GENEVA: The UN’s top human rights body voted Friday to renew work by experts investigating alleged rights violations and crimes in war-torn Yemen, brushing aside the objections of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen’s internationally recognized government itself. The Human Rights Council, in a measure brought by Western countries, voted 21-8 with 18 abstentions. Burundi, China, Cuba, Egypt, Pakistan and Venezuela joined Saudi Arabia and the UAE in opposing the measure at the 47-member Geneva body. The supporters also said the experts’ team has had little time to do its work, and said Yemen’s crisis needs continued scrutiny. The resolution on Yemen was perhaps the most hotly contested country-specific issue at the council’s three-week session, which also included resolutions to continue or improve scrutiny of alleged human rights abuses in places like Myanmar, Burundi and Syria.

Source: Pakistan Today September 28, 2018 15:00 UTC