UN News Today 25 February 2025 |

UN rights chief decries substantial rise in death penalty executions

Efforts to eradicate the death penalty were in the spotlight at the Human Rights Council on Tuesday, where UN human rights chief Volker Türk condemned a “substantial increase” in executions globally.

The High Commissioner said that the punishment had “no place” in the 21st century:

“The top executing countries over recent years include the Islamic Republic of Iran, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, and the United States of America”.

Latest UN data indicates that in 2023, 1,153 executions took place in 16 countries. This represents a 31 per cent increase from 2022.

These numbers do not take into account China, “where there is a lack of transparent information and statistics on the death penalty”, said Mr. Türk, as he urged authorities there to join the trend towards abolition.

Europe faces a ‘cradle to cane’ health crisis, warns WHO

Medical news now from the UN health agency, which warned on Tuesday that countries across Europe and Central Asia have a major problem with “stagnating” healthcare systems.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), almost 76,000 children in the region die before their fifth birthday every year.

In addition, non-communicable diseases claim the lives one in six people before they’re 70.

WHO’s latest European Health Report showed that under-five mortality ranged from 1.5 to 40.4 deaths per 1,000 live births across 53 countries in the region.

The top causes of death include pre-term birth complications, birth asphyxia and congenital heart anomalies.

Despite much progress in tackling non-communicable diseases across Europe and Central Asia, conditions such as heart and lung disease, stroke and diabetes remain by far the biggest killers.

At least 10 countries have achieved a 25 per cent reduction in premature mortality from these four non-communicable diseases.

Nonetheless, one in six people still die before they reach their 70th birthday from cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes or chronic respiratory disease, WHO said.

DRC update: Civilians and aid workers killed in ongoing violence

Ongoing fighting in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) between Rwanda-backed M23 rebels and Congolese troops has claimed more lives and forced even more families from their homes.

In an alert, UN aid coordinators OCHA said that six humanitarian workers have been killed since January – the latest victim was shot during clashes last week near a hospital in Masisi Territory about 80 kilometres west of Goma, in North Kivu.

The same clashes reportedly killed three other civilians and injured a child, according to OCHA, which said that more than 100,000 people have been forced to flee their homes by further clashes last week in Lubero Territory, 250 kilometers north of Goma.

Because of the insecurity several local health facilities have had to suspend activities. Local humanitarian partners also report that there have been widespread human rights violations during the clashes, including rape, OCHA said.

Daniel Johnson, UN News.

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