UN OHCHR Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights [to 27 February 2016]
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/media.aspx?IsMediaPage=true
Selected Press Releases

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Europe/migration: Five-country police agreement exacerbates crisis and puts vulnerable migrants at risk — Zeid
GENEVA (25 February 2016) – The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein on Thursday expressed serious concern at security measures adopted at a recent meeting of the heads of police of five European countries*, which are already having a negative impact on the human rights of refugees and migrants in southern and central Europe, and are compounding the already exceptionally difficult situation in Greece…
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UN rights expert urges Russia not to implement the new extradition treaty with North Korea
GENEVA / SEOUL (26 February 2016) – The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), Marzuki Darusman, urges the Government of the Russian Federation not to implement the extradition treaty signed with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) earlier this month.
According to reports, there are an estimated 10,000 North Korean regular labourers in Russia, some of whom stay in the country after their contracts have expired in order to seek asylum. Others fleeing the DPRK try to reach Russia through other countries.

“I am alarmed by the new extradition treaty signed between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Russian Federation on 2 February 2016. The treaty calls for transferring and readmitting individuals ‘who have illegally’ left their country and stay ‘illegally’ in another’s territory.

In November 2015, Russia signed a separate extradition treaty with the DPRK, calling for mutual assistance in criminal matters. I am concerned that the latest treaty is much broader in scope and may lead to forced repatriation to the DPRK of individuals at risk of human rights violations, in contravention of Russia’s international obligations.

Given the practice of the DPRK to send labourers to Russia, who often work in slave-like conditions, it is feared that such a treaty could also be used to capture and repatriate workers who attempt to seek asylum.

In fact the practice of sending workers abroad to be exploited may constitute state-sponsored enslavement of human beings, possibly amounting to a specific category of crime against humanity…

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UN report documents litany of violations and abuses amid chaos in Libya
GENEVA (25 February 2016) – A UN report* published on Thursday has documented widespread violations and abuses committed in Libya since the beginning of 2014. The report recommends urgent measures to fight against impunity and to strengthen and reform the justice sector.

“Despite the human rights situation in Libya, the country only sporadically makes the headlines. A multitude of actors – both State and non-State – are accused of very serious violations and abuses that may, in many cases, amount to war crimes,” said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein.

To access the shorter version of the report, please go to: http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/LY/A_HRC_31_47_E.pdf
To access a more extensive version, with detailed findings of the investigation and a map, please go to: http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/LY/A_HRC_31_CRP_3.pdf