The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
STORYLINE
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk called on Friday for Niger’s democratically elected officials to be released “at once”, following their detention by coup leaders last month. In a statement released on Friday, Mr. Türk urged the generals to immediately restore constitutional order.
Speaking in Geneva, his spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said that Mr. Türk had “grave concerns” for the people of Niger. “The people have already been through so much hardship over the years. Now, the very people who they elected to build a pathway to end their destitution have been removed by force,” she said.
Ms. Shamdasani noted that Niger was one of the poorest countries in the world, with nearly half of the population living on less than $2.15 a day and millions reliant on humanitarian assistance.
She deplored that the country’s people have been forced to endure “even more misery” following the coup, which has triggered border closures, trade interruptions and a surge in food prices. Even before the coup, over three million people were chronically food insecure according to the UN World Food Programme, and close to half of all children under five were suffering from chronic malnutrition. The OHCHR spokesperson reiterated Mr. Türk’s call for “full and free access for humanitarian assistance” to allow “critical food, medical and other relief supplies into the country”.
Ms. Shamdasani said there had been a “very worrying” clampdown on civic space which was impacting freedom of expression and public assembly. This included allegations of intimidation against journalists and bans on international media outlets. She also noted that recently there has been a “deeply troubling” pattern of unconstitutional changes in government by military forces in West Africa – the Niger putsch being the sixth in the region in the past three years. “The costs are always borne by the local population,” she said, warning that the coup had taken away the “key hope” and “key platform” that people had to try to resolve the “very difficult, serious problems that the country is facing on the economic front, on the security front, on every front”, she told journalists.
ends
STORY: NIGER HUMAN RIGHTS UPDATE - OHCHR
TRT: 02:38”
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 16 AUGUST 2023, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
SHOTLIST
- Exterior wide shot, United Nations flag flying.
- Wide shot of panel.
- SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) Ravina Shamdasani, OHCHR spokesperson: “The UN human rights chief, Volker Türk, expresses grave concern for the people of Niger who have been forced to endure even more misery following last month's military coup. He calls on the generals to immediately restore constitutional order.”
- Close of speaker with screen in background.
- SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) Ravina Shamdasani, OHCHR spokesperson: “Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world, extremely vulnerable to climate change. The people have already been through so much hardship over the years. Now, the very people who they elected to build a pathway to end their destitution have been removed by force against the constitutional order and detained by the coup leaders. They must be released at once and democracy restored.”
- Mid of camera filming briefing.
- SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) Ravina Shamdasani, OHCHR spokesperson: “Nearly half of the population of Nigeria's mired in extreme poverty, living on less than $2.15 a day, and millions are reliant on humanitarian assistance. Since the coup, their situation has worsened. The landlocked country's borders have been shut, trade has come to a standstill, there have been severe power cuts and food prices have risen.”
- Wide of attendees at briefing.
- SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) Ravina Shamdasani, OHCHR spokesperson: “The High Commissioner calls for full and free access for humanitarian assistance, including goods, flights and personnel to allow critical food, medical and other relief supplies into the country.”
- Close of attendees at briefing.
- SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) Ravina Shamdasani, OHCHR spokesperson: “Clampdown on civic space, including allegations of intimidation against journalists, bans on international media outlets and other restrictions impacting freedom of expression and peaceful assembly are also very worrying.”
- Close of attendees with speaker in background.
- SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) Ravina Shamdasani, OHCHR spokesperson: “The High Commissioner said the recent pattern of unconstitutional changes in government by military forces in West Africa, the Niger push is the sixth in the region in the past three, years is deeply troubling and the costs are always borne by the local population.”
- Close of attendee typing.
- SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) Ravina Shamdasani, OHCHR spokesperson: “This coup has taken away that key hope that people had and that key platform that people had to really be involved in resolving the very difficult, serious problems that the country is facing on the economic front, on the security front, on every front.”
- Close of laptop with speaker in background.
- Side view of attendees at briefing
- Close of attendees typing.
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , WHO , UNHCR , UNICEF , WFP
Middle East war: UN warns of ‘toxic rain’ danger from oil depot strikes as mass displacement, aid supply shocks spread
Toxic “black rain” linked to strikes on oil depots, mass displacement and continuing disruption to humanitarian supply chains are upending lives across the Middle East and beyond after 10 days of war in the region, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on Friday made the following remarks on Israel’s military ground incursions and displacement orders in Lebanon.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , IOM , WHO
The escalating war in the Middle East has heightened growing concerns about further civilian suffering and displacement in the region and far beyond, UN agencies said on Friday.
2
1
2
Press Conferences , Edited News | OHCHR
UN Human Rights chief Volker Türk made the following remarks at a press stake out on the current situation in the Middle East.
“The crisis sparked in the Middle East one week ago following US and Israeli attacks on Iran, and Iran’s counterattacks, has been spreading like wildfire. It is causing significant damage in Iran, Israel and at least a dozen other countries, mostly in the Gulf, with risks of major economic and environmental ramifications across the world,” he said.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on Tuesday made the following remarks on the current situation in the Middle-East.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNHCR , WFP
Schoolgirls killed, thousands displaced, aid routes compromised: UN humanitarians deplore effects of new Middle East war
On the fourth day of Israeli and United States airstrikes against Iran and amid growing violence and instability in the Middle East, the UN urgently called for protection of civilians and warned of growing displacement and humanitarian needs.
1
1
1
Edited News | IOM
Well over 1.3 million people have fled Sudan’s ongoing war for South Sudan, the UN migration agency, IOM, reported on Friday, amid rising violence and a massive humanitarian emergency linked to the country’s political crisis.
2
1
2
Statements , Conferences , Edited News | HRC , OHCHR
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Friday presented to the 61st Human Rights Council his global update on the human rights situation.
2
1
2
Edited News | OHCHR
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Thursday presented to the UN Human Rights Council a new report on the human rights situation in occupied Palestinian territory.
2
1
2
Edited News | OHCHR
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Thursday briefed the Human Rights Council in Geneva on the human rights situation in Sudan: “Nearly three years of brutal conflict have almost turned Sudan into a land of despair. The report I am presenting today is yet another chapter in the chronicle of cruelty. It outlines clear, ongoing patterns of violence against civilians, including killings, rape, and torture. As the fighting has intensified, violations of international law by all parties to the conflict have surged, while accountability has remained practically absent,” he said.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Thursday told the Human Rights Council in Geneva today: “Afghanistan is a graveyard for human rights. The cascade of edicts and laws announced by the de facto authorities since coming to power in 2021 is having a crushing impact on the Afghan people, particularly women and girls.”
3
1
Edited News | UNITED NATIONS , OCHA , UNHCR
Ukraine enters fifth year of war: Attacks and displacement deepen human suffering amid mounting recovery challenges
On the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, UN officials took stock of the immense human and economic toll of the conflict while appealing to the world to “never get used to war.”