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International Peace & Security Section
Nigeria: Armed Bandits Kill 11 and Kidnap 70 in Northwestern Nigeria
Taiwan: Torrential Rainfall Leads to Four Deaths and the Evacuation of Over 5,900 People
Türkiye: Parliamentary Commission Established to Supervise PKK Disarmament
Russia: Claims Control Over Village in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk Region
Lithuania: Requests Assistance from NATO to Strengthen its Air Defences
Yemen: At Least 92 Dead After Migrant Boat Sinks Off Southern Yemen
Italy: Court Dismisses Case Against PM Over Release of ICC Suspect
On 5 August 2025, the Rome Court of Ministers dismissed proceedings against Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni over the January release of Osama Almasri Njeem, a Libyan policeman wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes. Prosecutors will continue to pursue charges against Justice Minister Carlo Nordio, Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, and Cabinet Secretary Alfredo Mantovano. Njeem, head of the Tripoli branch of Libya’s Reform and Rehabilitation Institution, a detention network repeatedly cited by the UN Human Rights Council for torture and other inhumane treatment, faces ICC allegations of imprisonment, murder, torture, outrages upon personal dignity, and sexual violence under Articles 7 and 8 of the Rome Statute. Meloni argued the ICC arrest request was never transmitted to Italy’s Ministry of Justice, preventing validation, and said the repatriation was necessary for Italian security. Nordio described the warrant as “marked by inaccuracies, omissions, discrepancies and contradictory conclusions.” Under Article 86 of the Rome Statute, states parties must cooperate fully with the ICC. Italian authorities detained Njeem in Turin but released him on 21 January without ICC consultation.
Gaza: MSF Denounces GHF for Systemic Killings of Palestinians
On 6 August 2025, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) released a harrowing report denouncing the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) food distribution as sites of “orchestrated killing and dehumanisation,” rather than humanitarian aid. Between 7-24 June 2025, MSF clinics located near the GHF sites in southern Gaza treated 1,380 casualties, including 28 fatalities and 174 gunshot wound victims, 71 of whom were children, 25 under the age of 15. Disturbingly, the injury patterns, such as 11% of wounds to the head and neck and 19% to the chest, abdomen, or back, suggest intentional targeting by Israeli forces and private US contractors securing the sites. MSF describes the GHF distribution zones as a “laboratory of cruelty,” urging their immediate dismantling and a return to UN-coordinated aid mechanisms. The organisation calls on governments and donors, especially the US, to suspend financial and political support for GHF.
https://msf.org.uk/article/msf-gaza-report-not-aid-orchestrated-killing
ICC: Former Judges Criticise Handling of Misconduct Probe into ICC Chief Prosecutor
On 6 August 2025, it was reported former judges condemned the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) handling of a sexual misconduct investigation into ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan, with one warning the institution was veering into “bandit country” over alleged procedural breaches. The Assembly of States Parties to the ICC came under criticism for publicly naming Khan in the complaint and for outsourcing the investigation to the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS). Former ICC Judge Cuno Tarfusser, joined by another former judge speaking anonymously, said Khan had been “denied due process and the right to privacy” and warned that the court’s approach risked deterring future complainants. Tarfusser described the process as “deeply disturbing” and “scandalising.” The allegations, first surfacing online in October 2024, accused Khan of sexual misconduct toward an ICC associate. Reports have since suggested the timing of the allegations, coinciding with Khan’s preparation of arrest warrants for Israeli officials, raised concerns over political interference. In July, media reported that a member of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s legal team had allegedly threatened Khan and his wife, following Israeli requests to keep certain ICC warrants, including one for Netanyahu, confidential. The complainant has denied any link between her allegations and the Israeli cases or intelligence agencies, affirming her support for ICC investigations. OIOS guidelines require strict confidentiality for both complainants and subjects of investigations, reporting only to the UN Secretary-General and General Assembly.
https://menafn.com/1109891273/Former-judge-criticizes-ICC-in-bandit-country-over-sex-case
Georgia: Amnesty Calls for Investigation into ‘Unfair Trial’ of Journalist
On 6 August 2025, Amnesty International called for an investigation into the conviction and two-year sentence of Georgian journalist Mzia Amaghlobeli, citing serious allegations of ill-treatment and denial of a fair trial. Amaghlobeli, a journalist and co-founder of the independent outlets Gazeti Batumelebi and Netzgazeti, has been in pretrial detention for over 200 days following her January arrest under Article 351(1) of the Georgian Criminal Code, which criminalises attacking law enforcement or other state officials. The charge arose after a verbal altercation in which officers allegedly made sexualized threats, prompting her to slap the police chief. Transparency International has criticised the provision as vague and prone to political misuse, while noting she was never properly informed of the legal basis for her detention as required under domestic law. Amnesty’s Denis Krivosheev stressed that Amaghlobeli “must receive a fair trial” and that abuses against her must be independently investigated. The Committee to Protect Journalists called the sentence “disproportionate and politicised.” According to rights groups, Batumi City Court ordered her pretrial detention without assessing the evidentiary basis, relying on unsubstantiated claims such as flight risk and potential evidence destruction. Advocates argue the prosecution’s case is politically motivated, tied to her reporting on government corruption. In detention, Amaghlobeli’s health has deteriorated, and she has reportedly been denied medical care, part of what observers describe as a wider pattern of dehumanising treatment of rights defenders in Georgia.
Lebanon: HRW Warns Israel’s Occupation and Vandalism of Lebanon Schools Amount to War Crimes
On 6 August 2025, Human Rights Watch (HRW) issued a report detailing that between January and March 2025, Israeli forces had occupied and vandalised schools in southern Lebanon in actions it said amounted to war crimes. Visiting seven schools, HRW reported extensive damage to buildings and surrounding villages, which included Hebrew graffiti, trash, and discarded Israeli food items, indicating Israeli presence in five of the facilities. The report comes amid ongoing hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah. UNICEF and other organizations warned of severe impacts on children’s education, noting that at least 500 public schools, nearly half of Lebanon’s total, are being used as collective shelters after September 2024 violence displaced over 1.2 million people. UNICEF stressed that school attendance “remains very low” in Lebanon despite a 2024 ceasefire. An Israel Defence Forces spokesperson told HRW that vandalism of civilian property violates IDF regulations and that any exceptional incidents would be addressed. Social media posts showed Israeli troops converting a secondary school into a military base and marking walls with Golani Brigade insignia. The UN Security Council has condemned attacks on schools and hospitals as one of the “six grave violations” against children in armed conflict under international law.
https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/08/06/lebanon-israeli-forces-occupied-vandalized-schools
Russia: Legal Scholar Decries Russian Threats Against Countries Complying with ICC Warrant
On 7 August 2025, Irish legal scholar Dr. Andrew Forde stated Russia’s threats to attack countries or institutions that might arrest Vladimir Putin under an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant violate the UN Charter’s prohibition on the threat or use of force. Kremlin officials, including Dmitry Medvedev, have warned of missile strikes against Germany, South Africa, and even the ICC headquarters in The Hague if Putin is detained. These threats undermine global peace and risk emboldening autocrats worldwide. In response, a new Special Tribunal under the Council of Europe is being established to prosecute Russia’s top leadership, including Putin, focusing on the “crime of aggression,” specifically the illegal invasion of Ukraine. The tribunal echoes the Nuremberg trials of Nazi leaders. While the ICC targets specific war crimes, this tribunal will concentrate on the accountability of Russia’s top leadership for crimes of aggression and initiating the war. Though heads of state have personal immunity while in office, this protection ends upon leaving power, so Putin’s arrest will likely depend on regime change in Russia. The tribunal may also seek to prosecute allies like Belarus and North Korea. Forde says extensive evidence, including satellite imagery, witness testimony, reports of troop movements, and findings from independent monitors such as the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross, will be used to support prosecutions. EU leaders back the tribunal as a crucial step to ensure accountability for the war crimes committed in Ukraine. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, said the creation of the tribunal ensures that no one, including Russia’s leaders, will go unpunished for the crimes committed.
Azerbaijan: Trial of Armenian Citizens Accused of Crimes Continues
On 7 August 2025, the Baku Military Court continued the trial of 15 Armenian citizens, including former leaders Arayik Harutyunyan, Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, David Babayan, and others. They are accused of war crimes, genocide, crimes against humanity, terrorism, and other serious offences stemming from Armenia’s military actions against Azerbaijan. The session, chaired by Judge Zeynal Agayev, heard testimonies from victims and their families. Witnesses described killings of soldiers in the 1990s and during the 2020 War, injuries from landmines, sniper fire, and artillery, and attacks in 2016 and 2023. Several recounted torture and abuse in captivity, including beatings, forced language repetition, amputations, and executions of wounded soldiers. Captivity cases spanned from the early 1990s through recent conflicts, with some victims held for years, ransomed, or repatriated after severe mistreatment. The charges, under multiple articles of Azerbaijan’s Criminal Code, allege planning of aggressive war, genocide, violations of international humanitarian law, and terrorism, with direct links to senior Armenian political and military figures. Proceedings will resume on 8 August, with prosecutors, defence lawyers, and the accused continuing to question witnesses.
Ukraine: Launches War Crimes Investigation into Russian Detention Centre Leader
On 7 August 2025, Ukraine announced it had launched a formal war crimes investigation into Aleksandr Shtoda, director of the notorious Sizo 2 pre-trial detention centre in Taganrog, Russia. The facility is known for its brutal treatment of detainees, including torture and starvation, most notably of journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna. Shtoda assumed leadership of the prison in October 2022. After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Sizo 2 was converted from a juvenile detention centre into a torture prison for Ukrainian inmates. Shtoda is suspected of orchestrating a repressive system in violation of the Geneva Conventions and other international treaties. Investigators allege that he issued orders for physical and psychological abuse, deprivation of food, water, sleep, and medical care, targeting Ukrainian civilians and prisoners of war under his authority. Roshchyna, who was detained nearly nine months at Sizo 2, was found to have multiple signs of torture when her body was returned to Ukraine earlier this year. In acknowledgment of her work and tragedy, she has been posthumously awarded Ukraine’s highest civilian honour, the Order of Freedom, and her funeral is scheduled to take place on Friday in Kyiv. This notice of suspicion marks the commencement of a pre-trial investigation and can lead to charges even if conducted in absentia, a significant step toward accountability for wartime abuses.
Sudan: At Least 14 Civilians Killed by RSF Amid Ongoing Siege on El-Fasher
On 4 August 2025, it was reported that at least 14 civilians were killed and several others injured by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the city of El-Fasher, the capital of the North Darfur State. Emergency Lawyers, an independent human rights organisation, reported that on Sunday, the RSF had carried out “a horrific massacre” against civilians who were trying to escape Qarni village, located northwest of El-Fasher. This attack resulted in 14 deaths and dozens more injured, while several civilians were reportedly kidnapped. This latest incident comes amid a “suffocating siege” inflicted by the RSF on El-Fasher. The region is now on the brink of famine, with supplies cut off, a collapse of healthcare services, and critical shortages of food and medicine. Thousands are now suffering widespread malnutrition and disease, which is particularly prevalent among children. Emergency Lawyers have urged the international community to set up humanitarian corridors to allow civilians to evacuate safely and to open an international investigation into RSF’s siege on the city. El-Fasher serves as a critical centre for humanitarian efforts in Darfur; however, for over a year, it has been besieged by the RSF, despite attempts to secure a humanitarian truce and facilitate the delivery of aid. Since April 2023, Sudan has been engulfed in conflict, with the RSF at war with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). The fighting has resulted in over 20,000 deaths and the displacement of 14 million people. However, the actual death toll is believed to be much higher, possibly as high as 130,00 according to research from US universities.
Nigeria: Armed Bandits Kill 11 and Kidnap 70 in Northwestern Nigeria
On 4 August 2025, it was reported armed men on motorbikes had attacked and killed 11 people and kidnapped a further 70 others, including women and children, in the village of Sabongarin Damri in Zamfara State, northwestern Nigeria. In recent years, these armed groups, known locally as “bandits,” have targeted and killed hundreds of people and kidnapped thousands more throughout the state. These armed groups often detain captives for months, demanding ransoms for their release. Nigeria’s Zamfara state, which shares a border with Niger, has become a hotspot for violent assaults, mass abductions, and unrest. The ongoing turmoil has caused disruption to farming activities and travel, while thousands have been forced to flee their homes. According to the government’s National Orientation Agency, from April to July this year, the police arrested 2,109 people and rescued 175 kidnap victims from suspected bandit groups in northwest and central Nigeria.
Taiwan: Torrential Rainfall Leads to Four Deaths and the Evacuation of Over 5,900 People
On 4 August 2025, it was reported that torrential rainfall in southern Taiwan had led to four deaths and the evacuation of over 5,900 people. Over the past week alone, Taiwan has recorded more than a year’s rainfall, triggering severe flooding and landslides. Three people remain missing, while 77 others have been missing since late July. According to the Central Weather Administration, some parts of southern Taiwan received over 2.6 metres (102.3 inches) of rainfall over the last week, exceeding the region’s average annual rainfall of about 2.1 metres in subtropical Taiwan. On Monday, Premier Cho Jung-tai visited the city of Tainan, one of the most severely affected areas. He announced that his cabinet is preparing a special budget to support relief efforts. The government also reported that of those evacuated, more than 2,000 people remain displaced and unable to return to their homes, mostly in the mountainous villages in the southern Kaohsiung and Pingtung County. Rescue teams are still working to repair damaged roads and clear those blocked by flooding, while also delivering food and medical supplies. Kaohsiung mayor Chen Chi-mai described this as the largest evacuation of people in the last decade. He urged residents not to return to their homes in the mountains, as conditions there remain hazardous.
Mozambique: 60,000 Displaced by Escalating Violence
On 5 August 2025, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that nearly 60,000 people have been displaced in Cabo Delgado province in northern Mozambique over the past two weeks. A long-running insurgency by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) affiliated fighters has resulted in a surge of violence, marked by escalated attacks that began on 20 July. The district of Chiúre has been the most severely affected area, with more than 42,000 people displaced, over half of them children. Paola Emerson, the head of the Mozambique division of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), stated that approximately 30,000 displaced people have been provided with food, water, and shelter. She added that OCHA aims to increase its humanitarian assistance in the coming days, however, the current response is not at the level necessary to meet the growing demands. Emerson outlined that cuts to international funding have led to a reduction in essential aid. To date, the UN has received just 19% of the funds needed for its 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan for Mozambique. For the last eight years, Mozambique has been fighting an insurgency by a group known locally as Al-Shabab. Soldiers from Rwanda have been deployed to help Mozambique in combating this group. Since the violence began, over 6,000 people have been killed, including 364 people last year. Last month, Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported that Al-Shabab had escalated the abductions of children, using them as fighters, labourers, or for marriage. HRW stated that the recruitment or deployment of children under the age of 15 in active hostilities amounts to a war crime under international law.
Türkiye: Parliamentary Commission Established to Supervise PKK Disarmament
On 5 August 2025, Türkiye’s parliament established a commission to monitor the disarmament of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militant group, following a decision from its imprisoned leader, Abdullah Ocalan, to end its insurgency. Last month, thirty PKK militants held a symbolic weapon-burning ceremony in northern Iraq, a significant first step towards ending the long running conflict with Türkiye. At the commission’s opening session, Parliament Speaker, Numan Kurtulmus, outlined one of its first tasks would be to monitor the disarmament process. He added once disarmament is complete, the commission will also prepare legal frameworks to secure a lasting peace. The PKK began its insurgency in 1984 and has been designated a terrorist group by Türkiye and other Western countries. In May, the group decided to disband, disarm and end its armed campaign, declaring it had “completed its historic mission.” Over the decades, the PKK’s aims evolved from pursuing an independent Kurdish state to seeking rights and limited autonomy for Kurds in southeastern Türkiye. All but one of Türkiye’s parliamentary parties are included in the commission, signifying the first time a broad range of parties have formally convened in parliament to discuss the peace process. The pro-Kurdish DEM Party has played an important role in advancing the peace process. DEM’s Gulistan Kocyigit informed the commission that “permanent peace is possible through a democratic solution process based on a legitimate and inclusive political foundation.” She further added that the DEM advocates for collective rights for Kurds, which includes the right to receive education in their native language and reforms to improve local governance. Additionally, DEM’s Meral Danis Bestas stressed that steps should be taken to review Abdullah Ocalan’s aggravated life sentence.
Russia: Claims Control Over Village in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk Region
On 5 August 2025, Russia claimed it had taken control of the village of Sichneve in Ukraine’s east-central Dnipropetrovsk region. This development is part of Russia’s ongoing offensive in the eastern part of the country. In recent months, Russian forces have been steadily pushing westward along the front line, regularly seizing new villages, mostly in the Donetsk region. Ukraine has yet to comment on Russia’s recent claims, while independent verification has not yet been obtained. Ukraine’s military maintains that its forces are holding their positions on the front line. On Monday, Ukraine rejected claims that its forces were surrounded in Pokrovsk, a key logistical hub in Donetsk that has faced heavy Russian assaults for months. The General Staff of Ukraine’s military said Ukrainian forces are actively working to halt Russian advances towards Pokrovsk, strongly dismissing reports that their units are surrounded in Pokrovsk as “absolutely not true.” Russian forces now claim to control roughly 20% of Ukraine’s territory, having annexed four regions: Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia. Moscow asserts it has full control over Luhansk and parts of the other regions, as well as the Crimea peninsula, which it captured in 2014. Ukraine’s top military commander, Oleksandr Syrskyi, stated that Russian forces are attempting to advance along the front line, with heavy fighting near Pokrovsk and Donetsk. However, he stressed that Ukrainian forces have made gains in the Sumy region, where Russian troops had previously gained a foothold. Syrskyi added that Ukrainian forces are fighting in Russia’s Kursk region, where Kyiv launched an incursion last year, and where Russia claims to have driven out all Ukrainian forces in April.
Lithuania: Requests Assistance from NATO to Strengthen its Air Defences
On 5 August 2025, Lithuania’s foreign ministry requested assistance from NATO to strengthen its air defences. This request was prompted by two military drones that crossed into Lithuanian territory from Belarus. Lithuania, a member of both NATO and the EU, borders Russia and Russian ally Belarus. In a letter sent to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Lithuania’s foreign and defence ministers stressed that the alliance must be ready to defend “every centimetre of its territory.” NATO said it was closely monitoring the situation and that the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), General Grynkewich, has the authority to implement necessary measures. The alliance also said that efforts are underway to obtain and develop detection and counter-drone capabilities. Lithuanian Defence Minister Dovile Sakaliene confirmed that the most recent drone incident occurred on 28 July, when a drone entered Lithuanian territory. Authorities suspect it was aimed at Ukraine by Russia but was diverted by Ukrainian defences. The drone was discovered crashed approximately 100 kilometres (62.14 miles) from the border with Belarus. On 10 July, a similar drone entered Lithuania from Belarus, causing temporary alarm among authorities, leading to then Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas and Speaker of Parliament Saulius Skvernelis being taken to a bomb shelter for a short period until it was determined there was no threat.
Yemen: At Least 92 Dead After Migrant Boat Sinks Off Southern Yemen
On 6 August 2025, authorities in Yemen reported that the death toll from a migrant boat shipwreck off the country’s southern coast had increased to 92, as search efforts remain ongoing to locate those still missing. Abdel Qader Bajameel, Director of the Health Office in Abyan province, stated that the victims were migrants trying to reach Yemen. Most of the bodies were recovered along a 120-kilometres stretch of coastline from the provincial capital, Zinjibar, to the Ahwar district. The tragedy occurred on Sunday when a boat carrying approximately 200 migrants, mostly from Ethiopia, sank off the coast of Abyan. Local authorities reported that they had launched a search operation to recover the bodies of those who drowned. The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) initially reported on Tuesday that 56 people had died, including 14 women, while a further 132 remained unaccounted for. In 2024 alone, more than 60,000 migrants arrived in Yemen, according to figures from the IOM. Yemen continues to be a common entry point for migrants from the Horn of Africa, particularly Somalia and Ethiopia, who risk the treacherous journey in search of better opportunities in Gulf countries.
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