Geneva, May 23.– The 15th annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy was an outstanding success attended by over 700 dissidents, diplomats, journalists, and students from around the world and thousands more who followed along online.

The Summit presented its 2023 International Women's Rights Award to Shima Babaei, an exiled Iranian women's rights activist and former political prisoner, in tribute to the courageous women and girl protesters of Iran: "The victory is ours. Woman, Life, Freedom."

Leading Nicaraguan opposition politician released this year after being subjected to 611 days in prison and solitary confinement, Félix Maradiaga, received the 2023 Courage Award. He left the audience with a message of hope for Nicaragua and the global movement for freedom: "Together, let us band and banish the darkness of injustice."

United Nations, May 23.– It's been six months since the start of the protests in Iran One of many protests taking place in Iran in 2023which shook the foundations of the country's ruling theocracy. Calling for women’s rights, freedom, and democracy, protestors continue to be met with senseless violence from the Islamic Republic. According to a recent briefing by the UN, the scale and severity of such violence carries evidence of crimes against humanity. The allegation arrives amidst news that the Islamic Republic plans to enforce mandatory hijab, a “divine decree” at the origin of the protests.

Nevertheless, Iranian resilience remains steadfast. "The people have made their decision to topple the Islamic Republic and they will not back down from their goal," asserted human rights champion Masih Alinejad. On her twiter account, she is showing a testimonial video of two brave girls:

Según el último Informe sobre el Estado de los Derechos Sociales en la isla, realizado por el Observatorio Cubano de Derechos Humanos (OCDH), la inseguridad es el séptimo problema social en el país.

«De hecho, esa preocupación aumentó del año 2021 al 2022», explicó a Radio y Televisión Martí, Yaxys Cires, Director de Estrategias del OCDH. «Las informaciones que nos llegan todos los días de Cuba van en la línea de que esa percepción se corresponde con la realidad», puntualizó.

«Obviamente hay un factor económico, pero ni es el único ni el determinante. El aumento de la violencia se debe principalmente a causas más profundas y sistémicas, relacionadas, por ejemplo, con el sistema educativo comunista en el que ha primado el adoctrinamiento y no el cultivo de valores; con el ataque constante a la familia como institución; y con un sistema político que ha visto al discrepante como un "gusano" al cual hay que destruir, marginar, incluso empleando la violencia extrema», consideró Cires.

Cires señaló, por otra parte, que «aunque el régimen cubano mantiene intacto su aparato represivo estatal y jurídico, para responder a quien ejerce sus derechos humanos, está teniendo problemas para manejar administrativamente el país y enfrentar problemas como el aumento de la marginalidad o la delincuencia común».

Strasbourg, May 6.– Serious concerns persist regarding the human rights situation in the areas affected by the armed conflict between the Russian Federation and Georgia in August 2008, according to a report by Secretary-General Marija Pejčinović Burić presented to the Committee of Ministers and published on April 19.

The bi-annual report (covering the period November 2022–March 2023) on the conflict in Georgia highlighted that core issues concerning the human rights and humanitarian situation in the conflict-affected areas continue to see little progress. Various restrictions on freedom of movement and access to education and healthcare remain of serious concern, including in terms of their impact on vulnerable groups.