UN Human Rights Chief Condemns US Family Separation As ‘Abuse’

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra'ad Zeid al-Hussein gives a speech on the opening of a meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Council on February 27, 2017 in Geneva, Switzerland. The Uni... United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra'ad Zeid al-Hussein gives a speech on the opening of a meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Council on February 27, 2017 in Geneva, Switzerland. The United Nations Human Rights Council opens its main annual session, with the US taking its seat for the first time under President Donald Trump's leadership. / AFP / Fabrice COFFRINI (Photo credit should read FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

The U.N.’s top human rights official called the United States’ practice of separating migrant families at the border “abuse” and called for an immediate stop to the practice, according to a Monday New York Times report.

“The thought that any state would seek to deter parents by inflicting such abuse on children is unconscionable,” said Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights.

He reportedly cited a statement made by American Association of Pediatrics President Dr. Colleen Kraft when she called the practice “government-sanctioned child abuse.”

His office has decried the practice before, reportedly saying that it is in violation of the children’s rights and international law. This prompted admonishment from U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley who accused his office of “ignorance” and “hypocrisy,” per the New York Times.

Latest Livewire

Notable Replies

  1. Avatar for jinnj jinnj says:

    In Trump’s eyes: … OPPORTUNITY knocks - will call it a LIE - and see it as such an enraging statement from the UN - & If The UN & UN Human Rights Chief calls for UN Inspections of US sites -Trump will consider it as a possible justification for walking away from the UN & evicting it from the US

  2. I saw this a couple of days ago. Israel, huh?

    The U.S. is reportedly planning to pull out of the United Nations Human Rights Council after clashes over key issues such as Israel.

    A source told Reuters that the move could be “imminent.” The council will begin a three-week session in Geneva on Monday.

    Other diplomatic sources told Reuters that the withdrawal was “not a question of if but of when.”

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

Participants

Avatar for system1 Avatar for chelsea530 Avatar for jinnj

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: