<p>North Korea on Tuesday hit back at a latest UN resolution that <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-sanctions-top-kim-jong-un-aides-over-north-korea-rights-183017">condemned Pyongyang's rights abuses</a>, calling it a "serious... provocation" that would undermine peace efforts on the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/historic-inter-korean-summit-when-the-two-koreas-met-186132">Korean peninsula</a>.</p>

<p>The&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-condemns-us-sanctions-warns-denuclearization-at-risk-184559">UN General Assembly</a>&nbsp;last week adopted a resolution — which passed by consensus without a vote — condemning the "systematic, widespread and gross" human rights violations in the isolated North.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The impoverished but nuclear-armed nation, ruled by the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/east-asia/denuclearisation-includes-eliminating-us-nuclear-threat-in-korean-peninsula-north-korean-state-media-185456">Kim family </a>through three generations, has been accused of state-sanctioned abuses including torture, rape and extrajudicial killings.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It marked the 14th consecutive year the UN has passed such a document. The North has constantly denied any rights abuses in the country and labelled the UN criticisms as smear campaigns aimed at undermining its leadership.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The North's state-run Rodong newspaper slammed the latest resolution as a "serious political provocation against the (North) and a vicious move to tarnish its international image".</p>

<p>"The wicked intention of the US... in getting vocal about the non-existent 'human rights issue' of the DPRK is to broaden the scope of the sanctions and pressure and escalate them," it said in an editorial, using the North's official name.</p>

<p>The editorial also lashed out at a "thoughtless"<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/pictures-with-kim-jong-un-mask-pulled-down-from-social-media-after-backlash-in-south-korea-183853"> South Korea</a> for backing the UN bill — a move that would be "tarnishing the atmosphere of improving the north-south ties".</p>

<p>Washington had separately sought to organize a Security Council meeting on human rights in the North but gave up on the option earlier this month because it was unsure of the support it would get from partners.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But the US hopes to hold the meeting next month with the arrival of new non-permanent council members that could be more favourable to doing so.</p>

<p>The South's President Moon Jae-in has advocated dialogue with the North to nudge it to denuclearisation negotiations and has met with its leader Kim Jong Un three times this year.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Kim also met with US President Donald Trump in a historic summit in June but progress has stalled with both sides accusing each other of dragging their feet and acting in bad faith.</p>


North Korea on Tuesday hit back at a latest UN resolution that condemned Pyongyang's rights abuses, calling it a "serious... provocation" that would undermine peace efforts on the Korean peninsula.

North Korea on Tuesday hit back at a latest UN resolution that condemned Pyongyang's rights abuses, calling it a "serious... provocation" that would undermine peace efforts on the Korean peninsula. The UN General Assembly last week adopted a resolution — which passed by consensus without a vote — condemning the "systematic, widespread and gross" human rights violations in the isolated North. The impoverished but nuclear-armed nation, ruled by the Kim family through three generations, has been accused of state-sanctioned abuses including torture, rape and extrajudicial killings. It marked the 14th consecutive year the UN has passed such a document. The North has constantly denied any rights abuses in the country and labelled the UN criticisms as smear campaigns aimed at undermining its leadership. The North's state-run Rodong newspaper slammed the latest resolution as a "serious political provocation against the (North) and a vicious move to tarnish its international image". "The wicked intention of the US... in getting vocal about the non-existent 'human rights issue' of the DPRK is to broaden the scope of the sanctions and pressure and escalate them," it said in an editorial, using the North's official name. The editorial also lashed out at a "thoughtless" South Korea for backing the UN bill — a move that would be "tarnishing the atmosphere of improving the north-south ties". Washington had separately sought to organize a Security Council meeting on human rights in the North but gave up on the option earlier this month because it was unsure of the support it would get from partners. But the US hopes to hold the meeting next month with the arrival of new non-permanent council members that could be more favourable to doing so. The South's President Moon Jae-in has advocated dialogue with the North to nudge it to denuclearisation negotiations and has met with its leader Kim Jong Un three times this year. Kim also met with US President Donald Trump in a historic summit in June but progress has stalled with both sides accusing each other of dragging their feet and acting in bad faith.

North Korea say UN resolution on rights abuse 'serious provocation'

Amnesty International India has temporarily closed its offices and postponed events aimed at raising awareness of rights abuses over safety concerns for its staff after the charity was accused of sedition by protesters, a spokeswoman said yesterday.<br />
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Political activists held demonstrations against the rights group on Tuesday and Wednesday, accusing it of inciting hatred against the State during an event it hosted on abuses by Indian security forces in the troubled Kashmir region.<br />
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Police said they were investigating if &quot;anti-India&quot; slogans were raised at the event after receiving a complaint from the right-wing student organisation, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), which has ties to the ruling Bharitya Janata Party (BJP).<br />
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Amnesty said the allegations against the organisation were unsubstantiated, but admitted that slogans calling for Kashmir&#39;s independence were chanted by some people attending Saturday&#39;s seminar in the southern city of Bengaluru.<br />
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&quot;The allegations mentioned in the complaint are without any basis. The event was an open door event and people were coming and going. No staff members were involved,&quot; said Himanshi Matta, Amnesty International India&#39;s spokeswoman in India.<br />
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<h5>Amnesty said the allegations against the organisation were unsubstantiated, but admitted that slogans calling for Kashmir&#39;s independence were chanted by some people attending Saturday&#39;s seminar in the southern city of Bengaluru.</h5>
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&quot;They are preventing the families of victims of human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir from having their stories heard. And preventing civil society organisations from enabling these families to exercise their constitutional right to justice.&quot;<br />
<br />
Following protests by hundreds of right-wing activists in Bengaluru on Tuesday and in Delhi on Wednesday, Matta said the charity had decided to temporarily close its main office in the city, as well smaller ones in Pune, New Delhi and Chennai.<br />
<br />
The seminar, aimed at raising awareness over the lack of justice for families of victims in the northern Kashmir, was planned to take place in Mumbai and New Delhi next week, but has been postponed due to security concerns for the families and staff, she added.<br />
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Rights groups have for years accused Indian forces battling a separatist insurgency in Kashmir and parts of northeast India of violating civilian rights through a controversial law which gives them sweeping powers to search, arrest or shoot people.<br />
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Authorities and the armed forces deny the charges, saying the law - the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA)- is essential to root out militants.<br />
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Video footage of the event in Bengaluru which was recorded by Amnesty has been handed over to the police, and is being studied by forensic investigators, said a police official, who declined to be named.<br />
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Kashmir, India&#39;s only majority-Muslim region, has been the trigger for two of the three wars between India and neighbouring Pakistan - with both nuclear-armed nations laying claim to it.<br />
<br />
The investigation comes as Indian-administered Kashmir experiences its worst unrest in six years after security forces last month killed a young separatist commander who was idolized by some youth, provoking an outpouring of anger.<br />
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At least 64 people - civilians and security forces - have been killed in last 40 days in violent street protests, and a strict curfew has been imposed on residents.<br />
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(Reuters)

Political activists held demonstrations against the rights group accusing it of inciting hatred against the State

Amnesty International India has temporarily closed its offices and postponed events aimed at raising awareness of rights abuses over safety concerns for its staff after the charity was accused of sedition by protesters, a spokeswoman said yesterday. Political activists held demonstrations against the rights group on Tuesday and Wednesday, accusing it of inciting hatred against the State during an event it hosted on abuses by Indian security forces in the troubled Kashmir region. Police said they were investigating if "anti-India" slogans were raised at the event after receiving a complaint from the right-wing student organisation, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), which has ties to the ruling Bharitya Janata Party (BJP). Amnesty said the allegations against the organisation were unsubstantiated, but admitted that slogans calling for Kashmir's independence were chanted by some people attending Saturday's seminar in the southern city of Bengaluru. "The allegations mentioned in the complaint are without any basis. The event was an open door event and people were coming and going. No staff members were involved," said Himanshi Matta, Amnesty International India's spokeswoman in India. Amnesty said the allegations against the organisation were unsubstantiated, but admitted that slogans calling for Kashmir's independence were chanted by some people attending Saturday's seminar in the southern city of Bengaluru. "They are preventing the families of victims of human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir from having their stories heard. And preventing civil society organisations from enabling these families to exercise their constitutional right to justice." Following protests by hundreds of right-wing activists in Bengaluru on Tuesday and in Delhi on Wednesday, Matta said the charity had decided to temporarily close its main office in the city, as well smaller ones in Pune, New Delhi and Chennai. The seminar, aimed at raising awareness over the lack of justice for families of victims in the northern Kashmir, was planned to take place in Mumbai and New Delhi next week, but has been postponed due to security concerns for the families and staff, she added. Rights groups have for years accused Indian forces battling a separatist insurgency in Kashmir and parts of northeast India of violating civilian rights through a controversial law which gives them sweeping powers to search, arrest or shoot people. Authorities and the armed forces deny the charges, saying the law - the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA)- is essential to root out militants. Video footage of the event in Bengaluru which was recorded by Amnesty has been handed over to the police, and is being studied by forensic investigators, said a police official, who declined to be named. Kashmir, India's only majority-Muslim region, has been the trigger for two of the three wars between India and neighbouring Pakistan - with both nuclear-armed nations laying claim to it. The investigation comes as Indian-administered Kashmir experiences its worst unrest in six years after security forces last month killed a young separatist commander who was idolized by some youth, provoking an outpouring of anger. At least 64 people - civilians and security forces - have been killed in last 40 days in violent street protests, and a strict curfew has been imposed on residents. (Reuters)

Amnesty India temporarily closes offices, postpones events after sedition charge

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