Dismayed by the official sanctions that the US government has decided to impose on the UN Special Rapporteur, @FranceskAlbs We recall that Special Rapporteurs are independent experts. They are not appointed to please governments or to be popular but to deliver their mandate. Francesca Albanese is working tirelessly to document and report on Israel’s unlawful occupation, apartheid and genocide, on the basis of international law. Governments around the world and all actors who believe in the rule-based order and international law must do everything in their power to mitigate and block the effect of the sanctions against Francesca Albanese and more generally to protect the work and independence of Special Rapporteurs.

Haiti: @Amnesty is releasing a new report detailing sickening gangs' violence against children. More than 1 million children are estimated to be living in areas controlled by or under the influence of gangs. Gangs threaten, beat, rape and kill children. They have committed multiple abuses of children’s rights, including the rights to life, to education, and to freedom of movement. The lives of far too many children in Haiti are being wrecked, and they have nowhere to go for protection or justice. They are chased and at times killed by self-defence groups, while the authorities arbitrarily detain them. Childhood in Haiti is being stolen. It is time for Haitian authorities and the international community, including donors, to step up their efforts. Empty expressions of concern are not enough. Children’s bodies, minds and hearts are violated every day. Haiti needs urgent assistance to protect children and to prevent further cycles of violence. @Amnesty calls on the government to address impunity by expediting the creation of special judicial chambers for the prosecution of grave human rights abuses and violations. Programmes to effectively demobilize and reintegrate children associated with gangs, as well as to provide comprehensive health and legal assistance to survivors of sexual violence, are a priority. We also urge countries to stop forcibly deporting Haitians as long as the gangs’ campaign of terror and broader human rights crisis continues. amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2…