The United Nations General Assembly has suspended Libya’s membership of the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council.
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Citing violence by Libyan forces against anti-government protesters, the 192 members of the assembly took the unanimous decision at UN headquarters in New York on Tuesday.
The resolution to suspend Libya followed a recommendation by the UN Human Rights Council.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the decision to suspend Libya’s membership of the council, as he did the council’s decision to establish an inquiry to investigate human rights abuses in Libya.
“These actions send a strong and important message,” Ban said. “That there is not impunity, that those who commit crimes against humanity will be punished, that fundamental principles of justice and accountability shall prevail.”
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Leaders demand end to Libya violence
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She was backed in Geneva by United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who said Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi was using “mercenaries and thugs” to attack unarmed civilians and must leave power “now, without further violence or delay”. Calmy-Rey and Clinton were speaking at the United Nations Human Rights Council, where numerous foreign ministers and…
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In a special session in Geneva on Friday, the 47-member organisation also called for an international inquiry into human rights violations in the North African country. A resolution presented by the European Union was adopted without opposition, although some states had reservations about the exclusion of Libya, which has been a member since May 2010.…
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The foreign ministry said the decision had come into force immediately. “To pre-empt any misuse of state funds, the cabinet today decided to block all assets in Switzerland belonging to Moammar Gaddafi and his entourage with immediate effect,” a ministry statement said. “The sale of the property of these persons – in particular real estate…
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For the past two weeks, unrest has been spreading across Libya, with protesters demanding the departure of the country’s leader, Moammar Gaddafi. The self-styled guide has led the country for more than 40 years and has warned he will fight till the end.
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