Noon Briefings

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said today that the suffering of Clayton Lockett during his execution on 29 April may amount to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment according to international human rights law. The UN Human Rights Committee and the Committee against Torture have both previously called on the United States to review its execution methods in order to prevent severe pain and suffering.

The Secretary-General spoke at an event commemorating World Press Freedom Day, which falls on Saturday. He said that journalists are singled out for speaking or writing uncomfortable truths — kidnapped, detained, beaten and sometimes murdered — and noted that such treatment is completely unacceptable in a world ever more reliant on global news outlets and the journalists who serve them.

The Secretary-General condemns acts of terror against innocent civilians in Syria. He appeals to all parties to the terrible conflict to live up to their responsibility under humanitarian law and stop targeting civilian areas.

The Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, Ahmet Uzumcu, announced today the creation of an OPCW mission to establish facts surrounding the allegations of the use of chlorine in Syria. The Syrian Government, which has agreed to accept this mission, has undertaken to provide security in areas under its control.

The Secretary-General, attending an event celebrating the power of sport for development and peace, noted that sport can be used to bridge cultural, religious, ethnic and social divides. He also announced the appointment of former International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge as Special Envoy on Youth Refugees and Sport.

The Secretary-General has asked the High Commissioner for Human Rights and his Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide to travel to South Sudan this weekend to follow up on the recent brutal attacks against civilians in Bentiu, Unity State, and in Bor, Jonglei State, as well as to follow up on the use of radio to disseminate hate speech.

This morning the Secretary-General is making a round of phone calls to Heads of State or Government of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development to express his support for their efforts in bringing President Salva Kiir of South Sudan and opposition leader Riek Machar to the negotiating table. He feels the two need to be warned strongly of the consequences of their actions before the country descends into yet further violence.

The Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Mali, Bert Koenders, told the Security Council this morning that the country had made significant strides and that the international community has been critical in that regard. He added that the difficulties of the road ahead should not be underestimated, noting that political dialogue remained the first priority.

The Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia condemned the second killing in less than 48 hours of a Member of that country’s Federal Parliament. Both killings have been claimed by Al-Shabaab. A media worker for Radio Dalsan was also killed and the Special Representative called for such personnel to be able to carry out their work without fear of attack.

Human rights investigators from the United Nations Mission in South Sudan confirmed targeted killings of civilians by the Sudan People's Liberation Army in the town of Bentiu on 15 and 16 April. Calling for those responsible to be held accountable, the Mission also extracted hundreds of civilians being threatened with violence in Bentiu and Rubkona and is currently protecting over 12,000 civilians in its base.