The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has condemned what it calls “intimidation and harassment” of lawyers by authorities in Tunisia, following a massive arrest campaign that affected a number of them, as well as political commentators and human rights activists.

"The spokesperson for the commission, Ravina Shamdasani, told Agence France-Presse that the arrests and raids on the lawyers' union headquarters 'undermine the rule of law and violate international standards regarding the protection of lawyers' independence and functions,' adding that these actions constitute 'forms of intimidation and harassment.'"

Commissioner Volker Türk urged "the authorities to respect and protect the freedoms of expression, association and peaceful assembly, as guaranteed by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Tunisia is a party."

It is noteworthy that the Tunisian President, Kais Saied, summoned a number of foreign ambassadors accredited to Tunisia, to protest their interference in the country's internal affairs, after some Western countries and the European Union expressed their concerns about the campaign of arrests in Tunisia.

"What they are doing is blatant and unacceptable interference in Tunisia's internal affairs," Saied said, stressing that "Tunisia is an independent state that adheres to its sovereignty and has never interfered in the affairs of other countries, and that the Tunisian people refuse to allow anyone to interfere in their affairs."

#Arrest_Campaign #European_Union #Kais_Saied #Ravina_Shamdasani #Tunisia_News #Tunisian_Authorities #UN_High_Commissioner_for_Human_Rights #Volker_Türk

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, expressed concern on Friday about the escalation of violence in the city of El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state.

Türk warned that the escalation would lead to a humanitarian catastrophe and expressed “dismay” at what was happening, explaining that he held talks during the week with the leaders of the rival factions, urging them to avoid clashes that lead to further humanitarian deterioration and suffering for civilians in the area.

For its part, the Rapid Support Forces issued a statement in which it stated that its position on the El Fasher crisis is clear, noting that it has been keen since the beginning of the conflict to avoid any armed confrontations that extend their effects to civilians, and stressed its response to previous understandings to prevent the escalation of the conflict.

The statement condemned the air raids carried out by the Sudanese army, which resulted in the death and injury of hundreds of innocent people, in addition to the destruction of infrastructure and public and private facilities, stressing that these actions increase the suffering of the residents of El Fasher.

Some 800,000 people in El Fasher face a "serious and immediate risk" from the escalation in violence, while more than a third of Sudan's population, about 17.7 million people, face acute food insecurity.

Some 4.9 million people are reported to be on the brink of famine, and 9 out of 10 people are classified in the fourth phase (emergency phase) of the Integrated Food Security Phase , living in conflict-affected areas.

#Al_Fashir_City #Darfur #Rapid_Support_Forces #Sudan #Sudan_News #Sudanese_Army #United_Nations #Volker_Türk #War_in_Sudan