October 2019

October 2019 - Domestic Prosecution of International Crimes Updates

By Raghavi Viswanath and Erez Roman, Junior Research Associates PILPG-NL

Lawyering Justice has resumed the Monthly News Updates segment. This post collects updates from October 2019 concerning the domestic prosecution of international crimes.  The information is drawn from local and international news online sources.

Europe

Bosnia-Herzegovina | Bosnia charges former Serbian soldiers with crimes against humanity 

The Bosnian prosecution charged Radovan Paprica, alias Papro, and Slavko Ognjenovic, alias Macak, with committing crimes against humanity in Foca in eastern Bosnia in 1992 while they were members of the Bosnian Serb Army.  (Oct.3, 2019)

Bosnia-Herzegovina | Bosnia indicts former Serbian soldiers for torturing civilian detainees

The Bosnian state prosecution indicted Jovan Kusic, alias Joja, and Branislav Vukovic, alias Bato, for having participated in the unlawful detention, torture, abuse and beating of Bosniak civilians who were detained in a gym at the Cultural Centre in Pale in May and June 1992.  Kusic and Vukovic were charged, in their capacity as employees of the police Public Security Station in Pale, with committing crimes against humanity. (Oct. 4, 2019).

France |  French court upholds life sentence for new genocide convicts

The French Court of Cassation has upheld the life sentence of two Rwandans who were convicted of genocide and crimes against humanity committed in 1994 in Rwanda.  Octavian Ngenzi and Tito Barahira, successive Mayors (Bourgmestres) of the former Kabarondo Commune, were accused of participating in the massacre of Tutsi refugees at the Kabarondo Catholic Church, resulting in the death of 1,200 people.  (Oct.21, 2019)

 Bosnia-Herzegovina | 20 years of prison for Visegrad killings

Radomir Šušnjar, also known as “Lalco”, was found guilty for the murder of 57 Bosniaks in Višegrad, a town in the east of Serbian Republic of Bosnia.  These people were burnt alive in a house in Pionirska Street in 1992. The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina sentenced this former Bosnian Serb soldier to 20 years of prison for war crimes against the civilian population.  (Oct.30, 2019).

Germany | Criminal trial for crimes against humanity in Syria

Prosecutors in Germany have charged two alleged former Syrian secret service officers with crimes against humanity.  Anwar Raslan is alleged to have led an investigation unit which is accused of torturing detainees, and has been charged with 59 counts of murder, as well as rape and aggravated sexual assault.  Eyad al-Gharib is accused of reporting directly to Raslan, and arresting protesters who were then delivered to the investigation unit’s prison, known as Branch 251. The trial is set to start in 2020. (Oct.31, 2019).

The Netherlands | Dutch foreign fighter convicted of a war crime

The Rechtbank Den Haag convicted a Dutch national fighting for one of the warring groups in the Syrian civil war.  The convict was handed a prison sentence of seven years and six months for committing war crimes perpetrated by the Islamic State.  (Oct.11, 2019).

Asia

Bangladesh | Supreme Court upholds Azhar’s death penalty

The Supreme Court of Bangladesh upheld the death sentence of top Jamaat-e-Islami leader ATM Azharul Islam for his involvement in genocide and crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War.  A four-member bench of the SC’s Appellate Division, headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, delivered the verdict around five years after the International Crimes Tribunal-1 handed down capital punishment to Azhar for the crimes committed in Rangpur. (Nov. 01, 2019)

South America

Guatemala |  Former Chief of Military Operations Arrested in Maya Ixil Genocide Case

Guatemalan authorities arrested retired Army Colonel César Octavio Noguera Argueta. Together with former head of military operations and intelligence chief - Benedicto Lucas Garcia & Manuel Callejas - he is expected to be charged with genocide against the Maya Ixil group in 1982.  Noguera Argueta served as Chief of Military Operations during the last months of the Romeo Lucas García government (1978-1982). (Oct.25, 2019)

Argentina | Chaco sees convictions for crimes against humanity against civilians

Former federal prosecutor Roberto Domingo Mazzoni and former penitentiary warden Pablo César Casco became Chaco Province’s first civilians to be convicted for crimes against humanity committed during Argentina’s brutal 1976-1983 military dictatorship.  The Tribunal Oral Federal Penal court in Resistencia sentenced both to 11 years’ imprisonment and banned both from public office for life. Casco, a former prison warden at the U7 penetentiary, was found criminally responsible for torture inflicted on prisoner Hugo Dedieu.  Mazzoni was convicted for his failure to investigate the crime of torture. (Oct.2, 2019)

North America

United States | US takes custody of two high-profile ISIL fighters

The US military confirmed that it has taken custody of two high-profile members of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant armed group known for beheading hostages.  The two men, previously held in Syria by Kurdish-led fighters, were moved out of the country as Turkey started an offensive there.  (Oct.10, 2019)

October 2019

By Kelly van Eeten and Francisca De Castro, Junior Research Associates PILPG-NL

October 2019 - Southern Cameroon Updates

Lawyering Justice has resumed the Monthly News Updates segment. This post provides an overview of the developments that took place in Southern Cameroon in October 2019.

Peace negotiations

Cameroonian President Paul Biya initiated a National Dialogue in October 2019, in an attempt to end the fighting against the separatists.  A number of proposals were made during the Dialogue. These included the adoption of special status for the two Anglophone regions, and changing the name of the country back to the United Republic of Cameroon. 

The National Dialogue was embraced and critiqued in equal parts.  René Emmanuel Sadi, the Minister of communications, rejected all criticism of the National Dialogue.  He called it an inclusive and historic event, and states that no major subject was eluded.  However, the rebel groups declared that they would only agree to the Dialogue only if negotiations are held in a foreign country, in the presence of UN mediators.

Release of opposition leaders

Alongside the National Dialogue, Paul Biya dropped charges against 300 people who were detained in connection with the Anglophone violence.  One remarkable release was that of Maurice Kamto, an opposition leader who had been in prison for nine months facing charges of insurrection.  The rebel groups additionally demanded the release of their leader Julius Ayuk Tabe before they could start thinking about peace negotiations. 

May & June 2019

May & June 2019 - International Criminal Court Update

BY JUAN MANUEL MARTINEZ, RESEARCH ASSOCIATE PILPG-NL

THIS POST ASSEMBLES UPDATES ON THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT. THIS POST COMBINES UPDATES FROM THE PAST TWO MONTHS. LAWYERING JUSTICE WILL TAKE A BREAK FROM POSTING UPDATES UNTIL AFTER THE SUMMER. 

AFRICA

DRC | Judge Ozaki Says No Concrete Grounds to Justify Her Disqualification from Ntaganda Case

Judge Kuniko Ozaki has dismissed accusations by defense lawyers that she violated International Criminal Court (ICC) rules on judicial independence. Judge Ozaki defended herself by stating that her appointment does not contravene any provision of the Rome Statute and that the nature of the two functions does not imply conflicts of any kind. And that her main concern following her appointment was the effective and expeditious completion of the trial against Ntaganda. [June 11, 2019]

DRC | Bid to Disqualify Judge Ozaki Dismissed

The bid to disqualify Judge Ozaki was dismissed by her fellow judges stressing that “the defense failed to demonstrate a reasonable appearance of bias in the Ntaganda case arising from the circumstances of Judge Ozaki’s appointment, ambassadorship, or resignation from the diplomatic post.” [June 20, 2019]

Sudan | Bashir accused of graft, but what about ICC charges?

The  ousted President of Sudan, Omar al-Bashir who has been accused by the OTP of the ICC of allegedly committing war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in the region of Darfur, Sudan has not been handed over to the ICC. [June 29, 2019]

Sudan | Sudan’s Bashir should be handed over or stand trial, says ICC prosecutor

The ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda has called for the Sudanese people to choose between justice and impunity in the case against al-Bashir.  Following the appearance of the deposed President before Sudanese courts on charges of homicide and corruption, Bensouda called for his surrender to The Hague to answer for crimes committed in the Darfur situation. However, she stated that she is ready “to engage in dialogue with the authorities in Sudan to ensure that the Darfur suspects face independent and impartial justice, either in a courtroom in The Hague, or in Sudan.” [June 19, 2019]

EUROPE

European Union | Meet the lawyer taking the EU migration policy to the ICC 

The European Union and its leaders publicly announced a denunciation of crimes against humanity for their migration policy. This denunciation was made by Juan Branco, a young French lawyer who worked at the International Criminal Court. He stated that it “there can be agreements or disagreements regarding migration politics, integration policies, border control etcetera. However, there are clear limits established by international criminal law.”[June 14, 2019]

European Union | ICC submission calls for prosecution of EU over migrant deaths

A 245-page document, by the two main authors Juan Branco and Omer Shatz, calls for punitive action against the EU’s migration policy after 2014. The report asks for the prosecution of the EU and its member states for the deaths of thousands of migrants, who drowned in the Mediterranean fleeing Libya. The document was handed to the International Criminal Court as a legal submission. 

 Netherlands - ICC Prosecutor Signals Important Strategy Shift in New Policy Documents

The Office of the Prosecutor released a draft of its most recent Strategic Plan for this and the next two years, which you can find here. The plan aims to change the strong focus of the ICC on only prosecuting those most responsible for a crime, at the top of the chain command, which often resulted in unsuccessful cases due to constraints in evidence collection. Therefore, the OTP has expanded its target focus slowly to include mid-level perpetrators. This could “have a better prospect of conviction in potential subsequent cases against higher-level accused.” [May 17, 2019]

ASIA 

Myanmar | ICC Presidency assigns the Situation in Bangladesh/ Myanmar to Pre-Trial Chamber III

The Prosecutor of the ICC Fatou Bensouda announced her intention to request the commencement of an investigation into the situation in Myanmar and Bangladesh to the Pre-Trial Chamber of the International Criminal Court. According to Bensouda, this request seeks “to investigate alleged crimes within the Court's jurisdiction in which at least one element occurred on the territory of the People's Republic of Bangladesh – a State Party to the Rome Statute since 1 June 2010 – and within the context of two waves of violence in Rakhine State on the territory of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, as well as any other crimes which are sufficiently linked to these events.” [June 26, 2019]

 Myanmar | Military commits war crimes in latest operation in Rakhine State

Amnesty International denounced the official Myanmar military forces which conducted operations against Rohingya civilian population in Rakhine, particularly the 22ndand 55thLight Infantry Divisions (LID). [May 29, 2019]

Malaysia | UN confirms Malaysia's withdrawal from Rome Statute, says Wisma Putra

The United Nations Secretary-General has confirmed Malaysia’s withdrawal as a signatory of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. In April this year, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad informed the ICC of Malaysia’s withdrawal from ratifying the treaty. [May 16, 2019]

Malaysia | Human Rights Watch Urges Malaysia not to quit the International Criminal Court

The Deputy Asia Director of the NGO Human Rights Watch argued that “[b]y quitting the ICC, Malaysia’s government is undermining its credibility on human rights reforms.” [April 5, 2019]

June 2019

June 2019 - Domestic Prosecution of International Crimes Update

BY CLEO MEINICKE, RESEARCH ASSOCIATE PILPG-NL

THIS UPDATE COLLECTS NEWS ON THE TOPIC OF DOMESTIC PROSECUTIONS OF INTERNATIONAL CRIMES. LAWYERING JUSTICE WILL TAKE A BREAK FROM POSTING UPDATES UNTIL AFTER THE SUMMER. 

AFRICA 

Egypt | HRW: Egypt forces and militants responsible for crimes against humanity in Sinai Peninsula

Based on a two-year investigation into the conditions of civilians in Sinai, Human Rights Watch found widespread abuses against civilians by both the Egyptian government and militants in the Sinai Peninsula. These actions are part of the government’s fight against the ISIS-affiliate militants in Sinai, but Human Rights Watch claims that while both groups are guilty of committing atrocities against civilians, the Egyptian government is responsible for the majority of the abuses. [May 28, 2019]

Liberia | Liberia: War Crimes Court in Sight?

President George Manneh Weah met with the President of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Judge Eboe-Osuji, to discuss the role of the ICC in promoting peace and security in the world. [July 1, 2019]

Rwanda | New fund to fight people negating, denying genocide launched

The fund “Umurinzi Support Fund” was launched to follow up on cases of negation or denial of the 1994 Genocide and prosecute the responsible persons. Many perpetrators and their accomplices still continue to deny the Genocide. [June 8, 2019]

Sudan | Ex-Sudan leader Bashir appears before prosecutor to face corruption charges

Former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir was taken from Kober prison into the capital Khartoum to the prosecutor's office to face corruptions charges. Prosecutor Alaeddin Dafallah told reporters that the former strongman was facing charges of "possessing foreign currency, corruption and receiving gifts illegally." [June 16, 2019]

ASIA

Bangladesh | SC starts appeal hearing of war criminal Azharul

The appeal hearing of war criminal Azharul started. On December 30, 2014 he was sentenced to death for war crimes committed in Rangpur. [June 18, 2019]

Bangladesh | War crime evidence found against 11 men, including USA citizen

Based on an International Crimes Tribunal report evidence exists against eleven alleged war crimminals of Shalla and Dirai police station at Sunamganj. All of these were members of the Pakistan Democratic Parts during the 1971 Liberation War. The investigation agency charged the 11 accused for crimes against humanity, which includes murder, mass killing, confinement, abduction, torture, and rape. [June 17, 2019]

Myanmar | U.N. investigator reports possible fresh war crimes in Myanmar

Myanmar security forces and insurgents are currently committing more human rights violations against civilians that may amount to fresh war crimes, a United Nations investigator said. The government troops are fighting ethnic rebels in conflict-torn Rakhine and Chin states. [July 2, 2019]

CENTRAL AMERICA CARIBBEANS 

El Salvador | In El Salvador, Left Joins Right in Asking for War-Crimes Amnesty

During El Salvador’s civil war approximately 75,000 civilians were killed. The two opposing parties, the FMLN and Arena, take up a substantive number of seats in the Legislative Assembly now and support a legislation calling for de facto amnesty for crimes committed during the war. [May 28, 2019]

Guatemala | Eight Years Imprisonment for Mensur Dakic for War Crimes

Guatemalan police have arrested the former military commander Luis Enrique Mendoza accused of genocide and crimes against humanity. He has been hiding since an arrest warrant was issued in 2011 due to his role in the massacre of 1,771 Maya Ixil villagers in 1982. [June 16, 2019]

Nicaragua | Nicaraguan Lawmakers OK Amnesty for Crimes During Protests

Lawmakers allied to Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega on Saturday approved an amnesty bill for crimes related to last year's anti-government protests, over staunch criticism from the opposition. [June 8, 2019] 

EUROPE

France| Chad rebel leader faces charges of crimes against humanity, war crimes in Paris

Two opponents of Chadian President Idriss Deby are heard by a Paris public prosecutor for alleged crimes against humanity and links to child soldier operations in Chad and Sudan between December 2005 and July 2010. [June 21, 2019]

Germany | Yazidi women sue Germany for failing to prosecute German ISIS jihadis for war crimes

The German government refused a request from the US-supported Syrian Democratic Forces to repatriate at least 61 captured Germans who joined ISIS in Syria. Based on this, a coalition of Yazidi women filed a lawsuits against the two high-level German government officials, Justice Minister Katarina Barley and Interior Minister Horst Seehofer. [May 31, 2019]

Kosovo | Kosovo President Secretly Appoints War Crimes Convict as Adviser

Rrustem Mustafa, who was the KLA’s commander in its ‘Llapi Operational Zone’ during the war was found guilty and imprisoned for four years for war crimes in 2013. The Anti-Corruption Agency now found out that he has been an adviser to Kosovo President Hashim Thaci for the last four months, of which the public was not informed of. [June 6, 2019]

Montenegro| Montenegro Convicts Ex-Soldier of Kosovo War Crime

The High Court in Podgorica on Wednesday sentenced Vlado Zmajevic to 14 years in prison for war crimes against the civilian population. He was found guilty for the murder of four Albanian civilians in the village of Zegra near Gnjilane in Kosovo during the war in 1999. [June 5, 2019]

Netherlands |Three Russians and one Ukrainian to face MH17 murder charges

Four suspects will face murder charges for the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17. The trial is due to start next March in the Netherlands. Prosecutors said there was enough evidence to bring criminal charges. [June 19, 2019]

Serbia | Serbia sentences ex-soldiers for 1991 war crimes in Croatia

Serbia’s special war crimes court sentenced eight former Yugoslav Army soldiers and paramilitaries on Thursday to prison for the killings of Croat civilians during the 1991-1995 war. The defendants are guilty of the killings, and of mistreating and torturing civilians in October 1991, when the then Serb-controlled Yugoslav People’s Army and paramilitaries attacked the village of Lovas in eastern Croatia. [June 20, 2019]

MIDDLE EAST

Saudi Arabia | 'Khashoggi killing was an international crime': UN rapporteur

UN Special Rapporteur Agnes Callamard labeled the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi an “international crime.” She allegedly called on the UN Human Rights Council to look at this murder as a “springboard to take very effective measures for prevention of targeted killings.” [June 20, 2019]

Yemen | Yemen: Attack on Saudi Airport Apparent War Crime

Human Rights Watch claimed that the attack of a Saudi civilian airport on June 12, 2019 by Houthi forces in Yemen was in violation of the laws of war. The organisation argues that deliberate and indiscriminate attacks on civilian objects amount to war crimes and commanders are responsible for them. [June 14, 2019] 

Yemen | Houthi terrorist acts war crimes 

The Council of Ministers on Tuesday highlighted that the hostilities and terrorist operations by Iran-backed Houthi terrorist militias against Saudi Arabia amount to war crimes and a threat to regional and international security. [June 25, 2019]

NORTH AMERICA 

Canada | Canadian Inquiry Calls Killings of Indigenous Women Genocide

A national inquiry into the killings and disappearances of Indigenous women and girls considers the violence to amount to genocide. The inquiry holds Canada responsible for much of the conduct. [June 2, 2019]

United States | Edward Gallagher: Witness in US war crimes case admits killing IS teen

Special Operator 1st Class Corey Scott witnessed Mr Gallagher stabbing a teenaged IS fighter. However, he testified that the teenager probably would have not died from the stabbing. Mr Scott revealed that after the stabbing he himself plugged the teenagers air tube that lead to his death. Mr Scott was given immunity in exchange for his testimony.  [June 20, 2019]

SOUTH AMERICA 

Colombia | Colombia’s war criminals have three months to submit to war crimes tribunal or risk prison

Colombia’s war crimes tribunal issued a public alert that war criminals should report themselves within three months. If they do not do so within that time period they lose the possibility of judicial benefits. [June 12, 2019] 

Colombia | Colombia’s war crimes tribunal receives testimonies of former child soldiers

The youth advocacy group Benposta Nacion de Muchach@s and the European Union provided Colombia’s war crimes tribunal with a report on child soldiers, detailing abuses children suffered at the hands of guerrillas and the armed forces. This report will be used by the tribunal’s ‘Case 7’ that works on investigating the “recruitment and use of boys and girls in the armed conflict.” [June 27, 2019] 

June 2019

June 2019 - Southern Cameroons Update

BY PHEDRA NEEL, RESEARCH ASSOCIATE PILPG-NL

THIS POST COLLECTS UPDATES FROM THE PAST MONTH CONCERNING RELEVANT DEVELOPMENTS IN SOUTHERN CAMEROON. THE INFORMATION IS DRAWN FROM LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL ONLINE SOURCES. LAWYERING JUSTICE WILL TAKE A BREAK FROM POSTING UPDATES UNTIL AFTER THE SUMMER. 

BEGINNING OF PEACE NEGOTIATIONS

Switzerland facilitates talks to end Anglophone crisis

In early April, Pietro Lazzeri, Swiss Ambassador to Cameroon, announced that Switzerland would be willing to help the belligerent parties in finding a way to end the Anglophone crisis. Two months later, in June, the Cameroonian federal government and several separatist groups have asked Switzerland to mediate in peace negotiations, a question Switzerland responded to in a positive matter. Switzerland noted: “At the request of the parties, Switzerland is acting as a facilitator in the crisis in north-western and south-western Cameroon. To this end, a second preparatory meeting with various Cameroonian opposition groups took place in Switzerland between 25 and 27 June 2019. Facilitation is an instrument of Switzerland’s traditional good offices. In this role, Switzerland can establish contacts and provide communication channels. Switzerland’s good offices are open to all concerned parties who wish to participate in facilitation processes.” [June 28, 2019]

Ambazonia leaders endorse Swiss-led dialogue to solve Anglophone crisis

Various leaders of the Ambazonia separatist movement have pledged to take part in the negotiation process initiated by Switzerland to seek a lasting solution to the crisis in the North West and South West regions of Cameroon. The leaders of the separatists groups have made it clear that they demand the independence of the Anglophone regions and urged other countries to support the peace negotiations. [June 28, 2019]

UN and USA welcome Swiss mediation in Anglophone crisis

Stephane Dujarric de la Rivière, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, issued a statement in which he welcomes the move by Switzerland to mediate talks between the government and the separatists in order to seek a solution to the crisis in the North West and South West regions of Cameroon. The statement reads: “The Secretary-General expresses the full backing of the United Nations to this endeavor and reaffirms his readiness to support it as necessary. He encourages all parties to participate in this process and commends the Cameroonian authorities and other stakeholders for this positive step.”

Similarly, the United States’ Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, Tibor Nagy, who was in Cameroon earlier his year, welcomes the announcement that a dialogue will begin between both the government and separatist movements. He calls upon all parties to participate in the inclusive negotiation process. [June 30, 2019]

SITUATION IN SWITZERLAND

Cameroonian diaspora warned against protesting in Switzerland

Cameroon’s Ambassador to Switzerland, Leonard Henri Bindzi, has warned Cameroonians in Switzerland of the personal consequences they risk when participating in a violent protest against the presence of President Biya and his wife in Switzerland. [June 25, 2019]

Cameroon Ambassador summoned after attack on Swiss journalist at Biya’s hotel

 On Wednesday 26th June, a Swiss reporter was attacked by supposedly Biya’s bodyguards, in front of  the Intercontinental Hotel in Geneva where Paul Biya was staying with his wife Chantal Biya. According to the journalist, when demonstrations began, several men ran out of the hotel to chase them away. He remained in front of the hotel and said that he was mishandled by the men who forcibly took his equipment while he was filming.Following these events, Switzerland has taken “diplomatic steps”, meaning that the Cameroonian ambassador was summoned to explain the events. [June 28, 2019] 

Swiss police clash with anti-Biya protesters in Geneva

Swiss anti-riot police clashed on Saturday, June 29, with hundreds of Cameroonian protesters in Geneva as they attempted to force their way to the Intercontinental hotel where the President Paul Biya is lodged. The anti-riot police used tear gas and water cannons to displace the protesters who were calling on the Swiss government to evict Biya from the Intercontinental hotel. The protest was organized by a group that calls itself Brigade Anti Sardinard (BAS) and assembled hundreds of Cameroonians who are calling for the release of Maurice Kamto and an end to the violence in the North West and South West regions of the country. [June 30, 2019]

Petition launched to oust Paul Biya from Switzerland

A Swiss parliamentarian has launched a petition at the Geneva Council in order to declare Cameroon’s Head of State Paul Biya persona non grata in the country. This petition is a reaction to the assault on the Swiss journalist, allegedly by Biya’s bodyguards. The Parliamentarian says the continuous stay of Paul Biya in Switzerland is a slap in the face of human rights advocates and a humiliation to the city of Geneva. [June 30, 2019]

HUMANITARIAN SITUATION

Red Cross chief worried by the humanitarian situation in Anglophone regions

The Deputy Director of the International Red Cross-Africa, Patrick Youssef, has called for more support from the international community to help victims of the crisis in the North West and South West regions. The Red Cross chief said that his recent visit to the region has given him a broader idea of the urgency of the needs of those affected by the conflict, including the access to health facilities, food, clothing, and shelter. He called upon all fighting parties to allow humanitarian aid to reach even the most remote refugees. [June 17, 2019]

Separatists destroy humanitarian aid destined for Anglophone crisis victims

Armed men have set fire to a humanitarian aid vehicle in the North West region. In a video of the events, the men are heard saying that the goods are poison and that no goods sent by the Cameroonian government will be allowed to pass. This causes difficulties for the assistance plan of the government which consists of 50 truckloads of humanitarian aid to the North West and South West regions. [June 24, 2019]

Over 650,000 children in restive regions in need of humanitarian assistance 

 According to a new assessment of UNICEF, around 650 000 children living in the Anglophone regions are in need of humanitarian assistance. Toby Fricker, UNICEF’s spokesperson, also mentioned that humanitarian organizations, such as UNICEF, are having difficulties executing their mandate because of the ongoing conflict. [June 25, 2019]