Hope and fear as tourists trickle back to Kashmir town after attack    Spain and Portugal scramble to restore power as officials chase cause of outage    Israel spy chief to step down after row with Netanyahu exposes deepening rifts    Saudi, Omani foreign ministers visit Rub' Al-Khali border crossing    From his own resources... Luminous lessons in leadership and humanity    Commerce Ministry recalls 6,500 Genesis cars due to risk of fire    Royal Institute of Traditional Arts implements Saudi-Chinese cultural exchange program    Localization in Saudi military industries rises to 19.35%    Logistics park for vehicles worth SR300 million to be set up at Dammam port    HONOR KSA expands its presence with new flagship Experience Store in Riyadh HONOR's first flagship store in KSA provides visitors with a premium experience, exciting offers and free services    Prince Sultan University launches first bachelor's program in language and media    Putin announces three-day Russian ceasefire in Ukraine from 8 May    Al-Falih: Eastern Province hosts 700 investment opportunities worth SR330 billion    Rock & Roll Hall of Fame picks Outkast but not Oasis    Duran leads Al Nassr past Yokohama Marinos into AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Al Ahli cruise past Buriram into AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Saudi orchestra to perform at Sydney Opera House in May    Al Hilal thrash Gwangju to reach AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Saudi Theater Commission launches its Work and Learn Project in UK    The season has begun — and one comment shook us all    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



UN rights experts call for accountability following Beirut's ‘lethal explosion
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 14 - 08 - 2020

The catastrophic blast which led to the deaths of more than 200 in Beirut on Aug. 4, has prompted more than three dozen independent rights experts on Thursday, to issue a call for justice and accountability on behalf of the Lebanese people.
"The scale and impact of the lethal explosion are unprecedented," the UN human rights experts said in a joint statement. "We are deeply concerned about the level of irresponsibility and impunity surrounding human and environmental devastation on this scale."
Overlapping calamities
Against the backdrop of COVID-19 combined with a devastating political, economic and financial crisis, there has been a sharp deterioration of human rights protection and much suffering across the city, according to the UN experts.
Moreover, at least 200 have been reportedly killed, thousands wounded, and at least 300,000 rendered homeless. Dozens remain missing.
The experts called for "urgent assistance, support and reparation to victims...without discrimination", with Beirut Port and the country's main grain storage silos almost completely destroyed, hospitals and medical equipment severely impacted, and the authorities' ability to protect the rights to food, adequate housing and health, also seriously diminished.
The people's voice
Citing reports that pollutants released by the explosion are leading to severe air and other environmental contamination across the capital city, the experts maintained that the Lebanese people have the right to clear and accurate information about the health and environmental risks posed.
"Such information must be available, accessible and functional," they stated, while also calling on the national authorities to "allow peaceful protests and to protect demonstrators and journalists", during the unrest that has followed since last week, which many Lebanese see as stemming from successive governments' failure to safely deal with the ammonium nitrate that appears to have led to the blast, stored in a port warehouse.
Systemic failures
The explosion has brought into focus systemic problems, a deficit of good governance, and allegations of widespread corruption.
"This has resulted in a failure to ensure protection of the rights of all without discrimination, including the rights to life, personal liberty, health, housing, food, water, education, and to a healthy environment," the statement said.
They expressed concern that the tragedy would expose "cracks in the executive, legislative, and justice institutions" of the country, leading to delays in ensuring effective remedies.
Inquest needed
The experts supported calls for a "credible and independent investigation" to examine all claims as well as the underlying human rights failures — with a strong mandate to probe any systemic failures of the Lebanese authorities and institutions to protect basic rights.
The probe must protect the privacy, confidentiality and testimony of victims, witnesses, associates, colleagues and their families and its findings and recommendations should be made public, the experts stressed.
"The investigation should also consider Lebanon's international obligations governing the handling of dangerous substances and the right of everyone to information on risks to life and health", they upheld, offering their support.
A Council matter
In view of the seriousness of their concerns, the independent experts urged the UN Human Rights Council to convene a special debate next month "to explore all possible avenues" to ensure that effective, transparent and impartial justice is realized for the victims, and the Lebanese people at large; long-term systemic reforms are implemented, based on open consultations; and calling on the international community to provide urgent assistance, addressing the immediate needs of shelter, food, medical, health and other disaster-related needs.
"We also stand in solidarity with the people of Lebanon, and especially extend our concern and condolences to the victims", the statement concluded.
Independent experts are appointed by the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council to examine and report back on a specific human rights theme or a country situation. The positions are honorary and the experts are neither UN staff nor paid for their work. — UN News


Clic here to read the story from its source.