The discussion reflects deeper tensions between the imperative of accountability for past violations and the sovereign claim of states to lead their own reconciliation processes.
Sri Lanka’s Government has a “historic opportunity” to end decades of impunity and deliver justice for victims of past violations, the UN human rights office (OHCHR) has said, urging sweeping reforms to address crimes committed during and after the country’s civil war.
The number killed in violence last year was the highest since the military coup in 2021. Over 1,800 civilians were killed in 2024, many in indiscriminate airstrikes and artillery shelling, with attacks on schools, places of worship and healthcare facilities having become routine.
The mass mobilisation saw participation from people across different backgrounds, including women and children. Faced with this growing opposition, the former government resorted to increasingly violent means to maintain power. The UN report describes a deliberate strategy orchestrated at the highest levels of the former administration.
The joint report by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan and the UN Human Rights Office documented 336 cases of human rights violations against media professionals between August 2021 and September 2024.
The report highlights the severe impact of illicit financial flows from drug markets, which drain critical resources, fuel corruption, and finance both organized crime...
The authors stress that individual knowledge alone is insufficient. Food environments – marketing, pricing, availability and access – must support healthier choices.
Aviation crews remain stationed near their hangars, radar screens remain trained on western horizons, and some 30 million residents across the capital region wait to see whether engineered clouds can offer a rare gasp of clean air.
The authors stress that individual knowledge alone is insufficient. Food environments – marketing, pricing, availability and access – must support healthier choices.