REGULAR PRESS BRIEFING BY THE INFORMATION SERVICE

Rhéal LeBlanc, for the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired the briefing, which was attended by spokespersons for the Human Rights Council, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the United Nations Refugee Agency, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the World Meteorological Organization and the International Organization for Migration.

Latest data from Mediterranean

Joel Millman, for the International Organization for Migration (IOM), said that reports had been received on Monday 10 September of over 100 persons missing or drowned in a shipwreck off the coast of Libya. The figures had not yet been confirmed but information from the Libyan coastguard indicated that two rubber boats had been found at sea with 278 persons on board, including 48 women and 48 children. The bodies of two persons had been recovered but the survivors had said that another 25 had been lost or drowned before the arrival of the coastguard. Early reports indicated that four of the bodies found were Libyan nationals, which might mean that they had been involved in the smuggling, although that could not be confirmed, as Libyan migrants had arrived in Italy during the previous month.

Spain continued to be the main destination for migrants, with over 32,000 having arrived in 2018, a figure almost equal to the numbers for the previous seven years. Around 300 had arrived each day in the week since the beginning of September, while fewer than 300 had arrived in Italy during that whole period. The numbers arriving in Greece had overtaken those reaching Italy for the first time since the signing of the agreement on migration between Turkey and the European Union in 2012, prior to which Greece had received almost 1 million migrants in 12 months.

Of the 32,000 persons who had arrived in Spain in 2018, 19 per cent were Moroccans while two thirds were either from Cote d’Ivoire, Gambia, Mali and Guinea or, because of incomplete data, had been classified as being from sub-Saharan Africa. It was interesting to note that the numbers mentioned as coming from those countries were similar to the decrease in the numbers of migrants leaving Libya for Italy, which might mean numbers had not decreased, but some had simply moved along the North African coast in order to access Europe from Morocco.

Myanmar - freedom of expression

Ravina Shamdasani, for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), made the following statement:

“A host of ill-defined laws has been used in Myanmar to exert control over independent journalism across the country, including in Kachin, Shan and Rakhine states, a UN human rights report on freedom of expression in the country has found. The report states that it has become “impossible for journalists to do their job without fear or favour.”

While the conviction last week of two Reuters journalists, Kyaw Soe Oo and Thet Oo Maung, was a particularly outrageous and high-profile example of judicial harassment against the media in Myanmar, the report details a number of other examples of detentions and prosecutions of journalists and their sources indicative of wider trends of suppression of freedom of expression. Laws on telecommunications, official secrets, unlawful associations, electronic transactions and even import-export and aircraft acts have been used against journalists in a number of cases over the years, the report states.

In one case, three journalists were among seven men arrested in June 2017 for covering an event to mark the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in an area under the control of the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) in northern Shan state. Even though the journalists from The Democratic Voice of Burma and The Irrawady were covering a “drug burning” ceremony unrelated to the armed conflict, they were charged under the Unlawful Associations Act, which is “routinely used to allege that any contact with an ethnic armed group is tantamount to a criminal offence.”

“The fact that the three journalists were covering activities by TNLA that were unconnected to the conflict highlights the military’s sensitivity towards any independent reporting on ethnic armed groups or from non-government controlled territory, and illustrates how promptly the authorities consider that journalists have overstepped the boundary between what they consider as acceptable and impermissible reporting,” the report states. The charges were dropped after the men had spent 67 days in detention.

In another case, two Kachin Baptists were arrested in December 2016 under the same law for assisting journalists who had travelled to northern Shan State to report on the conflict there, the report states. They were held incommunicado for several weeks and eventually received prison sentences of two years and three months under the Unlawful Associations Act as well as the Import-Export Law 2012 – the latter related to their alleged use of unlicensed motorbikes, the report states.

The Telecommunications Law, the Penal Code Section 500 and the Electronic Transactions Law, which all contain articles criminalizing defamation, effectively also grant private individuals the power to stifle expression, the report adds. The case against Swe Win, editor of the online newspaper Myanmar Now, involved a Facebook post in which he quoted a senior monk as saying that high-profile nationalist month Wirathu had violated the tenets of Buddhism. One of Wirathu’s followers filed a complaint against Swe Win under the Telecommunications Law in March 2017. The case is still pending. Swe Win told the UN Human Rights Office that the drawn-out proceedings in the case, which have included more than 30 court appearances, have undermined his ability to do his job.

In the case of the arrest and prosecutions in 2017 of a documentary crew working for Turkish state television, the Import-Export Law 2012 was invoked in relation to their use of a drone to film the parliament building in the capital city of Nay Pyi Taw. The charges were eventually dropped but the report states that this case illustrates the “any means to an end” approach of the authorities who will use any available legal provision to deter independent reporting on critical issues in Myanmar – in “flagrant violation of the right to freedom of expression.”

The report also refers to “the instrumentalization of the law and of the courts by the Government and military in what constitutes a political campaign against independent journalism,” and the “failure of the judiciary to uphold the fair trial rights of those targeted.”

“Together, the cases outline to journalists a clear choice between self-censorship and the risk of prosecution,” the report states. “Given the importance of journalism for the public’s right to information, the restrictions imposed on media personnel have a broader implication in society.”

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said the report laid bare the perilous position of independent journalists in Myanmar.

“Where journalists are jailed for merely visiting an area controlled by an armed group, when their sources are jailed for providing information from conflict zones, and where a Facebook post can result in criminal defamation accusations – such an environment is hardly conducive to a democratic transition,” she said.

“I call on the authorities to cease the legal and judicial harassment of journalists and to initiate a review of ill-defined laws that facilitate attacks on the legitimate exercise of freedom of expression.”

Rhéal LeBlanc, for the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, recalled that the Secretary-General of the United Nations had on 4 September called for respect for the right to freedom of expression, urging the Government of Myanmar to respect the freedom of the press and all human rights.

Responding to questions from journalists, Ms. Shamdasani said that, because of the different cases concerned, with some persons held incommunicado and some then released, it was difficult to give exact figures for the number of journalists who had been detained. Figures from the organization Reporters without Borders indicated that 22 journalists had been prosecuted in 2017, but that number did not include private cases brought for criminal defamation. The hope for press freedoms that had been brought by the new Government taking power in 2015 had now given way to a sense of pessimism. It was difficult to understand whether the cases resulted simply from military officials stopping journalists at checkpoints or if they were the result of a deliberate policy.

Babar Baloch, for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), responding to questions from journalists said that this week, UNHCR and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) were scheduled to begin assessments in 23 villages as well as in three additional Village Tracts in Myanmar’s Rakhine State as approved by the Government, based on the expectation that this very initial and small step in terms of access would be expanded rapidly to all areas covered by the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Government of Myanmar, UNHCR and UNDP.

Iraq Basra protests

Ravina Shamdasani, for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), made the following statement:

“We are concerned at the situation in the southern Iraqi Governorate of Basra, where for the past several weeks, people have been taking to the streets to protest against the lack of basic services, electricity and water shortages, pollution and unemployment.

We understand that, between 1 and 8 September, at least 11 people were killed in relation to the protests. This brings the number of people who have died since demonstrations began on 8 July to at least 20. In addition, more than 300 people have been injured in Basra since July, including 52 members of the security forces.

We urge the relevant authorities to investigate all protest-related deaths and injuries. and hold those responsible accountable.

There were further protests yesterday to commemorate those killed. No casualties were reported.

We call on the Iraqi State to heed the grievances voiced during the protests for their economic and social rights to be fully respected and for the rule of law to be upheld.”

In response to questions from journalists, Ms. Shamdasani said that it was not clear who was behind the violence, as there had been reports of unidentified attackers who may have infiltrated the protests and of a governorate building being set alight. Hence there was a need for independent investigations. The Government had a duty to investigate reports that security forces had been involved and, if that was found to be the case, to hold the persons resposible accountable. The United Nations had a large presence in the country and was in constant contact with the Government.

Yemen – World Food Programme truck attack

Ravina Shamdasani, for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), made the following statement:

“On 29 August, a truck under contract to the World Food Programme (WFP) was reportedly hit by shelling while delivering life-saving food assistance in the district of Al Tuhayta, in Yemen’s southern Hodeidah Governorate. Two weeks later, we have yet to see any investigations or attempts at accountability for what could amount to a war crime.

There are strong allegations that pro-Houthi forces were involved in the attack. This incident highlights the continued violation of international humanitarian law in Yemen’s conflict, with civilians paying the ultimate price.

We once again call on all parties to the conflict in Yemen to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law, including their obligation to respect the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution. We remind the parties that a deliberate attack on humanitarian relief personnel is a war crime. We also urge all parties to allow unrestricted humanitarian assistance to all those in need in Yemen.”

OHCHR country visits

Ravina Shamdasani, for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), responding to questions from journalists, said that OHCHR often sent teams of experts from the Office to investigate situations in countries, and one such team was currently being set up to look at the situation in Austria and Italy. The relevant government authorities would be informed by means of a note verbale and the outcome of the visit might lead to the publication of a report or be used to inform the Office’s work.

Situation in the Syrian Arab Republic

Jens Laerke, for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said that Panos Moumtzis, Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis, had made the following statement on the escalation of violence in north-west Syria:

“I am deeply worried over the recent escalation of hostilities in north-west Syria, resulting in the new displacement during the past few days of over 30,000 women, children and men and scores of civilian deaths.

The suffering of civilians has been further compounded by attacks on healthcare facilities. In less than a week, four hospitals in the area have been struck, including the Maghara hospital in Kafr Zita, northern rural Hama, on 6 September, which is a de-conflicted humanitarian site, followed on 8 September by the Nabd Al Hayat hospital in Ma’arrat An Nu’man District, southern rural Idleb, and another hospital in Kafr Zeita Sub-district, Hama Governorate. One day later, the Latamna hospital in Latamna city, northern Hama Governorate, was also struck.

The latest escalation is again impacting civilians in a dramatic way. Our fear as humanitarians is the worst may be ahead of us. The safety and protection of some 2.9 million civilians residing in Idleb and surrounding areas is at risk. This includes some 1.4 million internally displaced persons (IDPs), the majority of whom are women and children, who came to the region from other areas.

I condemn these horrific attacks in civilian-populated areas and remind all parties to the conflict of their obligations under international humanitarian law to ensure the protection of civilians.”

Babar Baloch, for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), made the following statement:

“UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is increasingly troubled at a looming severe funding shortfall for our work with our partners in support of the millions of Syrian refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs). Some US$270 million is urgently needed to ensure that the most vulnerable among Syria’s refugees and internally displaced do not go without vital protection and assistance this year. These funds include critical preparations for the oncoming winter.

Currently, US$196.5 million would allow UNHCR to continue essential programmes until the end of the year in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt. This includes cash assistance, protection, health and shelter activities. Overall, there are more than 5.6 million Syrian refugees registered across the region – 2.6 million of whom are children. And the needs of families are great. Without support people resort to desperate measures such as going without healthcare or education.

As well as funding for the refugees UNHCR is also calling for US$73 million to help address the most acute and pressing needs of displaced people inside Syria. Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced since the start of the year, and many now rely on humanitarian support to meet basic daily needs. Additional funding would allow UNHCR to rapidly scale up activities across key sectors such as protection, shelter, and the provision of basic aid, helping up to 1.8 million people.

Part of the urgent funding requirements both inside Syria and in neighbouring countries will go towards preparing UNHCR’s winterization response, to ensure that vulnerable families receive adequate support well before winter arrives. We estimate that 1.3 million vulnerable refugees are in dire need of essential winter support – the costs of which amount to US$96 million.

US$44 million of the US$270 million total is needed to stop cash assistance activities ceasing in November. This would be especially devastating for refugee families in Lebanon and Jordan, where some 68 and 85 per cent respectively live below the poverty line. Funding would enable over 456,000 refugees to continue to pay rent, meet daily needs and maintain access to essential services such as healthcare.

UNHCR’s 2018 total financial requirements for protection and assistance for the Syria situation amounts to US$1.97 billion. As of September, only US$610 million has been received – which is 31 per cent of the requirement.

The US$270 million of urgently needed funds represents only the most pressing and critical needs of Syrian refugees and IDPs within UNHCR’s overall unfunded requirements in 2018. UNHCR is grateful to all state and private sector donors for their support thus far which enabled us to manage an uninterrupted humanitarian response to date.”

Rhéal LeBlanc, for the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, said that several officials, including the Secretary-General, had underscored the likely catastrophic consequences of an all-out military attack in Idlib. He reiterated that the concern was to protect civilian lives and the only solution must be a political one, through dialogue and a negotiated solution. Staffan de Mistura, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General of the United Nations to Syria had made some proposals, including that civilians be separated from fighters so as to reduce the impact of the violence on innocent persons. The discussions currently taking place at the Palais des Nations, which would continue on Friday with other influential parties, were aimed at finding a solution to the conflict; they would focus on the establishment of a constitutional committee, which was critical to the whole process.

Responding to questions from journalists, Mr. Laerke said that the Regional Humanitarian Coordinator feared that, if the full-scale military action was not halted, the situation could lead to the worst humanitarian catastrophe of the twenty-first century. There were around a million children in Idlib and thousands of other very vulnerable people who had already been displaced from other parts of the country, doubling the normal population of that enclosed area. The Syrian Government seemed adamant that it would continue its current course and the other military actors involved had enormous potential to cause material and physical harm, as had been seen over the previous seven years. As humanitarians, OCHA considered that any purely military solution was indefensible. It and other United Nations agencies were in contact, including through the Humanitarian Task Force and the Regional Humanitarian Coordinator, with the parties involved at many levels, including those directly involved in the fighting and those with influence over them to stop the action.

Contingency plans were constantly evolving according to the dynamics of the situation. The World Food Programme had stated that it had prepositioned enough food rations for 850,000 persons for one week. Plans had to be made to cope with the worst possible scenario while attempts were also being made to prevent it happening.

In answer to a question from a journalist, Mr. Baloch said that, USD 36 million was required to address the impact of rising health care costs. Without funding there was a risk that refugee families would not receive even basic medical services such as child immunizations. Funding at that level would ensure health care support for some 35,000 vulnerable Syrian refugees in the region, particularly in Jordan and Lebanon.

Tropical cyclones and hurricanes

Rhéal LeBlanc, for the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, reminded journalists that, on Monday 10 September, the Secretary-General had delivered a major speech on climate change yesterday in New York and had called on world leaders for renewed commitment to this important issue. He had called for a major summit to be held in 2019.

Clare Nullis, for the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), made the following statement:

“WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas was in New York on Monday to provide scientific input to UN Secretary-General Guterres who made a major statement on climate change. “Climate change is the defining issue of our time – and we are at a defining moment What makes all of this even more disturbing is that we were warned. Scientists have been telling us for decades. Over and over again,” said the UN Secretary-General.

After a very quiet start, the Atlantic hurricane season has suddenly become very active, with hurricanes Florence, Isaac and Helene. There have been 10 other years on record where we have had at least 3 hurricanes simultaneously, most recently last year (Irma, Jose and Katia)

Hurricane Florence is a very large, very strong and very dangerous category 4 hurricane. On the forecast track, the center of Florence will move over the southwestern Atlantic Ocean between Bermuda and the Bahamas Tuesday and Wednesday, and approach the coast of North Carolina or South Carolina on Thursday, feeding off ocean heat as it progresses. It is unusual to have such a strong hurricane so far north.

Maximum sustained winds are near 140 mph (220 km/h) with higher gusts. Florence is a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Some strengthening is expected during the next 36 hours, and Florence is expected to be an extremely dangerous major hurricane through Thursday. It’s a very big hurricane which can be seen from space. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 40 miles (65 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 150 miles (240 km).

One of the main dangers from hurricane Florence is the rainfall. There is currently a 1-7 day rainfall forecast of more than 10-15 inches (254 to 381 mm). Some of the weather models predict that it may stall and sit and spin for a couple of days, just as hurricane Harvey did over Texas last year. Much of the area is already quite saturated from heavy rainfall.

Tropical Storm Isaac is expected to move across the Lesser Antilles and into the eastern Caribbean Sea on Thursday. The maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 70 mph (110 km/h) with higher gusts. Little change in strength is forecast during the next few days, but Isaac is forecast to be at or near hurricane strength as it approaches the Lesser Antilles later this week. Hurricane Helene has also formed, but is expected to curve out to sea. In Hawaii, tropical storm Olivia is forecast to bring heavy rain and dangerous flooding.

In terms of the strength, Typhoon Manghut is the strongest tropical cyclone at the moment and is very large. It is currently a low category 4 and expected to become a powerful category 4. It is likely to impact the northern part of the Philippines later in the week.”

Situation in Venezuela

Ravina Shamdasani, for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), said that Michele Bachelet, the new High Commissioner, had had cordial discussions the previous day with Jorge Arreaza Montserrat, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. In her comments to the Human Rights Council, she had also spoken of the serious human rights issues in that country. OHCHR was always open to cooperation with governments and was prepared to give them advice to help facilitate their compliance with their human right obligations.

Babar Baloch, for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), made the following statement:

“High Commissioner Filippo Grandi met this afternoon in Geneva with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Venezuela to discuss our cooperation in the country to support and complement the protection being extended to asylum seekers and refugees through a community-based approach. They also referred to the importance of an enhanced presence and cooperation of the United Nations in Venezuela.

The situation of Venezuelan refugees and migrants arriving in various countries in the region was also discussed, focusing on UNHCR’s operational response to ensure a protection response for their access to rights and services.”

Journalists asked for the humanitarian agencies to provide fresh figures on the refugee situation in the region, including the numbers of children concerned and the health situation of Venezuelans who had fled the country.

International Criminal Court

In response to questions from journalists concerning remarks made the previous day by Ambassador Bolton about the International Criminal Court, Ravina Shamdasani, for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), said that the High Commissioner strongly supported the work of the Court and OHCHR collaborated closely with it, particularly on Myanmar.

Rhéal LeBlanc, for the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, recalled that the spokesperson for the Secretary-General had the previous day reiterated his continued support for the International Criminal Court and recognized its important role in the world.

Human Rights Council announcement

Rolando Gomez, for the Human Rights Council, said that the thirty-ninth regular session of the Human Rights Council had opened on Monday 10 September with the first address by Michele Bachelet, the new High Commissioner for Human Rights.

On Tuesday morning, Jorge Arreaza Montserrat, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela had spoken to the Council. Following that, the Council members and representatives of the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) present were engaging in a general debate on the High Commissioner’s update, which, with 138 States and 83 NGOs having indicated their intention to speak, was likely to last for more than six hours.

The debate would be followed by the presentation of a report by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on improving the human rights situation and accountability in Burundi and an interactive discussion. Time permitting, that would be followed by the reports of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances and of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.

On Wednesday 12 September, a presentation would be made by the Working Group on the use of mercenaries, on the recruitment of child soldiers. That would be followed by the presentation of report of Special Rapporteur toxic waste. At 12 noon on Wednesday, the Syria Commission of Inquiry would present its fifteenth report, prior to its publication on Monday 17 September.

A pledging conference for the elections to the Human Rights Council was to be held at 1.30 p.m. in Room XXII on Tuesday. The elections would take place on 12 October, during the annual session of the General Assembly.

Responding to a question from a journalist, Mr. Gomez said that the Council would hear two reports on the situation in Burundi. The first would be presented that afternoon by Kate Gilmour, the Deputy High Commissioner, and the second was the report of the three-person Commission of Inquiry on Burundi, which would be presented to the Council on Monday 17 September.

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development announcement

Catherine Huissoud, for the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), said that UNCTAD would publish its annual report on its assistance to the Palestinian People on 12/09 at 10.30 am, under embargo until 5 pm GMT. The report would warn that evaporating donor support, a freeze in the reconstruction of Gaza and unsustainable, credit-financed public and private consumption offer poor growth prospects as the confiscation of land and natural resources by the occupying Power continues. In Gaza, blockaded for more than a decade, ‘de-development’ is accelerating, the report would say.

In 2012, the United Nations had warned that unless ongoing trends were reversed, Gaza would become uninhabitable – unfit for humans to live in – by 2020. Since then, all socioeconomic indicators had deteriorated and conditions in Gaza were now worse.

The trade and development report would be published on 26 September with a press conference in Geneva on 20 September at 11 am. A decade after the collapse of Lehman Brothers the world economy is back on shaky ground; widening financial fault lines, escalating tariff tantrums and a growing digital dysphoria are making headlines but there has been a deeper post-crisis failure to deal with the imbalances and inequities generated by hyperglobalisation. In particular, TDR2018 looks at how economic power is being concentrated in a smaller number of big international firms and the impact this is having on the ability of developing countries to benefit from their participation in global value chains and to gain from new digital technologies. The Report sees a combination of infrastructure spending, new industrial policy, regulation of corporate rent seeking and higher wages as complementary elements of a more hopeful agenda for an anxious world. And it calls for a 21st century rebooting of the Havana Charter to build a more inclusive multilateralism which puts people before profits.

World Health Organization announcement

Christian Lindmeier, for the World Health Organization (WHO), said that the report The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2018 had this morning been launched in Rome. It was a collaboration between the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), WFP and WHO. The WHO Regional Office for Europe had also launched the European Health Report 2018. He would be pleased to provide any information on either of those publications.

He added that the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) would on Wednesday 12 September at 2 p.m. in Room III launch its latest estimates on the global burden of cancer. It would be presented by Dr. Christopher Wild, Director of IARC, Dr. Freddie Bray, Head of Section of Cancer Surveillance, IARC, and Dr. Jacques Ferlay, Scientist, Section of Cancer Surveillance, IARC.

On Monday 17 September in New York, the latest tuberculosis report would be launched at a teleconference to take place during the United Nations General Assembly.

Other announcements

Rhéal LeBlanc, for the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, said that two public plenary meetings of the Conference on Disarmament were – at this stage – scheduled for today: one in the morning (10am) and one the afternoon (3pm). Before the closure of this 2018 session, next Friday, the CD was yet to adopt its annual report to the General Assembly.

Mr. LeBlanc said that the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) would be concluding this morning its review of the report of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, begun yesterday afternoon. During this session, the Committee would also review the reports of Malta and Philippines.

He said that the Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families would be meeting in private until the end of its 29th session, tomorrow, Wednesday 12 September, when it would issue its concluding observations on the two countries whose reports have been reviewed during this session, i.e. Mozambique and Madagascar.

He also said that a side-event on the importance of respecting human rights and the rule of law while countering terrorism and preventing violent extremism, co-organized by Switzerland, Mexico, the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) was scheduled to take place on the margins of the 39th session of the UN Human Rights Council today, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
* The Under-Secretary-General Vladimir Voronkov, the Head of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) was currently in Geneva for this event. A press release would be issued at the end of the visit.

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The webcast for this briefing is available here: http://bit.ly/unog110918