The subject of foreign fighters has thus become a topic of interest to the Working Group due to its linkages to the phenomenon of mercenaries, and Ukraine is the third country that the Working Group is visiting, to closely study the impacts of foreign fighters on human rights. The outcome of Friday's UN Security Council vote on the future of the peacekeeping force in Mali is not in doubt: they have little choice but to terminate what has been the most deadly of all such UN operations around the world. The report analysed the fundamental lack of transparency around these operations, most notably in the relationships between clients and service providers. Russian mercenaries accused of deadly attacks on mines on Sudan-CAR Ms. Faiza Patel (Pakistan) Chair-Rapporteur A/HRC/51/25: Access to justice, accountability and remedies for victims of mercenaries, mercenary-related actors and private military and security companies, A/76/151: The human rights impacts of mercenaries, mercenary-related actors and private military and security companies engaging in cyberactivities - Report of the Working Group on the use of mercenaries, A/HRC/45/9/Add.1: Visit to Switzerland - Report of the Working Group on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination, A/HRC/42/42/Add.2: Visit to Austria - Report of the Working Group on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination, Sudan: Considerable reforms but major challenges remain- independent expert, No human rights progress despite new presidency, Burundi inquiry finds, Civilians bear devastating brunt of fighting in Sudan: UN experts, Russian Federation: UN experts alarmed by recruitment of prisoners by Wagner Group, States must tackle racism and stigma against LGBT persons, Freedom of speech is not freedom to spread racial hatred on social media: UN experts, National institutions and regional mechanisms, 32 UN experts issue a joint letter to the ICC Prosecutor regarding the Situation in the State of Palestine, International Code of Conduct for Private Security Service Providers, The Montreux Document on Private Military and Security Companies, University of Denver, Private Security Monitor. Sudan is considered one of the African countries most influenced by Russia. As such, most foreigners in principle can legitimately fight on the side of the Government. Mr. Alexander Nikitin (Russian Federation), Working Group on the use of mercenaries Russia moved to shore up its internal security forces as the Defense Ministry said that the Wagner paramilitary group that launched a mutiny last week was preparing to hand over its heavy weapons, . It is not always possible to accurately track the exact activities of the Wagner Group, headed byYevgeny Prigozhin, and other PMCs because they allegedly act independently of the Russian government and conventional military forces. At its peak, the Wagner Group is thought to have had more than 5,000 fighters in Syria. The Working Group on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the rights of peoples to self-determination was established in July 2005 pursuant to Commission on Human Rights resolution 2005/2. Switzerland, Working Group's independent website with additional documents and information, Mercenaries still pose a serious threat to human rights, warns UN expert body, Statement delivered on behalf of all Special Procedures mandate holders of the United Nations Human Rights Council at the Fifteenth Special Session of the Human Rights Council on the human rights situation in the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, UN Independent Experts express serious concern at the execution of four men in Equatorial Guinea (27 August 2010), UN experts visit Equatorial Guinea to discuss the menace posed by the activities of mercenaries (12 August 2010), Mercenaries: UN expert panel pushes for stronger regulation of private military and security companies, Presentation made by UN Working Group on the Use and Meetings In an image taken from video, Wagner Group leader Yevgeniy Prigozhin is interviewed from an unspecified location on June 23 . Others Group All meeting summaries can be found here. Some cases even come to solutions that clearly violate IHL. Other speakers said that the use of private military and security companies in the humanitarian sphere was a highly complex issue, not only because of existing legal loopholes, but also because of the reluctance of a number of actors, including developed States, to address the human rights impact of the actions of such companies. Texts adopted - Human rights violations by private military and (. A/HRC/15/25 Page 2 Summary The Working Group on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination was established in July 2005 If captured, are they entitled to prisoner of war status? 9 April 2010, UN and Africa to discuss mercenaries and private military and security companies [5] The distinction between [a] mercenary and [a] foreign fighter is important in clarifying the situation of foreign armed actors in Ukraine, the self-proclaimed Donetsk peoples republic and the self-proclaimed Luhansk peoples republic. Tensions boiled over on Friday after Prigozhin said his Wagner mercenaries would lead a "march of justice" against the Russian army. What is the Wagner Group, and who is Yevgeny Prigozhin? What to know This is what you need to know about the Wagner Group and its leader: The Wagner mercenary group is a paramilitary organization founded by Yevgeniy Prigozhin, a longtime close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Human Rights Council this morning held an interactive dialogue with the Working Group on enforced or involuntary disappearances, started an interactive dialogue with the Working Group on the use of mercenaries, and concluded its dialogue with the Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order. This storywas originally published in German. Private contractors have not been used in combat roles, but UN reliance on these firms is growing as its personnel become increasingly targeted in zones of conflict. other 4 Regional Groups The Working Group on Mercenaries, one of the special procedures of the UN Human Rights Council, has been entrusted to monitor the impact of the activities of private military and security companies (PMSCs) on the enjoyment of human rights and to prepare draft international basic principles that encourage respect for human rights on the part of t. Human rights violations committed by mercenaries and private security companies create grave challenges for victims seeking justice and redress, UN-appointed independenthuman rights experts warned on Tuesday. Despite months of supporting Russia in its war against Ukraine, Prigozhin has grown increasingly critical of the Russian Ministry of Defense and its efforts to support the war. Wagner Group fighters came to thecountryofficially as advisors and military trainers and they also serve on the security detail of President Faustin-Archange Touadera. Prigozhin had sharply criticized Russian military leaders for weeks . Further, speakers stated that enforced disappearance was a serious violation of human rights and no circumstances may be invoked to justify it; they urged all States to immediately stop and prevent enforced disappearances, initiate impartial and independent investigations, and protect the rights of the victims and their families. UN experts call for war crimes investigation into Wagner mercenaries in Russian mercenaries behind slaughter of 500 in Mali village, UN report finds They're usually ex-soldiers hired as bodyguards, though they have also. Wagner Is Losing Its Grip on Africa, Too - The Washington Post Netherlands: King may apologize for slavery, but then what? Other speakers condemned all enforced disappearances and called on governments to conduct transparent and independent investigations into all cases, hold those responsible to account, help clarify what happened to victims, and where possible, facilitate their return. Rise in mercenary forces trigger 'rampant' human rights violations | UN HENRIKAS MICKEVICIUS, Vice-Chair of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, said that in some instances, enforced disappearances could be considered as crimes against humanity. In Libya, the Wagner Group has acted as a standalone force supporting one side in thecountry's ongoing conflict. [16] The motivations of foreigners joining to participate in armed conflict in Ukraine reportedly vary. 7 min read. Phone: +41 (0)22 917 1234See location, Services Operating HoursFrequently Asked Questions, MORNING - Working Group on Enforced Disappearances: the Atrocious Crime of Enforced Disappearance Continues to Happen and Takes New Shapes and Forms, In Dialogue with Cyprus, Experts of the Human Rights Committee Commend Efforts on Gender Equality, Raise Issues Concerning Unsafe Migration and Turkish Cypriot Access to Civil Service, MORNING - High Commissioner for Human Rights Calls on States and the Council to Pledge to Take Concrete and Transformative Action to Tackle Gender-based Violence against Women and Girls in Public and Political Life, AFTERNOON - Human Rights Council Hears of Urgent Need for International Solidarity in Responding to Humanitarian Crises, Conflicts and Forced Displacement, and of the Climate of Impunity for Abuses of the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Asso, In Dialogue with Uganda, Experts of the Human Rights Committee Commend Improvement of Prison Conditions, Raise Issues Concerning the Anti-Homosexuality Law and Free Elections, MORNING - Human Rights Council Discusses Report on Trafficking in Persons and the Intersections with Refugee Protection, Internal Displacement and Statelessness. [17] The Working Group also received data that foreign women have also been combatants in the armed conflict, in much smaller numbers. In some cases, results might be obtained when concerted action was taken among different stakeholders. Are there any protective rules that apply to such persons when they have fallen into the hands of the enemy? Working Group on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination. Like COVID-19, when one variant of the virus seemed to be neutralised, another one appeared. In paragraph 2 of resolution 7/21, the Human Rights Council requested the Working Group: (a) To elaborate and present concrete proposals on possible complementary and new standards aimed at filling existing gaps, as well as general guidelines or basic principles encouraging the further protection of human rights, in particular the right of peoples to self-determination, while facing current and emergent threats posed by mercenaries or mercenary-related activities; (b) To seek opinions and contributions from Governments and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations on questions relating to its mandate; (c) To monitor mercenaries and mercenary-related activities in all their forms and manifestations in different parts of the world; (d) To study and identify sources and causes, emerging issues, manifestations and trends regarding mercenaries or mercenary-related activities and their impact on human rights, particularly on the right of peoples to self-determination; (e) To monitor and study the effects on the enjoyment of human rights, particularly the right of peoples to self-determination, of the activities of private companies offering military assistance, consultancy and security services on the international market, and to prepare a draft of international basic principles that encourage respect for human rights by those companies in their activities. There was a need for solidarity and countries needed to speak with one voice, act together, and ensure that they overcame the current deficits. States' obligations to protect and respect human rights extended to protection against human rights abuses by third parties, including private military and security companies. [Spanish version], Mercenaries: UN expert panel pushes for stronger regulation of private military and security companies (23 July 2010), 2010- Human Rights Council main report and annex ' Draft of a possible Convention on Private Military and Security Companies (PMSCs) for consideration and action by the Human Rights Council' to discuss the use of private Receive daily updates directly in your inbox -, Rise in mercenary forces trigger rampant human rights violations, Armenia: Rights experts commend laws to curb use of mercenaries, Mali: Independent rights experts call for probe into Wagner Groups alleged crimes, Venezuela, Poland and Sudan amongst 14 new Human Rights Council members, Mali: Security situation deteriorates, human rights concerns rise, Central African Republic: Militias spreading terror, insecurity, must lay down arms. He concluded by saying that there was no need for political differences and that if States were speaking with one voice, there was no reason to believe that the current pandemic could not be overcome. Prigozhin, 61, is the head of the Wagner mercenary group that was supporting the Russian government in its war against Ukraine before Prigozhin turned against the Russian Ministry of Defense. The Role of Private Military and Security Companies in Modern Warfare Mali's military rulers, who took power in a 2021 coup, also work with the Wagner Group. Russia is also interested in securing access to Venezuela's oil. The report highlights a lack of accountability and the common challenges faced by victims in accessing justice and effective remedies to overcome the damage mercenaries leave in their wake. They are nevertheless worthy of discussion, if only to raise a challenge to display more humanity in armed conflicts. [Arabic - English - French - Russian - Spanish], Human Rights Council 2010- Regional consultation for Western European and Others Group on the activities of mercenaries and private military and security companies: regulation and monitoring (14 April 2010), Mission to the United States of America: July 2009, Regional consultation for Africa: Mars 2010, New report on regional consultation for Asia and the Pacific, Guns for hire and press release Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin will go to Belarus and criminal charges against him will be dropped in a deal to end his insurrection, Moscow said. Venezuela and Russia have had close ties, both military and economic, for years. The interactive dialogue with Livingstone Sewanyana, the Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order started on 20 September and a summary can be found here. Mr. Anton Katz (South Africa), Ms. Najat Al-Hajjaji (Libyan Arab Jamahiriya) 2005 - 2011 Learn about how you can report a human rights violation. And it's not the only Russian private military company either. The Vice-Chair of the Working Group said that in order to tackle enforced disappearance, the international community needed commitment and determination from all. The private military company is thought to act in Russian interests there by doing things like engaging in the extraction of raw materials, undermining democratic actorsand investing in disinformation campaigns. The UN Working Group on the Use of Mercenaries should build on its recent statement on the alleged activities of the Wagner Group and launch a full and comprehensive investigation into the report's allegations of serious human rights violations and international crimes. It drew specific attention to the secrecy and opacity surrounding the activities of mercenaries, military contractors hired to kill, and private security companies; their complex business and corporate structures, issues related to jurisdiction; and gaps in national and international regulation. Since 2021, the UN experts had "received persistent and alarming accounts of horrific executions, mass graves, acts of torture, rape and sexual violence, pillaging, arbitrary detentions and enforced disappearances perpetrated by Malian armed forces and their allies," a UN statement said. Since then the private army has steadily grown. Latest information from UN Geneva and news from around the globe. Boost for Wagner as Mali shuns UN troops, but at what cost? - Yahoo News student at the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, under the supervision of Professor Marco Sassli and Ms. Yvette Issar, research assistant, both at the University of Geneva. held with Mercenaries: Soldiers Who Fight For Money : NPR Photograph by Reuters. The US government believes that the Wagner Group was being paid by the UAE to support Hifter in Libya. However analysts believe that the group is likely active in more than 30 countries around the world. The United Nations Working Group on the use of mercenaries today urged Governments to recognize the need for a legally binding international agreement to regulate the use and activities of private military and security companies (PMSCs) to complement existing regulations. Join us and make a difference. They reaffirmed their commitment to prevent such practices and to support the victims and their families in their search for truth, justice and reparations. The panel of experts, which includes members of the UN Working Group on Mercenaries, said that Wagner's operations in Mali have been facilitated by 'a climate of terror and complete impunity.' A group of independent United Nations experts today called for the adoption of binding international regulations to control the activities of private security companies. []] were followed by the outbreak of armed hostilities in eastern Ukraine. At the time, the US government also noted that a Russian company, M Invest, based in St. Petersburg, had links to the Wagner Group. Some Russians greeted the weekend's armed insurrection led by the head of the Wagner paramilitary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, with sympathy, appearing to welcome the mercenary fighters. These vary from volunteers to paid service men and women, and from independent militia members to professional military. They reaffirmed their commitment to prevent such practices and to support the victims and their families in their search for truth, justice and reparations. Moscow residents ordered to stay home from work on Monday as Wagner mercenaries march on the Russian capital. Enforced disappearances were clear violations of human rights and those practices could not continue unchecked. The Council also started an interactive discussion with the Working Group on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the right of peoples to self-determination. The Working Group on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the rights of peoples to self-determination was established in July 2005 pursuant to Commission on Human Rights resolution2005/2. Speakers said that the Independent Experts thematic report was comprehensive and presented a serious effort to collect constructive suggestions from diverse meaningful stakeholders. UN rights experts on use of mercenaries weigh 'increasing activity' of On Friday evening, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of the Wagner Group, a Russian private military company, accused the Russian military of ordering an aerial . The Council will resume its work at 3 p.m. this afternoon, to conclude the interactive dialogue with the Working Group on the use of mercenaries, followed by an interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the implications for human rights of the environmentally sound management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes. Learn more about the Working Group and its methods of work. Instead of a single entity, Wagner is a network of. It has more than 1.1 million members, half of which are local and state government . Since 2005, the Human Rights Council has renewed the mandate of the Working Group several times, most recently in 2022 for a period of three years through resolution 51/13. A comparison between enforced disappearances and the devastating pandemic could be made. PMSCs & the UN - Global Policy The Working Group also presented as an addendum the follow-up to the recommendations made by the Working Group following its visit to the Gambia, from 12 to 19 June 2017 and Albania, from 5 to 12 December 2016. In its report, the Working Group highlighted the transmission of 651 new cases of enforced disappearance to 30 States, including 86 cases transmitted under the urgent action procedure, to 19 States. In March 2008, the Human Rights Council extended the mandate of the Working Group for a period of three years. "From a legal perspective, Wagner doesn't exist," says Sorcha MacLeod, who heads the UN 's working group on the use of mercenaries. However, these were always too few compared to the amount of cases that were unresolved and ended up before the Working Group together with other thousands of outstanding cases. Similarly, in some of the texts used in the case studies, the facts may not always be proven;nevertheless, they have been selected because they highlight interesting IHL issues and are thus published for didactic purposes. According to analysis by various think tanks, the Wagner Group is also active in Asia. Get the latest from our news, events and meetings. Wagner Group fighters are thought to have been in Libya since 2014 and were tasked with supporting the eastern-based government and its de-facto head, former Libyan warlordKhalifa Hifterwith tasks like security and training. When armed private security personnel operated closely alongside military personnel, such as State armies or United Nations peace operations, and they engaged in the use of force, this could compromise the principle of distinction between civilian and military persons and objects, creating confusion about legitimate targets. 30 October 2018 Mercenaries, Private Military Contractors Can Destabilize Rule of Law, Expert Tells Third Committee, amid Calls to End Racism, Respect Migrant Rights After months of becoming increasingly critical of the Russian military and its efforts in the war against Ukraine, Prigozhin is now waging a campaign against the same people his group spent months fighting alongside in Ukraine. Organized Labor: An association of workers united as a single, representative entity for the purpose of improving the workers' economic status and working conditions through collective bargaining . The growing reliance on private military and security companies by humanitarian actors had come with significant challenges with regards to the protection of civilians and the guarantee and respect of human rights and international humanitarian law. It is also highly likely the Wagner Group has ties to individuals in the United Arab Emirates, the US Department of Defensehas previously said. Mr. Ravindran Daniel (India) was appointed to the position of Chair-Rapporteur in November 2022. Private Military and Security Companies and the UN Working Group on the Syria/Libya: Complaint to the UN Working Group on the Use of Mercenaries Syrian organizations address the grave consequences mercenarism has for the families of recruits, particularly the practice's adverse impact on women and children Submission Introduction Armed groups in the Central African Republic (CAR) must lay down their arms and engage in political dialogue, a UN-appointed independent human rights expert said on Friday, urging the international community to strengthen efforts to restore State authority and end impunity there. [8] The Working Group commends the Government for aligning the definition in its Criminal Code with the International Convention against the recruitment, use, financing and training of mercenaries. She specified that robust State regulation and oversight over private military and security companies through domestic legislation was also essential. UN, Working Group on the use of Mercenaries: Preliminary Findings of The Wagner Group has recruited extensively in Russia's penal system and senior leaders include disgraced former members of the Russian military. He presented the thematic section of the report focused on enforced disappearances in the context of transnational transfers. The announcement caps a frenetic 36 hours in . This posed a concerning challenge to the concept of security both as a public good and as a State function. UN, Working Group on the use of Mercenaries: Preliminary Findings of Mission to Ukraine, Treaties, States Parties and Commentaries, Medical personnel, facilities and transports, General Statements on International Humanitarian Law, Chronology of Cases and Documents Relating to Past and Contemporary Conflicts, Mercenaries & private military and security companies, http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=18492&LangID=E. Does it depend on whether they are volunteers, paid servicemen/women, militia members, or military professionals. Regional Consultation There are several PMCs working in Sri Lanka, a report by Molfar, a Ukrainian consultancy, said in a catalogue of 37 Russian military companies working abroad. The impact on human rights includes alleged cases of extrajudicial and summary executions, torture, arbitrary detention, and infringements of the rights to freedom of movement and of expression. Mercenaries from the Wagner Group fought alongside regular Russian soldiers during Syria's civil war and saw active combat. A team of independent United Nations experts said today that a number of private security companies operating in conflict zones are engaging in new forms of mercenary activity, warning that States employing them could be liable for human rights violations committed by their personnel. The criteria for a mercenary are taking part directly in hostilities, motivated primarily by the desire for private gain, being paid substantially in excess of that promised or paid to combatants of similar ranks and functions in the armed forces of the party to the conflict, and not being a national of the party to the conflict or a resident of the territory controlled by a party to the conflict.
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