High Commissioner Volker Türk expressed his concern about the recent election in Bangladesh, stating that it was marred by violence and repression of opposition candidates and supporters. He called on the government to ensure the human rights of all Bangladeshis are taken into account and to strengthen the underpinnings of a truly inclusive democracy.
The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) reported that law enforcement officials used tactics such as arrests, threats, enforced disappearances, blackmailing, and surveillance to intimidate opposition supporters before the election. The main opposition party, Bangladesh Nationalist Party, boycotted the election. There have also been reports of political violence, including arson attacks allegedly committed by opposition groups. OHCHR stated that around 25,000 opposition supporters have been arrested since October 28, and at least 10 opposition supporters have died in custody in the last two months.
OHCHR called for independent investigations into these incidents and for those responsible to be brought to justice. They also emphasized the need to thoroughly and effectively investigate violations and irregularities during the campaign and on election day. The High Commissioner emphasized the importance of preserving democracy in Bangladesh and stressed that the future of all Bangladeshis is at stake.
In a separate news, top independent human rights experts called for prompt investigations and accountability for victims of sexual torture in the Hamas-led attacks in southern Israel in October. The experts also called for justice relating to other grave crimes committed in the Occupied Palestinian Territory since the war in Gaza began. They demanded that investigators be given the necessary resources, support, and access to explore all alleged crimes and called on Israel, the Palestinian Authority, and the de facto authorities in Gaza to cooperate fully with any probes.
The UN atomic energy agency is embarking on a study in Antarctica to explore solutions to the global problem of plastic pollution. In cooperation with Argentina, a small team from the International Atomic Energy Agency will assess the impact of microplastics in the Antarctic environment. The researchers will investigate levels of microplastic in various components of the ecosystem, such as seawater, lakes, sediments, sand, discharge water, and animals. The study will use radiation technology to monitor 22 Antarctic sites for microplastic pollution.
Due to Russia’s invasion, Ukraine’s power generation capacity has been halved, leading to disruptions in essential services like electricity, heating, and water supplies for 93% of Ukrainians. The UN Development Programme (UNDP) and Japan have announced the shipment of new gas turbines to help Ukraine combat the winter chill. The gas turbines will fill gaps in Ukraine’s broken energy network and assist in delivering previously purchased autotransformers. The initiative aims to meet Ukraine’s immediate needs and support long-term national goals. UNDP has been working with Japan to provide emergency equipment to Ukraine, including power banks and generators.