislature will uphold the law. Copyright © 2025, JURIST Legal News & Research Services, Inc.

By Associated Press, June 11th, 2025 The Damascus Securities Exchange Building is Seen in Damascus, Syria, Monday, June 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki) Syria will need “substantial international” support for its efforts to rehabilitate the economy, meet urgent humanitarian needs, and rebuild essential institutions and infrastructure, the International Monetary Fund said Tuesday. Syria cannot afford hundreds of billions of dollars in damages and losses from the conflict that first started as protests in 2011 against former President Bashar Assad’s totalitarian government. Since current President Ahmad al-Sharaa led an insurgency that ousted the Assad dynasty in December 2024, countries have gradually restored ties with Syria. During a five-day visit by the IMF in early June — the first to Syria by the 191-country lending organization since 2009 — its team met with officials from the public and private sectors, notably the finance minister and central bank governor. “Syria faces enormous challenges following years of conflict that caused immense human suffering and reduced its economy to a fraction of its former size,” the IMF said. “While the years of conflict and displacement have weakened administrative capacity, staff at the finance ministry and central bank demonstrated strong commitment and solid understanding.” Some 6 million people fled Syria during the conflict, and the United Nations estimates that 90% of those who stayed lived in poverty and relied on humanitarian aid to survive. Half a million people were killed in the conflict. Damascus now anticipates investments and business projects with Qatar, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and others, as they reestablish flight paths and hold high-level political and economic meetings. U.S. President Donald Trump said that Washington will lift the decades long sanctions against Syria, but it is unclear how long that process could take. Britain and the European Union had eased some restrictions. Meanwhile, oil-rich nations Saudi Arabia and Qatar paid off Syria’s debt to the World Bank, valued at near $15 billion. The IMF said it is developing a roadmap for Syria’s policy and capacity building priorities for key economic institutions, including the finance ministry, central bank, and statistics agency. But Syria has a laundry list of reforms it must undertake, including improving its tax collection system, making sure its national budget can pay public sector salaries and basic healthcare and education, empowering the central bank to take measures to bring back confidence to the local currency, and rehabilitate its outdated and battered banking system in line with international standards. In 2017, the United Nations estimated that rebuilding Syria would cost about $250 billion. Since Assad was overthrown, some experts say that number could be as high as $400 billion. Copyright 2025 The Associated Press