Live updates: UN General Assembly passes UN resolutions to ban ‘excessive use of force’ against journalists in the world’s poorest countries By Kudakwashe J.
Updated
The United Nations General Assembly has passed several resolutions in the past week which are designed to end the use of excessive force against journalists covering events in the world’s poorest countries.
Among the resolutions passed in this week were:
a resolution urging the United States to support the establishment of human rights mechanisms at the United Nations
a resolution urging the Government of Sudan to establish and protect free, independent, objective, and independent media
a resolution on the “responsibilities, obligations and framework for reporting on climate change” in developing countries
a resolution on the “responsibilities, obligations and framework for reporting on extreme weather events in developing countries”
Also on Wednesday, the world body passed a resolution on the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which states that “any intentional restriction on the exercise of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, including restrictions based on race, sex, language or religion, or any difference based on such factors.”
This latest resolution was passed by a vote of 123 in favour and 6 against.
The resolution will now go to the General Assembly for a vote on whether to accept the resolution, which has been endorsed by the most members of the 193-member UN.
The United Nations passed several resolutions on the issue of excessive use of force by UN peacekeepers and also asked the world body to investigate abuses in Somalia.
In response, the Somali government appointed an independent commission of inquiry to investigate the allegations.
The UN also warned that it could not be immune from criticism about the issue.
“It is up to the UN to deal with the criticisms,” Somali Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali is quoted as saying.
Some 200 activists from the Middle East and many countries around the world took part in the rally against