Salil Shetty, Amnesty International’s Secretary General, will be in New York during the 69th session of the UN General Assembly between 26-30 September. During this time he will:
• Welcome the expected 50th country to ratify the Arms Trade Treaty. The 50th ratification will bring into force the first ever UN treaty to regulate the international arms trade – halting the flow of weapons to countries who it is known would use them to commit or facilitate serious human rights abuses, including genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
• Highlight human rights issues in Ukraine and Russia, following his visit to Kyiv and Moscow earlier this month where Amnesty International revealed mounting evidence of war crimes and Russian involvement in the conflict in eastern Ukraine.
• Urge governments and the UN to commit to ambitious development targets in the post-2015 framework which hold them firmly to account on their human rights obligations. He will also call on all states to recognize that gender equality and the human rights of women and girls, including their rights to sexual and reproductive health, are central to sustainable development.
• Be available to discuss a wide range of other pressing human rights issues including the Central African Republic, Iraq, Israel/Occupied Palestinian Territories, Nigeria and Syria.
To request a media interview or briefing with Salil Shetty please contact: [email protected], +44 (0)203 036 5941, +44 (0)7904 398 285
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