Amid the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, has called “disturbing” the “arbitrary arrest of a large number of anti-war protesters” in Russia. Addressing the 50th session of the UN Human Rights Council on Monday June 13, Ms Bachelet said Russia had put in place “new criminal restrictions”, including a ban on the broadcast of information based on vague notions, including “fake news”. Michelle Bachelet has expressed regret over the announced increase in media restrictions.
“In the Russian Federation, the arbitrary arrest of a large number of anti-war protesters is worrying. New penal restrictions have been introduced, including general bans on the dissemination of information based on vague and ambiguous notions, including fake news or non-objective information,” Michelle Bachelet said during the Human Rights Council session.
The UN human rights chief said the war in Ukraine continues to “destroy” people’s lives, bringing “havoc and destruction”. Michelle Bachelet stressed that the horrors inflicted on the Ukrainian nations will leave an “indelible mark” on them as well as on future generations. She added, “Its social, economic and political ramifications reverberate across the region and the world, with no end in sight.” She warned that the global food, fuel and financial crisis would put millions at risk of food insecurity and poverty. She noted that the World Food Program has estimated that the number of severely food insecure people is expected to rise from 276 million at the start of 2022 to 323 million during the year. Michelle Bachelet’s statement comes as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine crossed 100 days recently.
“The war in Ukraine continues to destroy the lives of many people, causing havoc and destruction. The horrors inflicted on the civilian population will leave their indelible mark, including on generations to come,” Michelle Bachelet told the Human Rights Council of man.
Anti-war demonstrations in Canada and the United States
Residents of at least eight cities in the United States, including New York, Chicago, Portland, Washington and Philadelphia, as well as three Canadian cities, including Ottawa, Montreal and Toronto, organized anti-war demonstrations on June 12, reported Ukrinform. Dozens of demonstrators brandishing posters and chanting anti-war slogans “War is evil!”, “No to violence!” reached the Russian Embassy in Washington. According to Ukrinform, dozens of Russians went to the Russian Consulate General in New York for an anti-war rally and chanted slogans such as “Glory to Ukraine!”, Russia will be free from Putinism!”, according to the report.
