Celebrating 25 Years of Scoop
Licence needed for work use Learn More

World Video | Defence | Foreign Affairs | Natural Events | Trade | NZ in World News | NZ National News Video | NZ Regional News | Search

 

Probe into violence during referendum in Catalonia urged

UN human rights chief urges probe into violence during referendum in Catalonia

2 October 2017 – The top United Nations human rights official urged today the authorities in Spain to ensure thorough, independent and impartial investigations into all acts of violence that took place Sunday during a referendum on the independence of Catalonia.

“I am very disturbed by the violence in Catalonia on Sunday,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said in a statement.

According to media reports, police raided polling stations, and hundreds of people were injured.

“Police responses must at all times be proportionate and necessary,” Mr. Zeid said, stressing that the current situation should be resolved through political dialogue, with full respect for democratic freedoms.

He called the Spanish Government to accept without delay the requests by relevant UN human rights experts to visit.

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
World Headlines

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.