Press releases
Geneva: UN Human Rights Council must establish investigation into civilian deaths in Yemen
‘Yemen has now endured 18 months of unrelenting conflict, which has caused devastating human suffering’ - Philip Luther
Amnesty international is calling for the UN’s Human Rights Council to announce the creation of an independent investigation into the conflict in Yemen as it meets in Geneva today.
In his opening statement at the gathering in Geneva today, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, the UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights, repeated his call for an international mechanism to investigate mounting evidence of violations of international law in Yemen.
Since the intervention of a Saudi Arabia-led military coalition in Yemen in April last year, thousands of Yemeni civilians have been killed or injured in the military coalition’s air strikes in Yemen, with numerous well-sourced reports indicating that many of these attacks were reckless and indiscriminate.
Last year the Human Rights Commission adopted a watered-down resolution led by Saudi Arabia, which requested that the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights assist a national commission of inquiry set-up by the internationally-recognised Yemeni government, which is backed by Saudi Arabia. So far this commission’s working methods suggest it will struggle to establish the truth or facilitate justice.
Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Director Philip Luther said:
“Yemen has now endured 18 months of unrelenting conflict, which has caused devastating human suffering.“The world must not miss the opportunity to use this UN Human Rights Council session to establish an independent international investigation into war crimes and other violations of international law by all parties to the conflict.“Last year’s failures must not be repeated. The people of Yemen must not be forced to wait any longer for justice.”