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Category: Justice

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former U.S. Postal Service employee in Billings admits stealing mail

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BILLINGS — A former U.S. Postal Service employee admitted to a theft charge today after he was accused of stealing mail when he tried to sell $850 worth of sports cards to a Billings sports memorabilia business that had attempted to ship the cards to a different customer, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

    The defendant, Zachary Louis Simpson, 37, pleaded guilty to theft of mail by employee. Simpson faces a maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.

    U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. A sentencing date will be set before U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Simpson was released pending further proceedings.

    The government alleged in court documents that between March 27, 2023 and April 3, 2024, Simpson was employed by the U.S. Postal Service and sorted packages at the mail facility in Billings. Simpson had access to and was entrusted with mail during his shifts at the sorting facility. While employed with the Postal Service, Simpson stole packages from the sorting facility and took them home. On March 12, 2024, the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General was contacted regarding Simpson. A sports memorabilia business in Billings notified law enforcement that Simpson came into the store to sell $850 of sports cards. The company realized that it had recently attempted to ship those same cards to a different customer through the mail. An investigation determined that the packages containing these cards had transited the postal sorting facility in Billings on a date Simpson was working. Law enforcement conducted a trash pull at Simpson’s residence and found dozens of empty packages in his trash that were addressed to other people at different locations. Investigators executed a search warrant at Simpson’s residence and seized more than 100 additional empty packages that were not addressed to Simpson. Agents also recovered more than 10,000 sports trading cards and other memorabilia. The Postal Service contacted a number of the victims whose packages were found in Simpson’s possession. Many reported that their packages contained sports trading cards that never reached the intended destination.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, conducted the investigation.

    XXX

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 2013 Stranger Armed Rape Solved by Maryland DNA Upon Arrest Law Results in Guilty Verdict

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON –Samuel Peaks, 36, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty by a jury, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, of one count of first degree sexual abuse while armed with aggravating circumstances for a February 12, 2013 assault of a stranger in the 4400 block of Gault Place, NE, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). 

                Sentencing is scheduled in front of Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz for May 2, 2025. Peaks faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.

                According to the government’s evidence that was presented at trial, at approximately 6:00 a.m., on February 12, 2013, Peaks encountered the victim at the Minnesota Ave. Metro and tried to speak with her. The victim rejected his advances and walked away. The defendant followed her, brandished a gun, forced her to put a condom on his penis, and perform a sexual act on him. Peaks threw the condom on the ground afterward. The victim immediately reported to police, who responded and recovered the condom.

                The condom was timely tested for DNA in 2013 and resulted in a mixture of DNA from the victim and an unknown male. The case was pending without an identification of a suspect until the defendant was arrested for an attempted homicide in Maryland in 2020, where his DNA was collected pursuant to Maryland’s DNA upon arrest law and entered into CODIS.

                The defendant’s DNA was compared to the male profile from the seized condom developed in the 2013 DNA testing and was determined to be a match.

                This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

                The case was investigated by Assistant United States Attorney Amy Zubrensky and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sarah Folse and Raha Mokhtari, of the Sex Offense and Domestic Violence Section.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Student Doctor Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – A former student doctor pleaded guilty to producing and possessing child sexual abuse material.

    According to court documents, Kevin Weiss, 28, admitted to producing an image of child sexual abuse material of a minor under age 18 by employing, using, persuading, inducing, enticing, or coercing that minor. Weiss also admitted he possessed other child sexual abuse material, including some showing very young children.

    At sentencing, Weiss faces a minimum of 15 years in prison and not more than 50 years, followed by a minimum of 5 years and up to a term of life of supervised release.

    U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Jason T. Stevens, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso, made the announcement today.

    Homeland Security Investigations investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department and New Mexico State Police. Assistant United States Attorneys Jaymie L. Roybal and Meg Tomlinson are prosecuting the case.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Poland: Decision to retry activist prosecuted for aiding an abortion should be shown ‘compassion’

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Justyna Wydrzyńska on trial for supporting a victim of domestic violence

    Poland has one of the most restrictive abortion laws in Europe

    ‘Justyna should have never been put on trial in the first place because what she did should never be a crime’ – Esther Major

    Following today’s Court of Appeal’s decision to refer the case of activist Justyna Wydrzyńska, for helping a pregnant woman to access abortion pills back to a lower instance court, Esther Major, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for Research in Europe, said:  

    “Today’s findings that the composition of the judges in the first instance court meant that Justyna Wydrzyńska did not have a fair trial gives the Prosecutor’s office the opportunity to withdraw the charges against her. 

    “Justyna should have never been put on trial in the first place because what she did should never be a crime. By supporting a woman who asked for help, Justyna showed compassion. By defending the right to safe abortion in Poland, Justyna showed courage. The Prosecutor’s office should now show the same.”   

    Helping a woman in need

    In 2020 Justyna Wydrzyńska – a doula and one of the founders of the civil society organisation Abortion Dream Team – helped a pregnant woman who said she had been suffering from domestic violence to access abortion pills. 

    On 22 November 2021, she was charged with “helping with an abortion” and “possession of medicines without authorisation for the purpose of introducing them into the market”.

    In March 2023, she was convicted of abetting an abortion and was sentenced to eight months of community service. 

    The court found today that Justyna didn’t have a fair trial as the judge in first court instance was not independently appointed.  

    Poland has one of the most restrictive abortion laws in Europe. Abortion is only legal when the health or the life of the pregnant person is at risk or when the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest. Performing your own abortion or possession of abortion pills for a self-managed abortion is not a crime under Polish law, but any person or doctor who helps pregnant people with an abortion outside the two permitted grounds in the law may face up to three years in prison. 

    Take action here https://www.amnesty.org.uk/actions/JusticeforJustyna

    View latest press releases

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: UK/China: ‘Red lines, not red carpet’ needed as Lammy hosts top China diplomat in London

    Source: Amnesty International –

    ‘This is an opportunity to show that the UK will not allow China to buy its silence over human rights concerns’ – Felix Jakens

    Ahead of the highly anticipated visit from China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is due to visit Britain  today (Thursday 13 February) to hold talks with his British counterpart David Lammy in what is being seen as a sign that relations between the countries are ‘normalising’, Felix Jakens, Amnesty’s UK Head of Campaigns, said:

    “With the prospect of resuming a strategic dialogue with China for the first time since 2018, the pursuit of trade must not inhibit frank conversations on human rights, which must be central to any diplomatic engagement.

    “Talk of normalising relations with China, risks a defacto endorsement of the wholly abnormal industrial-scale abuse of human rights Beijing is overseeing across China, Hong Kong and beyond. 

    “David Lammy should be drawing serious red lines, rather than rolling out the red carpet when Wang Yi visits this week. 

    “We need to hear a public and strong condemnation of the brutal suppression of human rights activists, which is not only limited to mainland China or Hong Kong but has also spread to the UK through the transnational targeting of students and activists who speak out here. Hong Kong’s recent issuing of ‘Wild West’-style bounties on activists’ heads in the UK indicates the authorities believe they can intimidate and silence their critics overseas with impunity. It is completely unacceptable to see this sort of international witch hunt on UK soil and the most high-level visit in years must be a time to publicly vocalise UK Government outrage.

    “The Foreign Secretary also needs to forcefully challenge the Chinese government over its systematic, industrial-scale repression of ethnic minorities in Xinjiang and Tibet, including subjecting people to forced labour. 

    “Mr Lammy must also demand the immediate release of Hong Kong and Chinese prisoners of conscience, including British national Jimmy Lai, human rights lawyers Chow Hang-tung and Ding Jiaxi, as well as long-held Uighur economist Ilham Tohti.

    “This is an opportunity to show that the UK will not allow China to buy its silence over human rights concerns.”

    Long arm of Chinese state repression  

     The Chinese authorities routinely target peaceful critics via pervasive online censorship, arbitrary arrest, detention and torture. Human rights defenders, pro-democracy activists and religious leaders and practitioners have been among those subjected to systematic persecution. The widespread repression of ethnic minorities in Xinjiang and Tibet has continued despite significant international criticism. 

    In Hong Kong, journalists, broadcasters and book publishers have been among those prosecuted and imprisoned under the territory’s notorious National Security Law and other repressive legislation, while civil society organisations both in Hong Kong and abroad have faced criminal charges or harassment for their legitimate activities. The long arm of Chinese state repression has meant that Chinese and Hong Kong communities in the UK, other parts of Europe and North America have all suffered various kinds of threats and intimidation, part of a sinister pattern of “transnational repression”. 

    On 24 December, Hong Kong police announced a third round of HK$1million (about £105,000) bounties for information that would lead to the arrest of six democracy advocates based overseas whom they accused of national security crimes. To date, 19 Hong Kong overseas activists have been targeted, most of whom live in the UK.   

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: London: Shell must clean up its ‘toxic mess’ in Niger Delta

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Day one of Ogale and Bille communities vs Shell trial

    Photos of protest outside Royal Court of Justice available via link below

    ‘Shell must take responsibility for the poisoning they have caused both directly and indirectly and commit to cleaning up their toxic mess’ – Peter Frankental

    Activists and speakers – including King Okabi of the Ogale community – today called for an end to Shell’s pollution of the Niger Delta and compensation for the damage they have done on day one of the Ogale and Bille communities vs Shell trial.

    Amnesty International UK, the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), AFRICA: Seen & Heard and Justice 4 Nigeria marked the start of the trial with the stunt ‘Ecocide Babe’ by British-Nigerian artist-activist The Crude Madonna outside the Royal Courts of Justice.

    For 60 years Shell’s oil spills and leaks due to poorly maintained pipelines, wells and inadequate clean-up attempts that have ravaged the health and livelihoods of many of the 30 million people living in the Niger Delta – most of whom live in poverty.

    More than 13,500 Ogale and Bille residents in the Niger Delta have filed claims against Shell over the past decade demanding the company clean up oil spills that they say have wrecked their livelihoods and caused widespread devastation to the local environment. They can’t fish anymore because their water sources, including their wells for drinking water, are poisoned and the land is contaminated which has killed plant life, meaning communities can no longer farm.   

    Ahead of the start of the trial, a stunt supported by the organisations (listed above) by The Crude Madonna – representing Niger Delta womanhood and resistance – wore traditional Nigerian dress and gold-painted Shell-shaped medallions saying ‘hell’ and ‘oil’ coated with ‘crude oil’ and holding the Ecocide Babe Alera (which means ‘it is enough’ in the local Khana language) with crude oil congealed around the baby’s mouth.

    Created by artists The Crude Madonna and THE DnA FACTORY MRSS, the Ecocide Babe symbolises the devastating effect of Shell’s oil pollution on fertility, pregnancy and infant health in the region as well as its overall impact on communities and the environment.

    Peter Frankental, Amnesty International UK’s Business and Human Rights Director, said:

    “This vividly powerful performance highlights the devastation that people across the Niger Delta have suffered for so long. Shell must take responsibility for the poisoning they have caused both directly and indirectly and commit to cleaning up their toxic mess before they leave the region.

    “Shell must not be allowed to leave without making sure the Niger Delta’s land and water are 100 percent clean of their petrochemical poison. It is vital that the affected communities are properly compensated and that they are fully involved in the legal process and their demands are reflected in the final ruling.”

    A protest also took place in Ogoniland in the Niger Delta as the trial began.

    Shell plc is domiciled in London and should be legally responsible for the environmental failures of its subsidiary company, the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria. 

    Please see photos in link: https://marieanne.smugmug.com/Niger-Delta-communities-vs-Shell All photos credit M-A Ventoura/Amnesty International UK

    Image 1: Lazarus Tamana of MOSOP and The Crude Madonna protest Shell’s pollution of the Niger Delta outside the Royal Courts of Justice at the start the Ogale and Bille communities vs Shell trial. Credit M-A Ventoura/Amnesty International UK

    Images 2-4: Activists protest outside the Royal Courts of Justice at the start of the Ogale and Bille communities vs Shell trial. Credit M-A Ventoura/Amnesty International UK

    Image 5: The Crude Madonna holding the Ecocide Babe with crude oil congealed around the baby’s mouth – Niger Delta communities take Shell to court for Shell’s devastating pollution of the region. Credit M-A Ventoura/Amnesty International UK

    Image 6: King Okpabi of the Ogale community outside the court calls for an end to Shell’s pollution of the Niger Delta and compensation for the damage it has done. Credit: M-A Ventoura/Amnesty International UK

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Video: A Former International Antitrust Fugitive Discusses His Experiences

    Source: United States Department of Justice (video statements)

    Yeh Fei “Jim” Chu discusses his experience being charged with an antitrust crime by the Department of Justice Antitrust Division and living as a fugitive for approximately five years before pleading guilty to resolve his case.

    Note: This video contains excerpts from an interview Mr. Chu recorded as part of his community service obligations.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7HjBIsfzaw

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Experts of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Welcome Peru’s National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights, Ask about the High Percentage of the Workforce in the Informal Sector and Sexual Violence against Children in the Condorcanq

    Source: United Nations – Geneva

    The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights today concluded its review of the fifth periodic report of Peru, with Committee Experts welcoming the State’s adoption of a national action plan on business and human rights, while asking about the high percentage of the workforce in the informal sector and sexual violence against children in the Condorcanqui region.

    Michael Windfuhr, Committee Expert and Leader of the Taskforce for Peru, welcomed the State’s adoption of a national action plan on business and human rights, and the training it had provided for officials on business and human rights. 

    Karla Vanessa Lemus De Vásquez, Committee Vice-Chair and Member of the Taskforce for Peru, said the Committee was concerned that more than 70 per cent of the workforce, including 85 per cent of migrant workers, worked in the informal sector. The taxation system discouraged companies and workers from transitioning into the formal sector.  Would the State party amend tax provisions and promote the transition into the formal sector? 

    Santiago Manuel Fiorio Vaesken, Committee Expert and Member of the Taskforce for Peru, said it was concerning to receive reports of cases of systemic sexual abuse of children and adolescents by teachers, particularly in the Condorcanqui region, including more than 600 reported cases of sexual abuse.  What was being done to eliminate the systemic sexual abuse in this region and punish the perpetrators?  What was the State doing to guarantee access to justice for victims? What mechanisms were being developed to prevent such crimes and their recurrence?  What was the State doing to ensure oversight in schools? 

    Concerning the informal sector, the delegation said Peru had conducted awareness raising campaigns and provided training to public officials on migrants’ labour rights.  In addition, it had conducted activities to promote trade union rights, with a particular emphasis on the agricultural sector. There had been improvements in levels of formal employment between 2021 and 2023, thanks to a new law promoting the transition to the formal sector. 

    The delegation said the State wanted to ensure the cases in Condorcanqui were being appropriately investigated and punished.  The intersectoral plan of action for Condorcanqui was a guide to monitor progress to prevent and deal with sexual violence against children in the province. Teachers had been trained on sexual and reproductive health rights and health professionals had been recruited. A multisectoral roundtable had been held to tackle sexual violence against children in the Condorcanqui province. Teachers who had restraining orders could not teach in 2025.  Intercultural mediators had also been recruited to deal with the issue.  There was an investigation relating to the proceedings and cases submitted. 

    Luis Fernando Domínguez Vera, Director-General for Human Rights, Ministry of Justice and Human Rights of Peru and head of the delegation, introducing the report, said Peru was a democratic, social, independent and sovereign State committed to upholding human rights and democratic principles.  To advance the fight against poverty, the National Policy for Development and Social Inclusion 2030 was approved in 2022.  At the end of 2024, the “pension 65” programme granted protection to over 830,000 older adults in extreme poverty.  The draft national policy on indigenous peoples included regulations on prior consultation processes.  Designed in a participatory manner with national indigenous organizations, the policy promoted public services that would reduce inequality and generate social and economic development for the indigenous population.  The State reaffirmed its commitment to building a more just, inclusive, and equitable society. 

    In concluding remarks, Mr. Windfuhr thanked the delegation for the effort made during the dialogue.  The Committee would appreciate if the outcome of the constructive dialogue would be published in Peru and made available to all stakeholders.

    In his concluding remarks Mr. Domínguez Vera thanked the Committee for the constructive dialogue.  Peru had full respect for economic, social and cultural rights, particularly for those in vulnerable situations, and would aim to strengthen national efforts to achieve these rights under the Covenant. 

    The delegation of Peru was comprised of representatives from the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, and the Permanent Mission of Peru to the United Nations Office at Geneva.

    The Committee’s seventy-seventh session is being held until 28 February 2025.  All documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpage.  Webcasts of the meetings of the session can be found here, and meetings summaries can be found here.

    The Committee will next meet in public at 10 a.m. on Friday, 14 February to conclude its consideration of the seventh periodic report of the United Kingdom (E/C.12/GBR/7).

    Report

    The Committee has before it the fifth periodic report of Peru (E/C.12/PER/5).

    Presentation of Report

    LUIS FERNANDO DOMÍNGUEZ VERA, Director-General for Human Rights, Ministry of Justice and Human Rights of Peru and head of the delegation, said Peru was a democratic, social, independent and sovereign State committed to upholding human rights and democratic principles.  Approximately 99.8 per cent of inhabitants were currently covered by health insurance.  Non-resident foreigners diagnosed with HIV or tuberculosis were authorised to enrol for insurance. 

    To advance the fight against poverty, the National Policy for Development and Social Inclusion 2030 was approved in 2022.  At the end of 2024, the “pension 65” programme granted protection to over 830,000 older adults in extreme poverty.  The Cooperation Fund for Social Development had intervened in 573 population centres, financing development projects, and there were also other programmes providing monetary incentives to vulnerable households.  One programme benefited 1.5 million people in poverty in rural areas from 2019 to 2024, promoting access to health services, justice and development, financial inclusion, and education.

    To ensure the prevention of forced labour, a new protocol against forced labour was approved in 2023, which committed public institutions to a comprehensive and multisectoral approach to cases of forced labour with a victim-centred approach.  Since 2003, the National Steering Committee for the Prevention and Eradication of Child Labour had been working with public and private non-profit institutions on activities to prevent child labour.  The national policy for the prevention and eradication of child labour was also being formulated.  The child labour rate had been reduced by 5.8 percentage points from 2012 to 2023.

    To prevent gender-based violence, the Ministry of Health had carried out training workshops and counselling sessions to promote healthy cohabitation for couples, and as of 2024, had trained 155,600 health professionals on the subject.  As part of State nutritional programmes for pregnant women and children, half a million children aged up to 12 months and over 94,000 pregnant women were supported and around seven million home visits were made from February to November 2024.

    To reduce gaps in educational performance, a sectoral policy to strengthen intercultural and bilingual education was being drawn up. To address school dropouts, since 2012, bicycle kits had been distributed to the poorest educational institutions in rural areas, and an intervention was created in 2018 to support river transport in the Amazon area.  Both interventions benefitted more than 90,000 students.

    With regard to drinking water and sanitation services, the Government had implemented various strategies to reduce issues related to access, quality and sustainability of drinking water and sanitation services in the country.  The Ministry of Housing, Construction and Sanitation was developing two important drinking water, sewerage and wastewater treatment projects that would support access to these services for more than 83,000 people in Lima and Callo.  In July 2024, the State approved a roadmap towards a circular economy in drinking water and sanitation, which would promote the efficient use of drinking water and the reuse of wastewater.

    Peru remained firmly committed to becoming more sustainable. In 2024, environmentally friendly investment projects were launched in sectors such as mining, transportation, electricity, hydrocarbons, agriculture, sanitation and health. 

    The draft national policy on indigenous peoples included regulations on prior consultation processes.  Designed in a participatory manner with national indigenous organizations, the policy promoted public services that would reduce inequality and generate social and economic development for the indigenous population. Further, the “alert service against racism” guided citizens on actions to be taken in the face of discrimination and the recently approved “Peru without racism 2030” strategy aimed to improve procedures to guarantee citizens timely attention to cases of ethnic or racial discrimination.

    The State reaffirmed its commitment to building a more just, inclusive, and equitable society.  It had approved the National Multisectoral Human Rights Policy 2040, which aimed to achieve substantial progress in social inclusion and respect for human rights. The State would continue to work for the full exercise of economic, social and cultural rights for all people, with the national multisectoral human rights policy 2040 as a guide.  The State’s multisectoral efforts to eradicate inequality and discrimination and the dialogue with the Committee would allow Peru to continue to implement the Covenant efficiently.

    Questions by a Committee Expert

    MICHAEL WINDFUHR, Committee Expert and Leader of the Taskforce for Peru, said Peru’s Constitution covered economic, social and cultural rights in a comprehensive manner.  How often was the Covenant used in court rulings?  Were judges trained in Covenant rights?  How did economic, social and cultural rights inform policy making? How was the national human rights institution dealing with economic, social and cultural rights and related complaints?  Were rules regarding the election of the Ombudsman in line with the Paris Principles? Did the State party plan to ratify the individual complaints procedure for the Covenant and to revisit ratification of the Escazú Agreement?

    The Committee was concerned by repeated declarations of states of emergency by Peru, including in connection with social protests.  Also of concern was the frequent deployment of the armed forces during states of emergency and for domestic law and order tasks.  There were multiple reports of violent suppression of protesters and other human rights violations occurring at protests in 2020 and 2023.  What was the State party doing to prevent violence against and intimidation of protestors?  The State had been criticised for describing protests as “terrorist activities”, a severe step given Peru’s strict anti-terrorism legislation.  How did the State party plan to change discourse around protests?  What was the intention of the new law on the control of the finances of civil society organizations?

    Human rights defenders in Peru reportedly faced threats to their life and family, as well as intimidation and sanctions, particularly for activists protesting mining, oil, and agricultural projects.  There had been an increase in murders of indigenous community leaders defending their territories.  The Committee welcomed the State’s decision to finance an office to investigate abuse of human rights defenders.  How many attacks against human rights defenders, including environmental human rights defenders, had the State party recorded?  How would the State party prevent attacks against human rights defenders and delays in justice for victims?

    How did the State party ensure free, prior and informed consent from indigenous communities for development projects and protection for indigenous territories? Mr. Windfuhr welcomed the State’s adoption of a national action plan on business and human rights and the training it had provided for officials on business and human rights.  What were the sectors with the highest risks of human rights violations?  How did the State party monitor human rights impacts in the extractive and agricultural sectors?  What measures were in place to support small-scale indigenous farmers and indigenous peoples?

    The Committee welcomed the State party’s national climate change adaptation plan and disaster preparedness activities.  What progress had been made in meeting greenhouse gas emissions targets? Why had 38 new licences for the exploitation of hydrocarbons been granted?  How did the State party control the impact of deforestation activities and hydrocarbon spillages?  How did it assess its climate change adaptation projects?  Several legislative decrees from 2013 to 2015 had weakened environmental regulation and oversight, preventing the imposition of fines on polluting companies.  Were there plans to revise these?

    Public spending in health, education and sport had increased up to 2018.  How had spending progressed since then? Twenty-seven per cent of the population lived in poverty and five per cent in extreme poverty in 2022, compared to 20 and three per cent respectively in 2019.  The tax system reportedly did little to alleviate poverty.  How would the State party reform tax policies to reduce inequality and address poverty?  Around one per cent of the population held one-third of the State’s income.  How would the State party promote income equality and prevent corruption?

    The Committee welcomed efforts to promote respect for the rights of women, children, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons through national action plans. Several plans had terminated in 2021; had they been renewed?  Was the State party planning new policies to sanction non-State actors that violated the rights of vulnerable groups?

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said Peru was a democratic State that respected human rights, and rejected allegations to the contrary.  It did not persecute persons who expressed their opinions freely.  The Inter-American Court of Human Rights had in 2024 noted the efforts that Peru had exerted to implement its recommendations related to the protection of the rights of protesters.  In December 2022, a multi-sectoral commission was set up to address the needs of wounded persons and the family members of persons who had died in protests.  An investigation had been carried out into incidents occurring during the 2022 and 2023 protests, and a directive had been developed to ensure appropriate human rights-based responses from the police to protests.  A human rights office had also been established in the police force.

    The procedure for electing the Ombudsman had not changed; it was determined by the Constitution.  The Constitution stipulated that all international instruments ratified by Peru could be applied directly by the justice system.  Peru was considering ratification of the Escazú Agreement.

    Peru had established an intersectoral mechanism for the protection of human rights defenders and a platform through which human rights defenders could make complaints.  Eight regional roundtables had been established on the protection of human rights defenders in areas in which they were active.

    As part of actions under the national action plan on business and human rights, the State had trained 197 public and private sector workers on business and human rights and had developed a training programme for trade unions.  Awareness raising campaigns on due diligence had also been developed.

    The COVID-19 pandemic had increased poverty rates in Peru.  The State party was collecting data to inform targeted policies to support vulnerable households.  A multi-sectoral committee and strategy aiming to reduce urban poverty had been established.  The Government was working to increase access to State services for low-income households. There were State benefits for early childhood, students, and households living in poverty.  The State had also implemented a programme promoting access to school feeding programmes.

    The “CONACOT” National Council on Discrimination was working to promote human rights and peaceful coexistence and assessing individual complaints related to discrimination.  Awareness raising campaigns had been carried out to eliminate discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons.  The Council had developed a platform for reporting discrimination and monitoring follow-up to cases.

    Follow-Up Questions by Committee Experts

    Committee Experts asked follow-up questions on plans to address threats against human rights defenders from private actors; plans to develop a general anti-discrimination law; whether the State party had a system for monitoring recommendations from the treaty bodies; the contributions that civil society had made to the State party’s report; the standards in place to guarantee the right to free, prior and informed consent for indigenous peoples; steps taken by the Government to combat illegal mining, which had allegedly destroyed 30,000 hectares of forest and leaked large volumes of mercury into the Amazon River; measures to regularise the mining sector and ensure that legislative reforms did not promote impunity for illegal miners; progress made in implementing the national policy for persons with disabilities; reasons why the budget for supporting persons with disabilities had been reduced; barriers to promoting the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons; and plans to close down the Ministry for Women.

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said Peru had a law against acts of discrimination, which imposed punishments for perpetrators of such acts. All public policies and programmes promoted inclusion and the redistribution of wealth.  The Ministry for Justice and Human Rights included a body that followed up on recommendations from human rights protection bodies, and a national digital platform had been set up to manage and monitor responses to these recommendations.  There were national standards for free, prior and informed consent and judicial remedies were available in cases of violations of citizens’ rights.

    Job centres matched job seekers’ skills to employers’ needs.  Economic incentives and a range of other policies were in place to promote access to employment, including self-employment, for young persons living in poverty.

    The Government had yet to decide whether to merge the Ministry of Women with other ministries.  Whether or not the merger took place, the State would continue to implement this ministry’s mandate.

    Questions by a Committee Expert

    KARLA VANESSA LEMUS DE VÁSQUEZ, Committee Vice-Chair and Member of the Taskforce for Peru, asked whether the State party had updated the national action plan on forced labour and related strategies.  What measures were in place to strengthen the capacity of the National Commission on Forced Labour?  Current measures were reportedly not sufficient for promoting the inclusion of persons with disabilities into formal employment.  There were no sanctions for companies that did not respect disability quotas.  What measures were in place to provide training on reasonable accommodation and ensure that workplaces were accessible?

    The Committee was concerned that more than 70 per cent of the workforce, including 85 per cent of migrant workers, worked in the informal sector.  The taxation system discouraged companies and workers from transitioning into the formal sector.  Would the State party amend tax provisions and promote the transition into the formal sector?  Temporary contracts could be renewed for up to five years for an unlimited number of times. Were there plans to reform legislation on temporary contracts to limit their use?

    What criteria were used to establish and update the minimum wage?  What measures had the State party taken to ensure appropriate oversight of the informal sector to prevent adolescents from engaging in dangerous work?  How was the Government promoting trade union representation and informing workers about trade union rights?  What sectors were restricted from engaging in strikes?  How did the State party ensure effective protection from reprisals for strikers?

    How did the State party ensure that social services had sufficient resources?  The International Labour Organization had called for a comprehensive protection system for the unemployed.  What progress had been made on its implementation?

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said reports on the implementation of annual disability policies had been published by the State, including in Easy Read format.  There were State programmes in place promoting persons with disabilities’ access to employment.  A forum had been set up that displayed job information tailored to persons with disabilities, and job fairs for persons with disabilities were also held in various regions.  The State party provided training to public officials and private sector employers on promoting the inclusion of persons with disabilities in workplaces and providing reasonable accommodation.

    The State party had conducted awareness raising campaigns and provided training to public officials on migrants’ labour rights.  In addition, it had conducted activities to promote trade union rights, with a particular emphasis on the agricultural sector.  There had been improvements in levels of formal employment between 2021 and 2023, thanks to a new law promoting the transition to the formal sector.  Since 2021, the Directorate for the Settlement of Labour Disputes had conducted 213 interventions to settle disputes between employers and employees. There had been 17 trade unions established in the agricultural sector since 2021.  Around 540,000 workers in Peru were affiliated with a union; affiliation with unions was voluntary.

    The State party was drafting a new policy aimed at the eradication of forced labour and it hoped to conclude these efforts in coming weeks.  Peru had developed three national action plans on combatting forced labour, the most recent of which ended in 2022.  This plan had had a positive impact, with over 70 per cent of its measures having been effectively implemented.  A national day for the eradication of forced labour had been established, and data collection on forced labour had been strengthened. Outreach on preventing forced labour was conducted nationally.

    Questions by Committee Experts

    Committee Experts asked follow-up questions on the number of people benefitting from programmes promoting employment of persons with disabilities; measures to resolve wage disputes involving persons with disabilities; disaggregated data on access to social services in the State party; plans to reform the pension system to make it more sustainable and to guarantee a minimum income for all older persons; measures to protect workers in the mining industry from acts of violence and intimidation; measures to ensure the traceability of illegally mined gold, prevent illegal mining, and provide remedies for harms caused; how the labour inspection system addressed the situation in remote areas; and protections for workers in the illegal mining sector.

    LUDOVIC HENNEBEL, Committee Vice-Chair and Member of the Taskforce for Peru, asked about measures to guarantee access to protection and justice services for women victims of violence.  To what extent had protective legislation been implemented?  Why were acts of femicide and domestic violence still prevalent in the State party despite legislative developments?  What measures were in place to tackle systemic sexual violence in schools, particularly in rural areas?

    How would the State party effectively implement the prohibition of child marriage and make all such unions void?  How would it tackle de-facto unions?  What measures were in place to combat child labour in agricultural and mining sectors?

    Was the State party planning to bolster protections against forced evictions?  There was a clear disparity between social classes in terms of access to housing.  How would the State party address this?  How was it supporting access to water infrastructure in rural areas and preventing the contamination of water sources by extractive industries? Around 31 per cent of the population was exposed to heavy metal pollution in water sources.  What measures were in place to combat overexploitation of natural resources by extractive industries?

    What programmes were in place to combat malnutrition?  How did the State ensure that indigenous communities could benefit from food distribution programmes?  How was the Government tackling child malnutrition and anaemia? What measures were in place to bolster the national healthcare system, particularly in rural areas, and to combat the shortage of pharmaceutical products?  How was the State party supporting access to quality mental health services in rural areas and preventing suicides, tackling HIV infections in indigenous communities, and combatting discrimination against persons suffering from HIV?  How was it supporting access to contraception and abortions and preventing obstetric violence?  What support systems were available for girls who were victims of rape and incest?

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said in 2024, the Congress presented a bill to adapt the scope of Peruvian sign language and ensure public and private entities would provide for it. This was being carried out to enhance the implementation of Peruvian sign language. 

    Persons who were self-employed were included in the informal economy.  The Ministry of Labour undertook different activities to ensure the self-employed could transit to a formal economy.  Guidelines had been adopted to strengthen the production of formal and decent self-employment to guide actions to promote self-employment at all levels of Government. 

    The General Directorate of Employment had been looking at adolescents who worked for others to ensure decent working conditions for them and avoid the worst forms of child labour.  The State had a model to identify and eradicate child labour.  Peru dealt with cases identified in different authority areas. When it came to monitoring and oversight of children engaged in dangerous jobs, the National Labour Inspectorate had a special unit for child and forced labour.  This meant there was detailed supervision by this unit that carried out investigations and checks to determine if any children or adolescents were involved in dangerous jobs. 

    Educational programmes were being implemented in rural areas, including a programme for secondary education with only part-time attendance.  Another part-time educational programme was in place to promote the development of communities through different learning models. National legislation on union rights was in line with what was established with international fora, including the International Labour Organization.  The Labour Inspection Unit had the ability and resources to ensure the existence of the right to strike, pursuant to Peruvian law and international standards.  The Labour Inspectorate Service carried out monitoring and oversight activities to protect the rights of workers.  The unit had made a significant step in putting in place the Trade Union Rights Unit. This team included inspectors who had specific training on cases relating to the right to strike. 

    Around 2,331 persons with disabilities were registered in the job centre of the Ministry of Labour in 2024 and 1,724 persons obtained an employment certificate. In 2024, the National Council for Persons with Disabilities investigated 105 public entities and 103 sanctions were issued due to non-compliance with the employment quotas.  Around 90.7 per cent of the population had reported as having some kind of health insurance, with the figures being higher in rural areas. 

    It was difficult to access some of the most remote areas in the country.  In these cases, a system of documentary checks was used to allow inspections to be carried out without physical visits. There was a database of indigenous communities, including qualitative and geographical information.  This allowed different levels of Government to implement public policies for indigenous peoples and guarantee their rights. 

    Between 2017 and 2018, Peru changed its approach to combat corruption.  Instead of doing this retroactively, it was now part of the comprehensive policy for integrity and combatting corruption.  There were specialised prosecutors to deal with the scourge of corruption, and these cases were conducted independently, including in the cases of public officials.   

    A specialised justice system had been created in 2018 to punish any acts of violence against women by members of their families.  Violence against women and girls had reached its most acute stage, which meant the need to adopt differentiated approaches.  During the pandemic, a legislative decree was passed to guarantee protection measures to victims of gender-based violence.  Several instruments had been passed to support women victims of violence.  The Peruvian State would continue to try and tackle violence against women head on.

    There were 60 services under the public prosecutor’s service, 25 of which were connected to legal aid under the specialised justice system.  Numerous steps had been implemented to address the issue of femicides.  One of the main leaps forward was the implementation of the national system of justice for protection.  Furthermore, the Ministry of Women and Vulnerable Populations had a direct link to victims of femicide and their family members through the support centres which had been created to tackle emergency situations. Steps had been taken to try and establish support campaigns for victims of femicide within these centres.  A mobile application provided information on services for gender-based violence and could be used to privately contact a platform for help and share location to trusted contacts.  Medical and psychological assistance was provided to child victims of femicide on an individual and monthly basis. 

    The Peruvian State was committed to reducing the levels of social tolerance to victims of violence in Peru. The high levels of violence against children in the Amazonas region was a priority for the State, and there were multiple challenges in this regard.  Since August 2024, the State had adopted the plan to address sexual abuse against children and adolescents in the Condorcanqui in the Amazonas area; 607 teachers had reports of sexual violence levied against them.  In 2022, a pact was introduced for indigenous youth, which included specific activities for implementation in the Amazonas area. In 2024, training was carried out for indigenous women to enhance their leadership and organizational skills. 

    The State had adopted a law to prohibit the marriage of children.  Any minor had the ability to request the annulment of a marriage contracted prior to the law entering into force.  There were no registered cases of child marriage. 

    A decree had been approved promulgating a social housing rule.  The law on buildings in rural areas had been amended, and the building of social housing was promoted to make up for the housing shortages.  Progress had been made in recent years, in water and sanitation, including decreasing the gap between rural and urban areas. 

    Questions by Committee Experts

    LUDOVIC HENNEBEL, Committee Vice-Chair and Member of the Taskforce for Peru, asked for more information about activities relating to illegal mining and deforestation.  Corruption could have a significant impact relating to the implementation of all public policies.  What challenges did the State face when combatting corruption?  What measures were being taken to combat corruption? 

    MICHAEL WINDFUHR, Committee Expert and Leader of the Taskforce for Peru, said corruption was a major issue when it came to land transfers.  How was the State able to control corruption in these cases?  How could labour rights be controlled everywhere if officials could not travel there? How did the written submissions work? 

    SANTIAGO MANUEL FIORIO VAESKEN, Committee Expert and Member of the Taskforce for Peru, said more than 300 persons of Peruvian nationality were being detained in the United States, awaiting deportation.  A growing number of Peruvian nationals had been deported already and others were leaving the country.  What measures had the Government put in place to receive these persons and re-include them in society? 

    An Expert asked how the system was monitored to ensure the water supply complied with national standards, considering the difficult geographic conditions mentioned? 

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said there was a legislative framework which had been harmful to economic, cultural and social rights.  Peru was a sovereign State which respected international human rights law. Standards and rules were approved via a legislative process befitting of a democratic State.  If there were any rules which ran counter to any treaty or agreement, they could be called into question.  There was a national oversight mechanism. 

    The Government was fighting corruption head on.  There had been a change of approach in the State to a preventive approach, and there was now a special unit on corruption which guided national policy in this area.  The geography of Peru meant that the State was dealing with certain idiosyncrasies.

    Illegal mining was a crime defined in Peru’s Legal Code.  Small-scale mining was being formalised and there was an associated extraordinary process and specific decrees which defined this activity as one taken in a non-prohibited area.  Peru currently had a health directive and multisectoral plan to deal with people who had been exposed to heavy metals and other toxins.  Steps had been taken to identify the early steps of lead poisoning within the community.  Peru guaranteed the exercise of consultation and there was a technical body specialised in this area; 98 prior consultation processes applying these provisions had been held. 

    There had been a significant increase in cases of mental health since 2018.  Steps had been taken to ensure harmonious cohabitation and avoid inter-family violence.  In Peru, domestic violence was a major problem, and as such psychological support was being provided to victims of violence.  Steps were also being taken to create safe environments to prevent risk, and roll out campaigns for girls and women in the field of mental health.  The State rolled out a multisectoral plan to prevent teenage pregnancy, which had yielded significant results.  A technical guide had been developed for therapeutic abortion before 22 weeks. 

    There was a group that contacted nationals who had been deported under the migration policy of the United States to ensure they were provided with basic services. 

    Questions by a Committee Expert

    SANTIAGO MANUEL FIORIO VAESKEN, Committee Expert and Member of the Taskforce for Peru, asked for details on public spending in 2024 and plans for 2025 earmarked for education?  There had been reports of a drop in the quality of education in Peru.  What measures had the State taken to reverse the deterioration in levels of reading among primary school students?  Recently, the Ministry of Education through its website revealed more than 19,000 cases of violence reported in schools.  What specific measures was the State planning to take in this regard?  Were there protocols or procedures in place to respond to these cases? 

    It was concerning to receive reports of cases of systemic sexual abuse of children and adolescents by teachers, particularly in the Condorcanqui region, including more than 600 reported cases of sexual abuse.  What was being done to eliminate the systemic sexual abuse in this region and to punish the perpetrators?  What was the State doing to guarantee access to justice for victims?  What mechanisms were being developed to prevent such crimes and their recurrence?  What was the State doing to ensure oversight in schools? 

    The Committee was aware of the prohibition of using pupils in the education system to promote any political beliefs and aims.  How was it guaranteed that teachers did not politically manipulate pupils? Were teacher salaries in Peru competitive?  How did they compare to the minimum or average wage in Peru?  There had been public criticism about the school meal programme, Qalia Warma, including that children did not receive enough nutrients. There had been cases of using horse meat instead of meat, offal, and food which was mouldy or contained vermin faeces.  Would there be changes made to this service?  How was the distribution of these foods monitored?  Had the State identified the companies which provided the substandard foods?  Did they still hold contracts with them?  What steps had been taken to ensure accountability of the State authorities responsible?  What would be done to ensure that this did not happen in the future?   

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said the State of Peru rejected all forms of violence, particularly against children.  The State wanted to ensure the cases in Condorcanqui were being appropriately investigated and punished.  The intersectoral plan of action for Condorcanqui was a guide to monitor progress, to prevent and deal with sexual violence against children in the province. Teachers had been trained on sexual and reproductive health rights and health professionals had been recruited. Sampling of HIV and syphilis had been carried out in more than 30 indigenous communities.  There were 18 local authority protection networks in place. 

    The feeding programme provided food to 18 residential facilities and more than 30,000 students benefitted in the Condorcanqui province.  The State provided technical assistance to operators working in rural areas.  Care had been provided to 100 communities that benefitted from a mobile justice system. A multisectoral roundtable had been held to tackle sexual violence against children in the Condorcanqui province. Teachers who had restraining orders could not teach in 2025.  Intercultural mediators had also been recruited to deal with the issue.  There was an investigation relating to the proceedings and cases submitted. 

    In 2025, there was a planned budget for education for over 49 billion Solis.  In 2022, steps had been taken to close the digital gap in rural and urban areas in primary and secondary schools.  Mobile educational material and digital content gave teachers and students the opportunity to learn in different contexts. 

    Punishment had been issued for workers who had allegedly been involved in corruption in the Qali Warma school food programme.  Reports had been lodged with the prosecution service to ensure legal steps were taken against workers and providers.  Those who had breached agreements were to be held to account. There was a focus to prevent corruption and there were channels to report this. 

    Questions by a Committee Expert

    SANTIAGO MANUEL FIORIO VAESKEN, Committee Expert and Member of the Taskforce for Peru, asked if justice settings provided translation in the original languages of Peru?  To what extent could parents have influence in the drafting of the school curriculum? What measures was the State offering to provide comprehensive sexual reproductive education? 

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said there were hubs where culturally sensitive advice was provided free of charge.  There were more than 600 cultural hubs throughout the country.  Programmes had been launched at schools to prevent teenage pregnancies. 

    Closing Remarks

    MICHAEL WINDFUHR, Committee Expert and Leader of the Taskforce for Peru, thanked the delegation for the effort made during the dialogue.  The Committee’s concluding observations aimed to provide constructive feedback.  The Committee would appreciate if the outcome of the constructive dialogue would be published in Peru and made available to all stakeholders.  It was important for the State to reduce fear and complications around civil society to improve the outcome on economic, social and cultural rights. 

    LUIS FERNANDO DOMÍNGUEZ VERA, Director-General for Human Rights, Ministry of Justice and Human Rights of Peru and head of the delegation, thanked the Committee for the constructive dialogue.  Peru was a democratic State that respected the rule of law and allowed anyone to express their beliefs.  Peru had full respect for economic, social and cultural rights, particularly for those in vulnerable situations, and would aim to strengthen national efforts to achieve these rights under the Covenant.

     

    Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the media; 
    not an official record. English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.

     

    CESCR25.003E

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Experts of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women Praise Sri Lanka’s Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security, Ask about Legislation on Child Marriage and Domestic Violence

    Source: United Nations – Geneva

    The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women today concluded its consideration of the ninth periodic report of Sri Lanka, with Committee Experts praising the State’s national action plan on women, peace and security, and raising questions about the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act, which permitted child marriage, and domestic violence.

    One Committee Expert said the national action plan on women, peace and security was a positive step in addressing the needs of women in conflict.  Were there plans to conduct a mid-term assessment of the plan?

    Yamila González Ferrer, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur for Sri Lanka, said that the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act was amended in 2022, but there were still concerns about elements of the law.  Were there plans to further amend the law, including to ban child marriage?

    Another Committee Expert said at least one in five women in Sri Lanka had experienced violence from an intimate partner, and many did not report it.  What was the timeline for adopting proposed amendments to the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act?  What protections were provided to women victims of violence?

    Introducing the report, Saroja Savitri Paulraj, Minister of Women and Child Affairs of Sri Lanka and head of the delegation, said the Sri Lankan Government was committed to upholding the rights of women and girls and advancing gender equality.  This review held particular significance, as it was the country’s first engagement with an international human rights treaty body since the presidential and parliamentary elections of 2024.

    Ms. Paulraj said Sri Lanka’s first national action plan for women, peace and security for 2023 to 2027 had been launched.  The Government was committed to realising the full promise of the women, peace and security agenda.  The delegation added that the action plan addressed displacement, and women’s protection, security and participation in peacebuilding.  The State party was planning to conduct a review of the implementation of the action plan.

    On the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act, the delegation said the Government had conducted consultations regarding its amendment.  It was trying to strike a balance between women’s and children’s rights and cultural rights.  Ms. Paulraj added that the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus had suggested setting a minimum age for marriage and establishing a multi sectoral committee to address this issue.

    On domestic violence, the delegation said the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act had been amended; the amended Act would come into force this year.  The Assistance to Victims Act underlined the rights of victims to be treated with respect and privacy, and to request legal, medical and psychosocial assistance.  A toll-free hotline operated by female officers was available for reporting domestic violence.

    In closing remarks, Ms. Paulraj said the Sri Lankan Government had undertaken significant efforts to strengthen women’s empowerment.  It was fully committed to addressing the issues that women faced in the State and would continue to engage with the Committee constructively.

    In her concluding remarks, Nahla Haidar, Committee Chair, said that the State party had shared candidly and transparently the progress made and difficulties it was facing.  She commended the State party for its efforts and encouraged it to implement the Committee’s recommendations for the benefit of all Sri Lankan women and girls.

    The delegation of Sri Lanka consisted of representatives from the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs; Attorney General’s Department; Sri Lanka Police; Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism; and the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations Office at Geneva.

    The Committee will issue the concluding observations on the report of Sri Lanka at the end of its ninetieth session on 21 February.  All documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpage.  Meeting summary releases can be found here.  The webcast of the Committee’s public meetings can be accessed via the UN Web TV webpage.

    The Committee will next meet at 10 a.m. on Friday, 14 February to consider the sixth periodic report of Liechtenstein (CEDAW/C/LIE/6).

    Report

    The Committee has before it the ninth periodic report of Sri Lanka (CEDAW/C/LKA/9).

    Presentation of Report

    SAROJA SAVITRI PAULRAJ, Minister of Women and Child Affairs of Sri Lanka and head of the delegation, said the Sri Lankan Government was committed to upholding the rights of women and girls and advancing gender equality.  This review held particular significance, as it was the country’s first engagement with an international human rights treaty body since the presidential and parliamentary elections of 2024 and the formation of the new Government in Sri Lanka.  Sri Lanka was proud to have a member from Sri Lanka in the Committee, Rangita de Silva de Alwis.  Her contribution to this Committee’s work was highly appreciated.

    Ms. Paulraj said she was the first Tamil Member of Parliament elected from the Southern Province, which had a predominantly Sinhala community.  Women’s representation in Sri Lanka’s Parliament had risen from 4.8 to 9.7 per cent with the election of 22 female members in November 2024.  These women included individuals from the working class and marginalised communities, including, for the first time in history, two women from the Malayaga community. 

    Sri Lanka was proud to have its third female Prime Minister, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya.  One of the Government’s key electoral pledges had been to ensure the equal representation of women in Government. Appointing a woman to the post of Deputy Chairman of Committees of Parliament for the first time was another milestone.  The Sri Lankan judiciary also had a high percentage of women at senior levels. Thirty-two per cent of Ambassadors in Sri Lanka were women.  Across all levels of Sri Lanka’s diplomatic service, women were in the majority. During the reporting period, Sri Lanka Police appointed four female Deputy Inspectors General of Police and the first female Director of the Criminal Investigation Department.  Many women had been appointed to the Government’s decision-making councils, commissions and boards.

    The Government had made a policy commitment to reduce the burden of unpaid care work for women. Women played a crucial role in driving the economy in Sri Lanka, with their contributions being essential in generating income across key sectors.  Women made up most of the workforce in industries such as garments, plantations, and as migrant workers.  For the first time, a woman had been appointed as the Chairperson of the Sri Lankan Apparel Exporters Association in the corporate sector.

    The Government had introduced several initiatives to support economic recovery and empower citizens, particularly focusing on women and youth.  One notable proposal was the establishment of a new development bank aimed at providing new entrepreneurs, including rural and disadvantaged women, with loans without the requirement for collateral.  The Sri Lanka Women’s Bureau was the national mechanism implementing projects and programmes for the social and economic development of women from national to grassroots level.

    The Women Empowerment Act of 2024 introduced mechanisms to give effect to the obligations undertaken by Sri Lanka in relation to the Convention, and defined women’s right to equality and non-discrimination.  A key component of this Act was to establish an independent National Commission on Women, and to provide provisions for the appointment of a Woman Ombudsperson on ensuring women’s rights and setting up a National Fund for Women. 

    The Land Development (Amendment) Act of 2022 had brought in provisions to ensure gender equality and non-discrimination in land inheritance.  The Women’s Parliamentary Caucus had suggested setting a minimum age for marriage and establishing a multi sectoral committee to address this issue.

    Addressing sexual and gender-based violence was a key priority for the Government.  It would establish mechanisms to prioritise and expedite the resolution of cases involving sexual offences against women and minors, ensuring that victims received timely redress.  The progress review of the first national action plan to address sexual and gender-based violence for the period 2016-2020 found a 70 per cent level of implementation.  Thereafter, a second plan for the period 2024-2028 was launched in 2024.  This plan focused on prevention programmes in schools, places of work, and community-based initiatives, as well as programmes on engaging men to address gender-based violence. 

    Children and Women Desks had been newly established in police stations, and the Government would also double the allocation for 2025 for the establishment and expansion of shelter homes for women.

    Sri Lanka’s first national action plan for women, peace and security for 2023 to 2027 had been launched.  The action plan was developed through an inclusive process of broad consultations with survivors of conflict and vulnerable women and children.  The Government was committed to realising the full promise of the women, peace and security agenda. 

    Technology-facilitated gender-based violence was another pressing challenge that Sri Lanka was facing.  The Government was working to implement stronger laws and policies to protect individuals from privacy violations, online stalking, and hate speech.  Sri Lanka was a party to the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime, which focused on addressing online and technology-facilitated violence against women.  The Online Safety Act of 2024 aimed to protect the vulnerable sections of the society in line with international standards.

    Sri Lanka was committed to upholding human rights, gender equality, and social justice.  Its foremost priority was to ensure that no one was left behind.  Sri Lankan women had been active participants in the country’s development agenda and the Government was committed to addressing existing challenges and supporting women to carry out this role.

    Questions by Committee Experts

    YAMILA GONZÁLEZ FERRER, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur for Sri Lanka, said that Sri Lanka’s Constitution established that all persons had the right to live free from discrimination. However, this was not yet a reality. Sri Lanka was in the process of drafting a new Constitution.  Were there plans to incorporate the rights of women and girls into the Constitution? Proposals had been made to reform criminal laws to remove discriminatory provisions affecting women related to marriage. What progress had been made in this regard?

    The national human rights institution had “A” status under the Paris Principles.  What actions had it implemented to protect women’s rights? Were its complaints mechanisms effective?  Were there plans to update the national action plan on human rights?  There were several obstacles limiting the capacity of the judicial system to protect women affected by sexual and gender-based violence and domestic violence.  How was the State party strengthening the judiciary and reducing trial times?

    The death penalty was legal in Sri Lanka.  Although there was a de facto moratorium in place, courts continued to sentence women to death, often not considering mitigating circumstances such as gender-based violence.  Could the State party provide data on women sentenced to death?  Had the Convention been invoked before the courts?

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said that the Constitution guaranteed the right to non-discrimination.  Violations of fundamental rights could be brought before the Supreme Court, which had drawn reference to the Convention in some of its determinations.  In one case, it had held that equality could be seriously impaired when women were subjected to workplace gender-based violence.  The Women’s Commission was mandated to introduce mechanisms to give effect to Convention obligations.

    There were several mechanisms in place facilitating access to justice.  The Legal Commission of Sri Lanka provided free legal services to citizens who had incomes of less than 40,000 rupees.  This threshold did not apply for cases of a domestic nature. The Human Rights Commission and the Women’s Commission were empowered to receive complaints related to human rights violations directly from victims, investigate the matter, and make recommendations.  Financial assistance and counselling were provided to women victims of violence. The Prevention of Domestic Violence Act allowed for victims to make complaints directly to the police.

    Sri Lanka had maintained a moratorium on the death penalty since 1978.  The Supreme Court had intervened in the past to prevent the death penalty from being carried out.  A recent amendment to the Penal Code increased the minimum age from which the death penalty could be applied from 16 to 18 years.

    Many efforts had been made to implement the Committee’s previous concluding observations.  The Government had established a coordinating committee to follow-up on the Committee’s concluding observations, in collaboration with civil society.  In 2022, legislation on marriage and divorce was amended to remove all provisions permitting the marriage of a minor with parents’ permission. Legislation on inheritance had also been revised to remove its gender components.

    Questions by Committee Experts 

    YAMILA GONZÁLEZ FERRER, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur for Sri Lanka, said that the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act was amended in 2022, but there were still concerns about elements of the law addressing abortion and rape.  Were there plans to further amend the law?  Was work underway to ensure that authorities could mainstream a gender perspective in measures promoting access to justice?

    Another Committee Expert congratulated the Government on appointing a woman Prime Minister.  Ms. de Silva’s contributions enriched the Committee. The national action plan on women, peace and security was a positive step in addressing the needs of women in conflict.  However, challenges remained in this field.  Were there plans to conduct a mid-term assessment of the plan?  How would the Government ensure accountability for past conflict-related gender-based violence and ensure the rights of victims to protest and mourn publicly?

    Non-governmental organizations faced financial and regulatory obstructions.  How would the State party support women human rights defenders and remove restrictions on the activities of civil society?

    One Committee Expert welcomed measures for increasing the political representation of women, but said the Committee was concerned by the low level of representation of women in public and private life.  She commended the quota of 25 per cent representation for local government bodies, but said this was not in line with the Committee’s recommendation of 50 per cent representation.  The Expert further commended an initiative to enhance the incomes of women in the agricultural sector.  Had this initiative been successful?  What affirmative actions had been implemented in other sectors?

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said the Government had conducted consultations regarding the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act.  It was trying to strike a balance between women’s and children’s rights and cultural rights, and was working to ensure that the law reflected the views of the people.  There was constant training of police officers and the judiciary on the Convention.  Persons who caused a woman to miscarry, except to save the life of the woman, were punished, but the Government was considering legal amendments in this regard.

    Sri Lanka’s civil society had made important contributions to the protection of human rights.  The window in which civil society could challenge bills had been extended from seven to 14 days.  Freedom of expression, speech and assembly were protected in the Constitution. The Government was committed to protecting the freedom of expression of civil society.  It had simplified administrative requirements for registering non-governmental organizations.  Regulatory measures were needed to prevent non-governmental organizations from engaging in money laundering and financing of terrorism. Complaints could be made regarding infringements of the rights of human rights defenders to the Supreme Court, the National Police Commission, the Women’s Ombudsperson, and the Human Rights Commission, which had produced guidelines on the protection of human rights defenders.

    Women were selected to leadership roles on public bodies on merit.  Their representation was improving.  Sri Lanka had had the world’s first woman Prime Minister.  There was no quota for appointments to roles in the public sector, but over 50 per cent of prosecutors were women.  The Government had conducted several awareness raising campaigns encouraging women’s participation in public life.  Diploma programmes were developed to train women to participate in political roles, and a forum had been held to advocate for increased representation of women in trade unions.  Leadership courses had been held for minority women.  Women’s representation in local government had risen to 25 per cent in 2018, thanks to the quota enacted in 2017.  The Government aimed to increase the representation of women in Parliament and provincial councils to 30 per cent.

    The women, peace and security action plan addressed displacement, and women’s protection, security and participation in peacebuilding.  A steering committee had been established to implement the plan and make policy recommendations.  The State party was planning to conduct a review of the implementation of the action plan.

    The Government was developing a truth and reconciliation process that had the people’s trust.  The Office for Reparations had reviewed more than 6,000 complaints, tracing around 180 missing persons and helping over 4,000 families to access remedies.  Investigation results were accessible to the public.  The national reparations policy was tabled in Parliament in 2022.  It included provisions for memorialisation. The Office provided livelihood support, land rights, housing, psychosocial support and measures to prevent violence.  Payments had been provided for over 11,000 individuals across various categories. An independent body had also been established to conduct investigations into historic violations.

    Questions by Committee Experts 

    A Committee Expert congratulated Sri Lanka on having the first female Prime Minister in the world and on electing its third female Prime Minister.  The State party needed to consider temporary special measures such as quotas to improve women’s representation in various fields.  Would the State party increase its 25 per cent quota for Parliament and other bodies?

    Another Committee Expert said gender stereotypes perpetuated inequalities in Sri Lanka.  What actions had been taken by the State party to promote gender equality in school curricula and tackle gender stereotypes? What was the timeline for amending the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act to ban child marriage?

    At least one in five women in Sri Lanka had experienced violence from an intimate partner, and many did not report it. Women who sought justice faced discriminatory treatment in the judicial system.  What was the timeline for adopting proposed amendments to the Domestic Violence Act?  How would the State party address barriers to women victims accessing justice?  Were gender courts available in rural areas? What protections were provided to women victims of violence?  Courts did not recognise marital rape and girls over age 16 were not protected from statutory rape.  How would the State party ensure that all girls without exception were protected from rape?

    One Committee Expert welcomed the national action plan to combat trafficking, the Witness Protection Act, and a fund to compensate victims of violence.  Was the unit working to prevent trafficking a militarised unit? Most persons trafficked to the Middle East were female domestic workers.  Traffickers recruited women and girls from rural areas and forced them to work in the commercial sex industry in urban areas.  Law enforcement lacked proper training on identifying trafficking. What measures were in place to ensure the protection of victims who reported trafficking crimes?  Were there efforts being made to reduce the evidence threshold for declaring trafficking crimes?  How did the State party ensure that victims of trafficking were not criminalised?  Did police officers receive training on trafficking and labour rights?

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act had been amended and would come into force this year. The Assistance to Victims Act provided for the establishment of a national authority for the protection of victims and witnesses.  It underlined the rights of victims to be treated with respect and privacy, and to request legal, medical and psychosocial assistance.  Female victims could request investigating officers of a particular gender.

    The police had implemented specialised protective units and a targeted programme that encouraged increased reporting of domestic violence and reduced death rates.  A toll-free hotline operated by female officers was available for reporting domestic violence.

    The National Anti-Human Trafficking Taskforce coordinated police actions to investigate trafficking in persons. The Taskforce included members of various Government departments; it was not a militarised entity.  There was also an anti-trafficking desk within the Ministry of Defence.  The Government operated a shelter for female victims of trafficking, which provided health, food and other support services.  Awareness raising campaigns on the importance of reporting trafficking crimes were in place.  Trafficking in persons was an offence in the Penal Code.  Persons who committed or conspired to commit trafficking offences were liable for a penalty of between three to 15 years imprisonment. 

    Persons who committed rape were punished with imprisonment for no less than seven years, or no less than 15 years when the victim was under 16.  A man who had a non-consensual sexual relationship with a woman who was formerly his wife was criminalised.

    Questions by Committee Experts 

    One Committee Expert asked whether marital rape had been criminalised, and if not, when it would be.  Were there plans to provide specific services for victims of technologically-assisted gender-based violence and to provide training to stakeholders on this issue?

    YAMILA GONZÁLEZ FERRER, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur for Sri Lanka, asked how awareness raising campaigns promoted the rights of women in vulnerable situations.

    Another Committee Expert said that in 2023, 51 per cent of harmful speech online targeted women.  Women’s rights groups and even the Prime Minister were targeted by online hate speech.  How did legislation protect women and rights groups online?  Some social media platforms had not removed harmful content due to high thresholds for removal.  Did the State party plan to hold these platforms to account to protect women?  Thirty-two per cent of Ambassadors were female, though women made up more than half of the foreign service.  How would the State party support women to become Ambassadors?  Many transgender women faced barriers in accessing residence certificates and the right to vote.  How was the State party addressing these barriers?

    Another Committee Expert said Sri Lankan women who married foreigners faced barriers in passing their nationality to their children.  What measures were in place to ensure that women could transmit their nationality on par with their male counterparts?  Tamil women, women in rural zones, and displaced women often lacked documentation to prove their nationality.  Lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex women faced discrimination from police and confronted obstacles in obtaining gender recognition papers.  Children born to foreign parents did not obtain Sri Lankan nationality, raising issues of statelessness for plantation workers.  How was the State addressing these issues?

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said statutory rape was currently rape of persons aged up to 16 years.  Marital rape was not currently criminalised.  The Online Safety Act aimed to promote safety for women and girls online.  The Cybercrime Investigation Unit was tasked with handling all cyber-related complaints, including those related to sexual and gender-based violence and online child exploitation.  It acted swiftly to remove harmful online content, including from social media platforms. Women could submit complaints of online abuse through email and hotlines.  The Act established an independent Online Safety Commission that could issue directives to internet service providers, requiring them to respond to discriminatory online acts.  The Commission could also disable users, remove offending content, and seek internet intermediaries to disclose the identities of offenders.

    Women played a significant role in diplomatic representation at all levels.  They accounted for more than 50 per cent of diplomatic mission staff, so it was likely that women would account for more than 50 per cent of Ambassadors in future.

    Freedom of expression was recognised in the Constitution, but this right was not without limitation.  It could not be used to infringe on the rights of others. Hate speech against political candidates could be reported to the Elections Commission, as well as the Women’s Commission and the Human Rights Commission.

    The conferment of citizenship was previously linked to fathers in legislation; however, this had been amended to allow for citizenship to be conferred by both parents.  Citizenship could be provided to stateless children by the State.  There was no legal impediment to persons obtaining birth certificates.  Tamils of Indian origin would be recognised as Sri Lankan citizens.  The Government was considering programmes to provide permanent residency to members of the Malayaga community, and the members of Parliament from this community could take up this issue in the legislature.  There were measures to identify stateless children and register them. Mobile units were in place that supported birth registration for families living on plantations.

    The family background report system had been criticised as being discriminatory, placing the burden of childcare on women.  In 2022, the Cabinet of Ministers removed the mandatory family background report for women seeking work abroad and lowered the age limit for them.  The Government was supporting access to caretakers for children aged two and above.  It sought to support both women and men to seek work overseas without compromising their family’s welfare.

    Questions by Committee Experts

    One Committee Expert asked whether the Online Services Act was effective.  Had there been any prosecutions under it?  What was the State party doing to implement local elections, which had not been held since 2018, and to support women’s participation in those elections?

    A Committee Expert asked whether the period of free birth registration would be extended.

    One Committee Expert said Sri Lanka had made achievements regarding girls’ education.  Girls’ literacy rate was over 90 per cent, which was much higher than many other countries in the region.  However, child marriages remained a challenge in rural communities and were a major reason for girls dropping out of schools.  The COVID-19 pandemic also affected girls in rural areas, as they had limited opportunities to participate in online education.  The computer literacy rate on plantations was less than half that of other regions. 

    Stereotypes hindered the access of Muslim women and girls to education.  What measures had the State party taken to combat dropouts of girls in primary and secondary education?  What measures were in place to promote gender mainstreaming in education? How did the State party ensure that girls of all religions could access education?  What activities were carried out to prevent stereotypes in education?

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said the Online Safety Act was a new law.  There had yet to be prosecutions under the law.  The related Commission would soon be set up and would be able to investigate complaints.

    Every citizen over the age of 18 who was qualified to be an elector could become one.  Sri Lanka had established an independent Election Commission that could investigate complaints of violations and issue sanctions. The Supreme Court had upheld the right to vote and held that any impediment to such was a violation.  The law on local government elections was being revised; once this had concluded, local elections could be held.

    The education system was committed to ensuring equal access for all students, regardless of gender.  The provision of free school meals and textbooks allowed for girls from poor families to pursue their education.  The State party was committed to reducing the burden that education placed on parents.  Education was compulsory until age 16.  An initiative to provide girls with sanitary pads was implemented in 2024, benefitting 800,000 girls.  Scholarships were provided to girls from low-income families to participate in technology studies.  There had been an increase in the share of girls participating in science, technology, engineering and maths courses in university in recent years; the share was currently 37 per cent.

    Questions by Committee Experts

    A Committee Expert commended the State party for establishing sexual harassment committees and creating a labour complaints mechanism.  Most women worked in the informal sector, where they lacked labour rights and were vulnerable to abuse.  Many informal sector workers lacked access to social security, leave and childcare services. What measures were in place to protect the rights of women in the informal sector?  Did the State party plan to establish mechanisms to allow domestic workers to seek redress in cases of abuse?  Were there plans to extend paid maternity leave to at least 14 weeks and promote shared parental leave?  Were there plans to ratify International Labour Organization Conventions 181, 189 and 190?  The number of Sri Lankan migrant domestic workers had increased in recent years. These workers often faced abuse from their employers.  How were these workers informed about their rights and protected from abuse? 

    Another Committee Expert commended Sri Lanka’s commitment to strengthening public health care. Persistent barriers obstructed women’s sexual and reproductive health rights.  How would State policies address these barriers?  Restrictive laws forced many women to resort to unsafe abortions. What steps had been taken to ensure women’s safe access to abortion?  What measures were in place to prevent forced sterilisation and ensure informed consent? Girls faced challenges in accessing information on contraception, leading to high rates of early pregnancies. What measures were in place to reduce early pregnancies?  Many schools in rural areas lacked proper sanitation facilities, forcing girls to miss school during menstrual periods.  There was also a very high tax of 47 per cent on menstrual products. How was the State party supporting access to sanitation facilities and menstrual products for women and girls?

    Female genital mutilation continued to be practiced in some Muslim communities.  There was no law criminalising female genital mutilation in Sri Lanka.  When would one be developed?  What awareness raising campaigns on female genital mutilation were in place?  Some women experienced obstetric violence during childbirth.  Did the State party intend to implement measures to prevent such practices?

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said women spent more time than men in unpaid domestic work in Sri Lanka.  The Government had taken steps to train care workers to improve the availability of childcare and disability care services for working mothers and reduce the burden of unpaid care work.  Sri Lanka was interested in ratifying International Labour Organization Convention 190.  The necessary amendments had been incorporated into legislation.  The State had also implemented policies to promote women’s employment.  The Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment was conducting consultations with stakeholders to strengthen protections of Sri Lankan domestic workers overseas.  The Women’s Empowerment Act aimed to address the gender pay gap.

    Taxes on sanitary products and baby formula had been removed.  Budgetary allocations had been ensured for sexual and reproductive health services across the country.  All students from sixth grade received sexual and reproductive health education, which addressed preventing unwanted pregnancies.  Medical practitioners who practiced or promoted female genital mutilation were sanctioned.  There were no specific offences on female genital mutilation or obstetric violence, but these acts were prohibited under general legislation on violence.

    Questions by Committee Experts 

    One Committee Expert commended the State party on working to ensure the empowerment of women and girls through the rural employment programme and programmes on digital transformation. What concrete actions were being taken to ensure that vulnerable women and girls were aware of the economic empowerment policies in place?  How was the State party preventing the abuse of women by financial institutions and regulating lending practices?  Had the State party assessed fiscal reforms and their impacts on the rights of women and girls?  How was the State party mitigating the unfair financial burden of tax on women and girls? What measures were in place to increase the representation of women and girls in decision making related to economic empowerment?  What measures were there to support female athletes to overcome structural barriers in sports? 

    Another Committee Expert said female tea plantation workers continued to have less access to Government subsidies and microcredit due to their lack of access to land ownership.  How was this being addressed?  Women with disabilities continued to face stigma and discrimination, and infrastructure was not adapted to persons with disabilities.  How was the State party working to make inclusive education programmes more adapted to persons with disabilities?  There were also persistent hate crimes against lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex women.  What measures were in place to prevent such hate crimes?  Same sex sexual acts were criminalised; would they be decriminalised?  What reforms had been made to ensure adequate facilities for women in prisons?  Were women prisoners allowed to live with their young children in prisons?

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said the Government had implemented various welfare measures for persons in poverty.  Around 1.7 million households benefited from welfare support.  There were various Government programmes for empowering women-led households.  The banking system had also provided special loan schemes with favourable interest rates and flexible return policies for women entrepreneurs during the financial crisis.  Banks had offered advisory services and capacity building programmes for women entrepreneurs.  The State had been regulating lending institutions.  Support had been provided to 185 rural women affected by unregulated microcredit schemes.  A socioeconomic protection scheme helped to ease loss of income due to unemployment.

    Sri Lanka had undertaken various initiatives to empower women to engage in technology studies and the digital economy. The national strategy for women’s development promoted women’s digital freedom and security.  Many women entrepreneurs had been trained on digital skills.

    Sanitary facilities in prisons had been improved to ensure a comfortable stay for women, and facilities for children in prison with their mothers had also been improved.  There were plans to establish a separate women’s prison aligned with international standards.

    The police had been instructed on protecting the fundamental rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons and investigating complaints from these persons.  A bill had been lodged in Parliament on decriminalising same-sex relations.  The Supreme Court had found that there was no barrier to the amendment of this legislation. The bill had yet to be considered due to the dissolution of Parliament.

    Questions by Committee Experts 

    YAMILA GONZÁLEZ FERRER, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur for Sri Lanka, asked whether the law on terrorism could be used to prevent the operation of women’s organizations.

    Another Committee Expert welcomed the State party’s efforts to ensure women’s equal rights in law and family relations.  Had measures been taken to amend the Penal Code to ensure that legislation on statutory rape protected all girls under age 16, including girls over age 12 who were married?  The Committee expected that the State party would address legislation on polygamy. When would the State party revise the family law to allow women to have equal rights to men concerning custody of children?  What was the status of legal amendments seeking to strengthen the rights of widows?

    NAHLA HAIDAR, Committee Chair, said that, while respecting the freedom of belief, the State party needed to work to protect the rights of Muslim women and girls.

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said the law on terrorism had not been used to limit the activities of women’s organizations in recent years.  The law was only used in instances when it was necessary.

    The amended Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act set the age of marriage at 18, but children from age 16 could be married with parental consent.  The previous Cabinet of Ministers had approved the amended bill, and the new Government would consider whether to take this legislation forward.  The Parliamentary Caucus had proposed the establishment of a committee to address the issue of child marriages.

    Concluding Remarks

    SAROJA SAVITRI PAULRAJ, Minister of Women and Child Affairs of Sri Lanka and head of the delegation, said Sri Lanka participated in the review in a spirit of openness.  It appreciated the Committee’s recognition of the progress it had made and the challenges it faced.  The Government had undertaken significant efforts to strengthen women’s empowerment.  It was fully committed to addressing the issues that women faced in the State. Ms. Paulraj thanked the Committee for the constructive dialogue.  The Government was committed to the promotion and protection of the human rights of all Sri Lankans and would continue to engage with the Committee constructively.

    NAHLA HAIDAR, Committee Chair, said that the State party had shared candidly and transparently the progress made and the difficulties it was facing.  The dialogue had helped the Committee to better understand the situation of women and girls in Sri Lanka.  It commended the State party for its efforts and encouraged it to implement the Committee’s recommendations for the benefit of all women and girls in the State party.

     

    Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the media; 
    not an official record. English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.

     

     

    CEDAW25.009E

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division and FBI Launch Online Portal to Enhance Department’s Capability to Bring International Antitrust Fugitives to Justice

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    Today, the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division and the FBI jointly announced the launch of a new online portal for information on international fugitives who have been charged with antitrust offenses and other crimes affecting the competitive process. The Antitrust Division and FBI are committed to bringing individuals to court to face their charges, wherever they are located.

    “Individuals charged with anticompetitive crimes should understand that the DOJ Antitrust Division and its law enforcement partners will take all available steps to ensure that they answer the charges in court,” said Director of Criminal Enforcement Emma Burnham of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Defendants should understand that the charges will not go away, and the Antitrust Division urges them to contact us to discuss resolution of the charges.”

    “The FBI is focused on identifying, tracking and arresting fugitives across all our threats,” said Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “By streamlining intelligence sharing and coordination, we are better equipped than ever to ensure no criminal can evade justice by hiding across borders.”

    The Antitrust Division works with the FBI and other law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute companies and individuals whose anticompetitive conduct harms American consumers and the American economy, wherever those companies and individuals are located. After bringing criminal charges, the Antitrust Division works actively with domestic and foreign authorities to locate international fugitives and secure their extradition to the United States. The Antitrust Division and the FBI welcome information from the public about the location of international fugitives.

    For more information on antitrust fugitives, go to the Antitrust Division’s Fugitive webpage. The FBI maintains a list of current antitrust fugitives whose charges are not under seal.

    To report potential antitrust crimes to the Antitrust Division, contact the Complaint Center. If your complaint relates to potential antitrust crimes affecting government procurement, grant, or program funding, contact the Procurement Collusion Strike Force Tip Center.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Implementation of the Bolkestein Directive and the new Italian healthcare accreditation system’s compliance issues – E-000542/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-000542/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Ruggero Razza (ECR), Mario Mantovani (ECR)

    Article 15 of Law No 118/2022 makes changes to the system governing accreditation and contractual arrangements for private healthcare facilities. However, this law – whose entry into force was deferred by Article 36 of Law No 193/2024 – seems to be at odds with EU legislation and CJEU case-law, both of which guarantee the autonomy of Member States as regards the organisation of health and social care services. Furthermore, Article 2(f) of Directive 2006/123/EC (the Bolkestein Directive) expressly states that healthcare is outside of its scope.

    Instead of encouraging invitations to tender under public procurement procedures as is currently the case for outsourcing and new accreditations, Law No 18/2022 risks opening up the Italian healthcare system to inadequately regulated competition from EU and even non-EU actors.

    Can the Commission clarify whether it intends to adopt measures to ensure compliance with EU law with a view to preventing non-EU actors from taking over the Italian healthcare system?

    Submitted: 5.2.2025

    Last updated: 13 February 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Potential threats to the Tagliamento River’s ecosystem – E-000543/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-000543/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Cristina Guarda (Verts/ALE)

    The Friuli-Venezia Giulia Region recently approved[1] a preliminary policy paper concerning the project to form an inline flood retention basin by building an inline weir with vertical sluice gates upstream of the Dignano bridge [‘Costruzione di una traversa laminante, con luci mobili a paratoie piane, adiacente al ponte di Dignano per la creazione di un bacino di espansione in linea, in alveo attivo’][2].

    As part of an appeal to preserve the River Tagliamento, the international scientific community[3] has highlighted that the planned works would violate a number of European regulations and EU environmental directives[4] and that the weir would be built on a Site of Community Importance[5] and across a river that is classified under Directive 2000/60/EC as a body of water of high ecological status[6]. Further shortcomings have been flagged by the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA) and a number of associations[7] and activist groups[8].

    Because climate change is a factor, the effective mitigation of hydrogeological risks requires an exhaustive analysis of all alternative proposals which, in addition to actively involving local communities, should also evaluate all potential benefits and drawbacks, not just flood risk.

    Despite claims to the contrary, the Region’s project would not eliminate the flood risk in the Middle and Lower Tagliamento but only mitigate it, thus putting the planned works on a par with a number of alternative proposals that have not been given due consideration.

    In the light of the above,

    • 1.Will the Commission verify whether the Friuli-Venezia Giulia Region’s project complies with EU law?
    • 2.What is the Commission planning to do to protect the Tagliamento?

    Submitted: 5.2.2025

    • [1] Decision No 530 of 11 April 2024 of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia Region.
    • [2] The works will be carried out as part of the Eastern Alps River Basin Authority’s Flood Risk Management Plan.
    • [3] Coordinated by the Italian Centre for River Restoration (CIRF), this appeal was signed by over 800 researchers hailing from 35 countries https://www.freetagliamento.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Tagliamento_petition_26Oct24_EN_rev.pdf
    • [4] They include the Water, Birds and Habitat Directives (Directives 2000/60/EC, 2009/147/EC and 92/43/EEC respectively), the Nature Restoration Law and the Alpine Convention.
    • [5] Greto del Tagliamento SPA/SAC No IT3310007
    • [6] https://distrettoalpiorientali.it/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/PDG_22_27_Vol_4a.pdf.
    • [7] They include ‘Assieme per il Tagliamento’ [‘All together for the Tagliamento’], whose petition against altering the river’s morphology has gathered 13 750 signatures.
    • [8] https://www.consiglio.regione.fvg.it/pagineinterne/Portale/comunicatiStampaDettaglio.aspx?ID=867391.
    Last updated: 13 February 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Italy’s refusal to comply with its obligations under the Dublin Regulation – E-000534/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-000534/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Markus Buchheit (ESN)

    Under the Dublin Regulation, Italy should take back 12 841 migrants, but it is refusing to cooperate[1]. A judgment of the European Court of Justice of December 2024 (cases C-185/24 and C-189/24) confirmed that a unilateral suspension of the Dublin Regulation without legal basis is inadmissible.

    • 1.Does EU law provide for sanctions against Member States that unilaterally refuse to comply with their obligations under the Dublin Regulation, and if so, under what conditions and in what form can these sanctions be triggered?
    • 2.How does the Commission plan to enforce the implementation of this jugdment in the Member States, for example in Italy?
    • 3.In this connection, will the Dublin binding solidarity mechanisms also include sanctions for non-cooperation, such as financial cuts or exclusion from EU funds?

    Submitted: 5.2.2025

    • [1] https://www.euractiv.de/section/europa-kompakt/news/italien-blockiert-ruecknahme-von-migranten-aus-deutschland/
    Last updated: 13 February 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Have you seen Margaret?

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Police are asking for the public’s help to locate Margaret Lowe, who was last seen at her Te Atatū Peninsula home yesterday.

    Margaret, 22, was last seen wearing a beige shirt and denim shorts and is described as about 175cms tall with a thin build and black hair.

    It is out of character for Margaret to not be in contact with her family.

    Both Police and Margaret’s family have serious concerns for her wellbeing and would like to know she is safe.

    If you have any information on her whereabouts, please update us online now or call 105, quoting reference number 250214/0287.

    ENDS.

    Holly McKay/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Minister Dr. Virender Kumar to review the functioning of the CRC Jammu tomorrow

    Source: Government of India (2)

     Union Minister Dr. Virender Kumar to review the functioning of the CRC Jammu tomorrow

    To inaugurate Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy equipment amounting to around Rs. 2.67 lakh at the Centre

    Posted On: 13 FEB 2025 9:04PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, Dr. Virender Kumar, would be reviewing the functioning of the Composite Regional Centre (CRC) Jammu on 14th of February 2025. During this visit, the Minister would assess the facilities being provided to the beneficiaries, ensuring that the objectives of social justice and empowerment are being met effectively.

    The Minister would then inaugurate the Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy equipment amounting to around Rs. 2.67 lakh at the Centre – Treadmill, Traction Bed, Static Cycle, Hydrocollator Machine, Cold Therapy Machine, T-Pulleys, Parallel Bar, Dumbbells, Ankle Exerciser, Weighing Machine and BP Machine.

    Dr. Kumar would also be distributing aids and appliances – Hearing aid, LS Belt, Knee Brace, Walking Stick, Wheel Chair, Smart Phone, Motorized Tricycle – to the beneficiaries, providing much-needed support to those in need. Till date CRC Jammu has provided its services to approximately 10,000 beneficiaries.

    This visit underscores the government’s continued dedication to the welfare of persons with disabilities and other marginalized sections of society. The programme at CRC Jammu marks an important milestone in promoting inclusivity and social empowerment in the region. The Minister would be accompanied by distinguished dignitaries, including Shri Rajeev Sharma, Joint Secretary, M/o SJ&E and Dr. Jitendra Sharma, Director, PDUNIPPD, New Delhi.

    *****

    VM

    (Release ID: 2102997) Visitor Counter : 13

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Arrangements for 15th National Games athletics (marathon) test event (with photo)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Arrangements for 15th National Games athletics (marathon) test event (with photo)
    Arrangements for 15th National Games athletics (marathon) test event (with photo)
    *********************************************************************************

         The 2025 Shenzhen-Hong Kong marathon and the 15th National Games (NG) athletics (marathon) test event will be held on February 23. The Head of the National Games Coordination Office (Hong Kong) (NGCO), Mr Yeung Tak-keung, and representatives of the related government departments and the Hong Kong, China Association of Athletics Affiliates (HKAAA), held a press conference today (February 13) to introduce details of the test event, temporary traffic control measures, clearance arrangements at the boundary control point (BCP), and emergency response and rescue arrangements, as well as other arrangements for the event.           The 15th NG athletics marathon to be held at the end of this year will be the first cross-boundary marathon in the history of the NG, and will be held on a brand new course. This test event is therefore crucial to the organisation of the NG athletics marathon. The entire track is 42.195 kilometres long, of which the section in Hong Kong is 21.841 kilometres. Setting off from the Shenzhen Bay Sports Center, the races will enter Hong Kong via the Shenzhen Bay Port, run along the Shenzhen Bay Bridge and Kong Sham Western Highway Viaduct, then turn back to the Shenzhen Bay Port through the same route, and finally end at the Shenzhen Bay Sports Center. The event is comprised of men’s and women’s races, with the women’s group to depart at 7am and the other to set off at 7.30am. The athletes will enter the Hong Kong section upon completion of approximately 2 kilometres of race route. Both groups are expected to spend around two hours in the Hong Kong section.           Given that part of the track is within the Frontier Closed Area, no public viewing zone will be set up in Hong Kong in order to keep the event unaffected and well-managed. Shenzhen is arranging for live webcast of the races on the event day, while Hong Kong also plans to arrange for live online broadcast of the matches by Radio Television Hong Kong.           To facilitate the smooth running of the race, clearance services of the Shenzhen Bay Port (including all passenger and cargo clearance services) will be suspended during part of the morning on the event day, while temporarily control measures will be implemented on the Shenzhen Bay Bridge and other related roads that day. Relevant arrangements are set out as below:           (1) Clearance service arrangement           Arrival and departure clearance services at the Shenzhen Bay Port will be suspended and passengers and vehicles will be prohibited from entering the port from 2am to 11am on the event day. Travellers should choose other control points to Shenzhen.           Cross-boundary private cars with quota across the Shenzhen Bay Port and cross-boundary goods vehicles may arrive and depart via the Lok Ma Chau, Heung Yuen Wai and Man Kam To BCPs according to the operating hours of the relevant control points on the event day. The above special arrangement will cease upon the re-opening of the Shenzhen Bay Port.           (2) Road control measures           Temporary control measures for the Shenzhen Bay Bridge, the Kong Sham Western Highway and other related roads           On the event day, temporary control measures will be implemented on Shenzhen Bay Bridge, Kong Sham Western Highway and Ha Tsuen Interchange from 2am to 11am. During the temporary control period, the Shenzhen Bay Bridge, the Kong Sham Western Highway and Ha Tsuen Interchange will be closed to all vehicular traffic from eastbound and westbound of Yuen Long Highway and Ha Tsuen Road.           During the suspension of the Shenzhen Bay Port departure service, the Transport Department (TD) expects that the roads leading to the Lok Ma Chau/Huanggang, Man Kam To and Heung Yuen Wai BCPs, including San Tin Interchange, San Sham Road and Lok Ma Chau Road, etc., are expected to be busy with traffic. Therefore, the TD appeals to cross-boundary private cars and other drivers to avoid driving to the above districts during the relevant hours if not necessary. Depending on the prevailing traffic conditions in the area, the Police will deploy appropriate manpower and implement corresponding crowd management measures or special traffic arrangements at the affected control points and relevant road sections. In case of traffic congestion, please exercise tolerance and patience and drive carefully, and follow the instructions of Police on site.           The full clearance services at the Shenzhen Bay Port are expected to resume at around 11am. It is anticipated that traffic will be relatively busy. Travellers and drivers who plan to use the port on that day are advised to plan their trips in advance.           (3) Public transport arrangements           Cross-boundary coach services running between Hong Kong and the Mainland via Shenzhen Bay Port as well as local public transport services serving Shenzhen Bay Port, including franchised buses, green minibuses (GMB), Urban and NT Taxis will be suspended during the implementation of the temporary control at the Shenzhen Bay Port, the Shenzhen Bay Bridge and the Kong Sham Western Highway on the day of event. The bus companies and GMB operators will display notices at termini and en-route stops of the affected routes to inform affected passengers.           The TD has notified the affected operators of cross-boundary and local public transport services to strengthen services to expedite the dispersal of passengers around the resumption of operation of Shenzhen Bay Port. Bus companies will also deploy additional staff at major bus termini and bus stops to assist passenger in need. The Marine Department will liaise with cross-boundary ferry operators, with a view to working out manpower and sailing schedule arrangements for ferry services to and from Shenzhen in advance.           During the temporary control period, travellers should consider using other BCPs for their journeys between Hong Kong and Shenzhen. The TD has coordinated with public transport operators including MTR, franchised bus, green minibuses, Lok Ma Chau-Huanggang shuttle bus, and cross-boundary coaches to strengthen services at other BCPs including Lok Ma Chau Spur Line, Lo Wu, Lok Ma Chau (Huanggang) and Heung Yuen Wai, with a view to catering for upsurge of passenger demand.           (4) Restricted flying zone           To accommodate the event and ensure public safety, a 2-kilometer extension of the Hong Kong section will be set up as a restricted flight zone from 6am to 12nn on the event day.           (5) Emergency response and rescue arrangements           The Fire Services Department (FSD) has formulated relevant contingency plans and will deploy firefighting and ambulance resources at strategic locations inside and outside the track during the race to ensure that the most expeditious and effective measures can be executed to deal with emergencies.           In addition, the medical team of the Hospital Authority will be on board the ambulances of the FSD to ensure that medical personnel with ambulance equipment can respond quickly to emergencies on the track. The Hospital Authority will also designate relevant acute hospitals as designated hospitals, equipped with a green channel to provide prompt medical services. The Auxiliary Medical Service will also deploy ambulance personnel and ambulances to offer medical assistance to the cheering team, volunteers, journalists, etc. on the spot.           A spokesperson for the NGCO said as the NG is the country’s highest-level event, this marathon test event has to meet stringent requirements in terms of the selection of the race course and the organisational arrangements to ensure the safety of athletes. Relevant departments will work together to facilitate the special traffic and transportation arrangements to minimise the impact on the public and travellers who usually use the Shenzhen Bay Port. The spokesman appealed to members of the public and travellers who need to travel to and from Shenzhen on that day to plan their itineraries in advance and use other control points and public transport as far as possible. The spokesperson thanked members of the public and travellers for their understanding, as well as the contributions of various organisations and departments in implementing the relevant arrangements.           In addition to this cross-boundary marathon test event, the NGCO will be holding test events of various sports gradually. The handball test event will be held at the Kai Tak Arena, Kai Tak Sports Park on February 22 and 23, while the triathlon test event will take place at the Central Harbourfront and Victoria Harbour on March 1 and 2.           For information on the games in Hong Kong, please visit the thematic website (www.2025nationalgames.gov.hk/en/index.html), as well the Facebook page (www.facebook.com/2025nationalgames.hk) and Instagram page (www.instagram.com/2025nationalgames.hk).

     
    Ends/Thursday, February 13, 2025Issued at HKT 22:15

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE Dallas arrests East African man charged with 3 counts of sexual assault

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    DALLAS — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested an East African man following his confinement for sexual assault and failure to comply with sex offender registration requirements. Officers with ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office arrested Uqbasilassie Kiflemariam, 40, a citizen of Eritrea and convicted sex offender Feb 7.

    On Sept. 12, 2013, the Broken Arrow, Oklahoma Police Department apprehended Kiflemariam, charging him for rape.

    The Tulsa County District Court convicted Kiflemariam of three counts of rape in the first degree, Feb. 19, 2014. He was sentenced to 10 years confinement with sex offender registration requirements.

    On July 5, 2022, an immigration judge ordered Kiflemariam removed from the United States. The Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office arrested Kiflemariam for failure to comply with sex offender registration requirements Feb. 20, 2024.

    “The importance surrounding the arrest and pending removal of this individual highlights our commitment to enforcing the immigration laws of our nation,” said ICE Dallas Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office acting Director Joshua Johnson. “Individuals such as Uqbasilassie Kiflemariam represent a significant threat to public safety in our communities. We will not relent in our efforts to expedite his removal.”

    Kiflemariam will remain in ICE custody pending his removal to Eritrea.

    Members of the public can report immigration crimes or suspicious activity by dialing the ICE Tip Line at 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

    For more news and information on ICE’s efforts to enforce our nation’s immigration laws in North Texas and Oklahoma follow us at @ERODallas.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Instability in the Middle East and the Levant as an aggravating factor in security risk levels – P-003021/2024(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The evaluation of the impact of developments in the Middle East on the European, regional and global security is central to the work of the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the Commission.

    It is in the EU’s interest as well as the interest of the whole region and all Syrian citizens, that the transition in Syria be peaceful and inclusive.

    In all contacts, the EU urges all stakeholders to engage in a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned transitional process, guided by the respect for international law, human rights, fundamental freedoms, pluralism and tolerance among all components of society. External actors should also respect Syria’s unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty.

    Regarding the risks associated with terrorism, including Da’esh, the EU relies notably on the work of the EU Intelligence Analysis Centre and of the EEAS’ counterterrorism and security experts’ network deployed in EU delegations in the region.

    The EU Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) is critical in supporting Member States by addressing threats arising from the situation in the Middle East through enhanced information sharing, operational coordination and targeted analytical efforts.

    The EU also works jointly with its partners within the Global Coalition against Da’esh[1] to share information, assess and address the threat posed by Da’esh and its affiliates.

    The EU is addressing the identified risks through counterterrorism cooperation with regional partners; through its multilateral engagement with the United Nations and as co-chair of the Global Counterterrorism Forum[2]; through security measures; support for repatriation, rehabilitation and reintegration; as well as through funding programmes to prevent and counter violent extremism, radicalisation and propaganda.

    The EU is a major provider of humanitarian aid inside Syria, which is based on needs and vulnerability only.

    • [1] https://theglobalcoalition.org/en/
    • [2] https://www.thegctf.org/

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Rule of law concerns in Slovakia – P-000667/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Priority question for written answer  P-000667/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Mélissa Camara (Verts/ALE)

    The Slovakian Government, claiming foreign interference, has recently requested information on the funding of non-governmental organisations, media and journalists operating in Slovakia. This move raises concerns about respect for the fundamental democratic principles of the European Union.

    Firstly, it could undermine the freedom of association and of the press, guaranteed under Articles 11 and 12 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. Similar restrictions have already been condemned by the EU Court of Justice in Commission v Hungary in 2020.

    Secondly, while the fight against foreign interference is a legitimate objective, it cannot result in discriminatory or arbitrary measures against certain civil society actors. The transparency requirement must be applied in a balanced manner and not be instrumentalised for political purposes.

    Finally, this move could undermine political pluralism and equality in the democratic debate, values which are enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union.

    Given these risks, does the Commission intend to examine this situation and, if necessary, initiate proceedings against Slovakia to ensure that the EU’s fundamental values are respected?

    Submitted: 12.2.2025

    Last updated: 13 February 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Separation of the magistrati career paths and establishment of the High Disciplinary Court: impact on the Italian judiciary’s autonomy and compliance with EU rules – E-000516/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-000516/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Giuseppe Antoci (The Left)

    A constitutional bill laying down ‘rules on the judicial system and establishing the High Disciplinary Court’, adopted at first reading[1], introduces changes to a number of the Italian Constitution’s articles.

    Article 4 in particular provides for the amendment of Article 105 of the Constitution. It stipulates that disciplinary jurisdiction over magistrati – judges and prosecutors – shall be assigned to a new body called the ‘High Disciplinary Court’[2].

    Judgments handed down by the High Disciplinary Court can only be contested before a different panel of the same Court, making it ‘self-referential’ and effectively meaning its decisions are not subject to appeal – a guarantee afforded by all other courts.

    Exercised in this way, the Court’s disciplinary power could be used to serve political ends: firstly, because the panel’s composition tips the balance between ‘lay’ and professional judges towards the former – and they will have been chosen at random by politicians; secondly, because, with jurisdiction over disciplinary matters being taken out of the hands of examining judges, they would, despite being on the ‘front line’[3], no longer have any representative to express their views in disciplinary matters.

    Disciplinary judgments, which would essentially be unappealable, could be used by politicians to make the judiciary fear the executive power.

    Can the Commission say whether the reform to separate the magistrati career paths and establish the High Disciplinary Court complies with the principles of independence and autonomy enshrined in the EU Treaties[4]?

    Submitted: 5.2.2025

    • [1] Chamber of Deputies, 16 January 2025.
    • [2] This court will be made up of 15 members: 3 lawyers/university professors appointed by the Italian President and another 3 drawn at random from a specially compiled list (‘lay’ members); and 9 professional magistrati drawn at random (3 prosecutors, 6 judges). It will be presided by a ‘lay’ member.
    • [3] They are the most vulnerable to political attack for unwelcome investigations and verdicts.
    • [4] Article 2 TEU and Rule of Law Checklist adopted by the Venice Commission, pp. 39–41.
    Last updated: 13 February 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Bucks County Fugitive Wanted for Child Pornography Distribution Arrested in West Virginia

    Source: US Marshals Service

    Philadelphia, PA — Members of the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force have arrested Mark Wills, 60, in Bridgeport, West Virginia. Wills was wanted by the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office for manufacturing and dissemination of child sexual abuse materials to children 13 and under. Over the past year. Wills is accused of manufacturing hundreds of videos of child sexual abuse material and sharing them online. The children Wills is accused of victimizing are believed to be throughout the United States and Canada. On February 6th, a warrant was issued for Will’s arrest, and the case was delegated to the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force in Philadelphia. 

    On February 13th, investigators from the Marshals Fugitive Task Force in Philadelphia developed information Wills was presently in West Virginia. At approximately 8:00 p.m. Deputy Marshals from the Clarksburg office located Wills at the Meadowbrook Mall in Bridgeport, West Virginia. Wills was approached by Deputies and apprehended without incident. Wills is being held without bond at North Central Regional jail in Doddridge County where he awaits extradition to Bucks County.  

    “Every child deserves a safe environment, and the arrest of Mark Wills demonstrates the U.S Marshals Service commitment to protecting the innocent” said Robert Clark, Supervisory Deputy Marshal for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

    The Eastern Pennsylvania Violent Crimes Fugitive Task Force is a team of law enforcement officers led by U.S. Marshals in Philadelphia and the surrounding counties. The task force’s objective is to seek out and arrest violent crime fugitives. Membership agencies include the Philadelphia Police Department, Pennsylvania State Parole Officers, Pennsylvania State Police, Pennsylvania Attorney General Agents, Immigration Customs Enforcement, Chester Police Department, Bucks County Sheriff’s Office, and Delaware County Sheriff’s Office.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division and FBI Launch Online Portal to Enhance Department’s Capability to Bring International Antitrust Fugitives to Justice

    Source: United States Attorneys General 12

    Today, the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division and the FBI jointly announced the launch of a new online portal for information on international fugitives who have been charged with antitrust offenses and other crimes affecting the competitive process. The Antitrust Division and FBI are committed to bringing individuals to court to face their charges, wherever they are located.

    “Individuals charged with anticompetitive crimes should understand that the DOJ Antitrust Division and its law enforcement partners will take all available steps to ensure that they answer the charges in court,” said Director of Criminal Enforcement Emma Burnham of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Defendants should understand that the charges will not go away, and the Antitrust Division urges them to contact us to discuss resolution of the charges.”

    “The FBI is focused on identifying, tracking and arresting fugitives across all our threats,” said Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “By streamlining intelligence sharing and coordination, we are better equipped than ever to ensure no criminal can evade justice by hiding across borders.”

    The Antitrust Division works with the FBI and other law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute companies and individuals whose anticompetitive conduct harms American consumers and the American economy, wherever those companies and individuals are located. After bringing criminal charges, the Antitrust Division works actively with domestic and foreign authorities to locate international fugitives and secure their extradition to the United States. The Antitrust Division and the FBI welcome information from the public about the location of international fugitives.

    For more information on antitrust fugitives, go to the Antitrust Division’s Fugitive webpage. The FBI maintains a list of current antitrust fugitives whose charges are not under seal.

    To report potential antitrust crimes to the Antitrust Division, contact the Complaint Center. If your complaint relates to potential antitrust crimes affecting government procurement, grant, or program funding, contact the Procurement Collusion Strike Force Tip Center.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – New law on the transferring and accounting classification of housing renovation tax credits in Italy – E-000533/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-000533/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Gaetano Pedulla’ (The Left), Pasquale Tridico (The Left), Dario Tamburrano (The Left), Danilo Della Valle (The Left), Mario Furore (The Left), Cristina Guarda (Verts/ALE)

    Converted into Law No 67/2024, Decree-Law No 39/2024 amends Decree-Law No 34/2020 (itself converted into Law No 77/2020) and retroactively repeals an acquired right concerning tax credits under the ‘Superbonus’ and ‘Façade Bonus’ schemes.

    This law is causing irreparable damage to private taxpayers, companies and professionals by depriving them of their rights to sums that are certain, of a fixed amount and due. Decree-Law No 39/2024 is also causing legal uncertainty and having a knock-on effect on people’s savings as it violates the ESA 2010 Regulation[1] by unilaterally amending its provisions concerning the accounting classification of housing renovation tax credits. In addition, the Decree-Law is penalising those Italian taxpayers who have carried out works under the Superbonus scheme, retroactively depriving them of the possibility of offsetting or transferring their credits, a state of affairs that is causing significant harm to the market and which seriously undermines the principle of competition.

    In the light of the above:

    • 1.Does the Commission hold that changing the accounting classification of the tax credits under the Superbonus and Façade Bonus schemes from ‘non-payable’ (as originally established by Decree-Law No 34/2020) to ‘payable’ (Decree-Law No 11/ 2023[2], the Updated 2023 Economic and Finance Document[3], Decree-Law No 39/2024[4]) complies with the provisions laid down by the ESA 2010 Regulation[5]?
    • 2.Does the Commission hold that the retroactive revocation of the right to transfer housing renovation-related tax credits under Law No 67/2024 undermines the EU principle of legal certainty enshrined in Article 6(3) of the Treaty on European Union?

    Submitted: 5.2.2025

    • [1] Regulation (EU) No 549/2013 on the European system of national and regional accounts in the European Union, Annex A, Points 20.167 and 20.168.
    • [2] Decree-Law No 11/2023 has retroactive effect on the 2020,2021 and 2022 budgets, which have already been approved.
    • [3] https://www.dt.mef.gov.it/export/sites/sitodt/modules/documenti_it/analisi_progammazione/documenti_programmatici/nadef_2023/NADEF-2023.pdf, page 66
    • [4] Though these tax credits are considered to be ‘payable’, Article 131(3b) of Decree-Law No 39/2024 (converted into Law No 67/2024) states that ‘tax credits that were not used in a given year may not be used in the following years, nor can they be deducted from total tax liability’, a provision that is contrary to Regulation (EU) No 549/2013, Annex A, Point 20.167.
    • [5] This change has likely played a part in increasing Italy’s deficit-to-GDP ratio.
    Last updated: 13 February 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Serious crash Whites Valley

    Source: South Australia Police

    Police are at the scene of a serious crash at Whites Valley.

    Just before 4am on Friday 14 February, emergency services were called to Bayliss Road after a car crashed into a stobie pole.

    Bayliss Road is currently closed between Flour Mill Road and Little Road.

    Major Crash Investigators are making their way to the scene.

    Motorists are asked to avoid the area.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Fatal crash: Expect ongoing delays on Southern Motorway

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Police can advise a motorcyclist has died following an earlier serious crash on the Southern Motorway, near Greenlane.

    A section of State Highway 1 has been closed, with the Serious Crash Unit in attendance.

    An investigation will commence in due course.

    Police would like to hear from anyone who witnessed this morning’s tragic events, including those who may require welfare referrals. 

    If you witnessed the crash, but have left the area please contact 105 and use the reference number P061612219.

    Advice for motorists:

    Police anticipate the closure of southbound lanes will be place for at least two hours.

    Traffic is heavy around the Greenlane interchange.

    Southbound traffic is still being diverted off at the Green Lane East off-ramp.

    We acknowledge motorists’ understanding while important work is carried out at the scene of the fatal crash.

    We continue to encourage motorists to consider alternative routes through the city, including using State Highways 16 and 20.

    Please allow additional time to reach your destination safely.

    ENDS

    Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: David Seymour – Speech to Auckland Chamber of Commerce

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Good morning to you all. Thank you to Simon and his team at the Business Chamber for having me. It’s a pleasure to be here.

    I especially want to thank members of the business community for being here this morning. I can imagine it’s been a heavy workload listening to speeches about the economy. Perhaps there’s an opportunity to raise productivity right there, but I hope today I can share ideas that are good for all of us. We know this country cannot change its size or distance to market, and better public policy is our best collective hope.

    I’m going to talk mostly about the economic challenges we face, the Government’s policy prescriptions for fixing them, and report on our progress. However, there is one of those proverbial elephants in the room.

    The Elephant

    This elephant is the breakdown of political consensus on liberal democracy and economic orthodoxy. It is particularly strong across generational lines. If you doubt that, think about Helen Clark’s Government, and how it contrasts with the opposition today.

    There will be some who, at the time, believed Clark’s Labour Government was turning New Zealand into Helengrad. But if we’re objective, Helen Clark’s Government was well to the right of the current opposition. It’s not National that’s changed; they have been consistent. It is Labour who’ve moved radically to the left.

    A broad based, low-rate tax system without any capital gains tax. A pragmatic approach to government ownership, with occasional interventions in rail and banks. A commitment to liberal democracy above all, with one person, one vote, regardless of background.

    In some ways, Helen Clark was even to the right of John Key. She refused to sign the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which Key’s Government did. The Māori Party was formed due to her legislating over the Ngati Apa court case with the foreshore and seabed legislation, a position that the Key Government partially reversed.

    The debates at the time were really about the parameters of the social insurance scheme that is the welfare state. The premiums, being taxes, could be higher or lower. The payouts, being benefits and services, could be more or less generous, but the big debates of the day were still about the parameters of a giant insurance scheme.

    Fast forward to today, and we can no longer rely on a cross-party commitment to liberal democracy and economic orthodoxy. Were the Government to change, we would face a Government where one party seriously suggests an appointed Treaty Commissioner should have a veto on the elected Parliament.

    The same party openly opposes the concept of democracy, frequently shouts racial abuse across the debating chamber, where it even gets up to do war dances in people’s faces. Their website even claimed racial genetic supremacy but has few practical policy solutions for the most disadvantaged group in the country.

    The Labour Party constitution is clear that political power should be wielded only by those elected in frequent, free and fair elections conducted by secret ballot. Helen Clark lived it; Chris Hipkins has taken two positions on the Treaty Commissioner in one week.

    Chris Hipkins is a politician we have to admire. Slipperier than an eel fed on sausage rolls, no politician has glided over failure like Chris Hipkins.

    In a multi-year crime wave he was Minister of Police.

    In the biggest attendance and achievement slump in the history of our country he was Minister of Education.

    When the public service added 30 per cent more workers for no better output, he was the Minister for the Public Service.

    In many ways those problems were caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Government’s response to it. He was also the Minister for COVID-19, where his responsibilities included testing, tracing, making logical rules, and ordering the vaccines on time.

    Now you see why he wants to campaign on the record of the current Government, instead of his own. He is running what political campaigners call a ‘small target’ strategy, which should come naturally.

    Except, nature abhors a vacuum. Besides Te Pati Māori, you have the Greens. Like the other two, they are very different from their forebears, when liberal democrats like Jeanette Fitzsimmons and Rod Donald campaigned on the environment.

    It you take the time to listen to Chlöe Swarbrick she says things like “Parliament isn’t the system we’d design today,” and “if you think you’re crazy you’re not, it’s the whole system.” She promises taxes on assets, not just gains in asset values.

    The underlying message is that your problems are caused by others’ success, but their gains are ill-gotten so they and the system that enabled them must be torn down. It is a revolutionary, rather than evolutionary, message.

    Stability

    Now, there will be some people here wondering when I’m going to talk about the Government and my role in it. I will, but I think the changes in the political landscape are important and material enough to discuss.

    What’s more, the Government has signed up to a number of policies designed to increase policy stability. One of them I’d like to talk about more than the others, but there’s three in the ‘quasi-constitutional’ space that I think are worth mentioning.

    The four-year term is an old chestnut. It’s been defeated twice before in New Zealand, and we’re a global outlier as a result. We’re one of nine Parliaments in the world beside around 170 that have four or five-year terms.

    The Government is committed to introducing legislation that would put a four-year term to referendum, and make the select committees opposition controlled. Lawmaking would be slower, and would face tough scrutiny at committees where the public can submit. At the moment, select committees have Government-aligned majorities. It is one of the most powerful things we can do to improve the quality of policy making and debate in New Zealand.

    The Treaty Principles Bill also seeks to enhance the role of liberal democracy. Even those who say they vehemently disagree with the Bill are showing up to Parliament and submitting. In fact, there have never been so many submissions to Parliament on one Bill.

    It is not only the contents of the Bill that reinforce liberal democracy, it is the inherent effect of taking the debate back to Parliament that is important. We need to be a country where, as the Labour Party constitution says, important decisions should be made by people subject to frequent, free and fair elections with a secret ballot. In other words, democracy.

    The Regulatory Standards Bill

    The policy stabilising initiative I’d most like to talk about, though, is the Regulatory Standards Bill. It is crucial that we improve the quality and stability of our regulatory environment. The reason is our woeful productivity growth.

    The Government inherited an economy that, on an individual basis, was in recession. Economic output per person has been falling since the September 2022 quarter. In the year to June 2024, GDP per capita fell 2.7 percent.

    Behind those short-term numbers there’s an even bleaker story. While productivity growth averaged 1.4 per cent a year between 1993 and 2013, it only averaged 0.2 per cent over the last decade.

    If productivity growth had continued to grow at 1.4 per cent a year since 2013, productivity, and therefore wages, would today be about 14 per cent higher. New Zealanders would have been much better placed to endure a cost of living crisis if their wages were 14 per cent higher. In a sense, the cost of living crisis is really a productivity crisis.

    Higher productivity means a pay rise and help with the groceries for parents struggling to get by. It means the ability to pay for a doctor’s visit for a sick child. It’s the difference between owning your own home and continuing to rent.

    In short, it’s the difference between a good life and scraping by. Despite what you will hear from the Greens and Te Pāti Māori, we have an obligation to future generations to ensure productivity grows much faster.

    Access to skills and capital really matter for productivity. Skillful people, working with good technology, can produce more than people with less of those things. It’s critical that we do better in education, and this Government can point to a content-rich curriculum, a massive effort to reverse the COVID-19 slump in attendance, and education meeting entrepreneurship in the form of charter schools.

    Charter Schools

    Actually, let’s have a small diversion into charter schools. They are also designed to slow down the political turbulence that prevents people getting their job done. So many times I’ve asked state school teachers, “what if you could sign a contract that stopped the Government of the day introducing new policies, often diametrically opposed to the ones you’ve just got used to, for ten years?”

    That’s what a ten-by-ten-by-ten charter school contract does. It gives educators space to innovate, because innovation is what we need.

    The first school that opened this year, Mastery School in Christchurch, is a partner school to Mastery in Australia. What’s really interesting about Mastery is their use of interns. I believe the last twenty years of degrees for everyone has been a failure. On-the-job learning is coming back into vogue.

    Meanwhile, schools everywhere are desperate for extra teaching assistants, and Bachelor of Education students are working part-time minimum wage jobs completely unrelated to their long-term career. There’s an obvious solution to this, and Mastery are doing it. Because they are bulk funded, they can employ more teaching assistants. It is a win-win.

    The real winners are the students, some of whose families have visited Australia to investigate the schools and moved to Christchurch to attend. They are proven for raising educational achievement. Last year their achievement data showed students achieving at much higher levels than state schools in core areas of reading, mathematics and spelling.

    • Reading: 1.6 years progress in 1 year.
    • Mathematics: 1.5 years progress in 1 year.
    • Spelling: Average of 1.5 years growth after 1 year.
    • Average of 82% attendance across all campuses.

    New funding provided in Budget 24 allows up to around fifteen new charter schools and the conversion of 35 state schools to charter schools this year and the following year. Applications from sponsors who want to open charter schools opened mid-last year.

    Preparation for an expressions of interest process for current state schools to convert into charter schools is underway. The next round of applications to establish new charter schools will also run over the next few months.

    The independent Authorisation Board received 78 applications in its first application round from sponsors wanting to establish charter schools. The country is thirsting for options and innovation.

    Overseas Investment

    While we’re on diversions, it is not only the skills where we need better policy, but also the investment in capital.

    Attracting more overseas investment is a vital part of the Government’s economic strategy. But our overseas investment laws are among the worst in the developed world and they are seriously holding back economic growth and wages.

    Nearly every other developed country has less obstructive laws than New Zealand. They benefit from the flow of money and the ideas that come with overseas investment. The truth is that, in the overseas investment game, New Zealand has been benched by international investors. Being 38th out of 38 countries for openness to investment means we’re simply not in the game.

    International investors report that our rules impose significant compliance costs, delays, and uncertain outcomes. The timeframe for a general benefit test is 70 working days and costs $68,000.

    That’s not to mention the potential investors who are discouraged from even considering New Zealand as an opportunity and simply go elsewhere.

    We are 26th out of 38 for foreign investment as a percentage of GDP, which doesn’t sound so bad until you consider the size of our economy. United States, with its massive internal market, could afford to close itself off, but it is more open than us and gets more investment as a percentage of GDP than us.

    It would be bad enough if the world was standing still, but our partners, such as Australia’s Labor Government, are moving to liberalise their overseas investment settings further.

    There’s a simple equation that is holding back wage growth: workers with more capital get paid more. They work with better tools and technologies and, as a result, they are more productive. Other countries have more capital than us because we have one of the most obstructive overseas investment laws in the world. New Zealand workers have less capital to work with so they get paid less than they could.

    I’ve seen the difference that overseas investment can make. I once visited two businesses in the same industry on the same afternoon. Both had skilled and passionate people with good ideas. One had overseas investment, though, and benefited in two ways. They had more money for machinery, and they had more know-how for manufacturing and marketing their product by receiving knowledge from their partners offshore.

    Growth in the capital that workers have available to use has not kept pace with strong labour force participation. As a result, our capital-to-labour ratio has been flat for the last ten years or so. It’s probably not a coincidence that our productivity growth has also be flat over the past decade.

    If we are going to raise wages, we can’t afford to ignore the simple fact that our competitors gain money and know-how from outside their borders.

    The Government intends to simplify our overseas investment rules and I will be making an announcement about this very shortly.

    Back to Regulation

    So, yes, skills and investment are important, and I’m proud to be lending a hand to the Government’s efforts to bring entrepreneurship into education and investment into the country, but it’s the regulatory environment where I believe we can make the most progress.

    New Zealand’s low wages can be blamed on low productivity, and low productivity can be blamed on poor regulation. Bad regulation is killing our prosperity in three ways.

    1. It adds costs to the things we do. It’s the delays, the paperwork, and the fees that make too many activities cost more than they ought to. It’s the builder saying it takes longer to get the consent than it took to build the thing. It’s the anti-money laundering palaver that ties people in knots doing basic things but somehow doesn’t stop criminals bringing in half a billion dollars of P each year. It’s the daycare centre that took four years to open because different departments couldn’t agree about the road noise outside. I could go on.
    2. There’s the things that just don’t happen because people decide the costs don’t add up once the red tape is factored in.
    3. There’s the big one that goes to the heart of our identity and culture. It’s all the kids who grow up in a country where people gave up or weren’t allowed to try. It’s the climbing wall at Sir Edmund Hillary’s old school with signs saying don’t climb. It’s the lack of nightlife because it’s too hard to get a license. It’s the fear that comes from worrying WorkSafe or some other regulator will come and shut you down. You can’t measure it, but we all know it’s there.

    The Kiwi spirit we are so proud of is being chipped away and killing our vibe. Nobody migrated here to be compliant, but compliance is infantilising our culture, and I haven’t even mentioned orange cones yet.

    It’s clear that now is the time for a significant reset. Many governments over the years have paid lip-service to cutting red tape. This Government is committed to doing something about it.

    Perhaps the biggest single policy problem New Zealand faces is the Resource Management Act. Someone once said you can fill a town hall to stop anything in this country, but you can’t fill a telephone box to get something started.

    Chris Bishop and ACT’s Simon Court are designing new resource management laws starting with the principle of private property rights. The result will be a law that makes it easier to get stuff done in this country.

    My colleague, Brooke van Velden, as Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety, has repealed Fair Pay Agreements and reintroduced 90-day trials. She’s now set her sights on simplifying our health and safety laws, tackling the problems being caused by the Holidays Act, and providing certainty in the law around contractors and personal grievances.

    Another of my colleagues, Nicole McKee, is determined to bring some sanity to our anti-money laundering laws and provide regulatory relief for individuals and businesses who have to use that law. It begins with bringing all AML under the DIA as a single supervisor instead of three, as well as exempting some activities as a start.

    Chris Penk is opening up the building products market to foreign competition to get prices down, and Andrew Bayly is making various reforms to the CCCFA.

    Red Tape Tipline

    In November last year, we launched a new Red Tape Tipline. This is an online tool on the Ministry’s website where people can make submissions about red tape that affects them.

    So far, over 500 tips have been sent in. I am not at all surprised to see such an outpouring of discontent from Kiwis who are sick of red tape.

    The Tipline has quickly become a key tool helping the Ministry to find and deal to the red tape preventing people from getting things done.

    Some of the biggest themes coming through the Tipline are about traffic management and anti-money laundering. The Ministry is working with other government agencies to identify and cut red tape.

    My message to all the tradies, farmers, teachers, chefs, and engineers out there – every person doing productive work – is this: If there’s red tape in your industry that needs to go, we want to know about it.

    Sector reviews

    We also have three sector reviews underway – Early Childhood Education, Agricultural and Horticultural Products, and Hairdressing and Barbering.

    The ECE report was delivered at the end of last year with fifteen recommendations. They will reduce compliance costs and headaches for ECE providers and help encourage more providers into the market, so parents have more affordable options. I’m taking all fifteen recommendations to Cabinet.

    The Agricultural and Horticultural products review has been widely welcomed by farmers, growers and industry. They say that delays in getting access to these products are too long and the process is too complex. They are put at a disadvantage because they cannot get products that have been approved by other OECD countries. I look forward to receiving the final report and progressing changes soon.

    At the end of last year we launched a short, sharp review into outdated rules around the hairdressing and barbering industry. Hairdressers and barbers are a billion-dollar industry of more than 5,000 mostly small businesses employing 13,000 people. They are trying to work with outdated rules from the 1980s which include specifying the amount of space between seats and exactly how bright the lights have to be. The Ministry is engaged with the industry now and will deliver findings by end of March.

    I anticipate announcing the Ministry’s fourth regulatory review in the next few months.

    Regulatory Standards Bill

    I am looking forward to the introduction of the Regulatory Standards Bill later this year.

    The Bill is a long-term solution to ensuring quality of regulation. It seeks to bring the same level of discipline to regulation that the Public Finance Act brings to public spending.

    The Bill will codify principles of good regulatory practice for existing and future regulations. If we want to remain first world, we need to change how we regulate. No law should be passed without showing what problem is being solved, whether the benefits outweigh the costs, and who pays the costs and gets the benefits. These are the basic principles of the Bill.

    Some regulations operate differently in practice than they do in theory. To make regulators accountable to the New Zealanders they regulate, the Bill contains a recourse mechanism by establishing a Regulatory Standards Board. The Board will assess complaints and challenges to regulations, issuing non-binding recommendations and public reports.

    This is about raising the political cost of making bad laws by allowing New Zealanders to hold regulators accountable. The outcome will be better law-making, higher productivity, and higher wages. Because New Zealanders will be able to spend more time doing useful work, and less time complying for little reason.

    Conclusion

    The Government is committed to a goal of delivering more economic growth for New Zealanders. And the way we get that is clear: we need to get government spending down and cut through regulation.

    We don’t unlock growth by transferring significant resources from the private to the public sector. We don’t get richer by taxing you to pay your competitors. And we won’t stay a first world country by just nipping and tucking at the regulatory thicket that’s grown in recent decades. We unleash growth by letting the business community free to invest, create jobs, adopt new technology, innovate, and sell to the world.

    Thank you.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former prison official pleads guilty to taking bribes from an inmate with whom he had a sexual relationship

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The former Assistant Director of James River Residential Reentry Facility (James River RRC) pled guilty today to taking bribes as a public official.

    According to court documents, Marlon R. Jones, Jr., 44, of Portsmouth, had supervisory authority over an inmate, identified as L.C., who was released to home confinement in January 2021. From at least April 2021 through September 2022, Jones had a direct relationship with L.C. that quickly exceeded appropriate boundaries.

    In addition to having sexual contact and exchanging sexual messages via telephone and text, L.C. paid Jones on several occasions for assistance with making violations disappear. This was discovered when another supervisor took over James River RRC and found that L.C. had had at least fourteen incidents, only three of which had been properly recorded.

    Jones engaged in hundreds of exchanges with L.C., including messages that revealed that Jones both had sexual contact with L.C. and that L.C. paid Jones in exchange for helping L.C. avoid disciplinary consequences for violations.

    Jones both received physical currency and electronic transfers from L.C. through his CashApp account. Between Sept. 24, 2021, and March 29, 2022, L.C. paid Jones a total of $650 over five CashApp transactions.

    L.C. also referred other individuals to Jones, including his cousin.

    Jones is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 7 and faces up to 15 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Timothy C. Edmiston, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Mid-Atlantic Region, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Lawrence R. Leonard accepted the plea.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian J. Samuels and Julie Podlesni prosecuting the case.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:25-cr-3.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Pastor Is Sentenced To 10 Years For Possession And Receipt Of Child Sexual Abuse Material

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    The Defendant Used the Church’s Computer to Access, View, and Download Material Depicting the Sexual Exploitation of Children

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Ashley James Crouse, 53, of Granite Falls, N.C., was sentenced today to 120 months in prison and a lifetime of supervised release for possession and receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), announced Lawrence J. Cameron, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Crouse was also ordered to register as a sex offender after he is released from prison.

    Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, Roger “Chip” Hawley, Director of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), Sheriff Alan C. Jones of the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office, and Chief Reed Baer of the Hickory Police Department, join Acting U.S. Attorney Cameron in making today’s announcement.

    According to court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, in April 2023, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) referred a tip to law enforcement that a Dropbox account user had uploaded videos containing CSAM. Law enforcement determined that the Dropbox user was Crouse, who was a pastor at a church in Caldwell County. On November 3, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Crouse’s residence and the church. From Crouse’s office at the church, detectives seized a computer tower, an iPad, and two thumb drives.

    Crouse admitted to law enforcement officers that he had been downloading and collecting child pornography for five to six years and that he viewed CSAM at the church while multi-tasking and completing church business. The investigation determined that Crouse routinely used his computer at the church to access, view, and download CSAM. A forensic examination of Crouse’s church computer and other digital devices revealed that Crouse shared child pornography and links to child pornography through the Telegram application and that he had used AI and a software program to make child and other pornography. In total, Crouse possessed over 1,200 videos and 450 images depicting the sexual abuse of children.

    Also on the church computer, investigators found that Crouse maintained a book that outlines in detail how to sexually abuse children. The forensic examiner further found evidence that Crouse had installed an anti-forensic software program on his church computer which he used to permanently delete files and folders. 

    On August 21, 2024, Crouse pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography that involved a minor who had not attained the age of 12 years, and receipt of child pornography. Crouse remains in federal custody. He will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

    In making today’s announcement, Acting U.S. Attorney Cameron commended the FBI, the SBI, the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office, and the Hickory Police Department for their investigation of the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimlani Ford of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: John Austin Pleads Not Guilty to Federal Firearms Charge

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont announced that John Austin, 30, a Michigan native who recently has resided in South Burlington, Vermont, pleaded not guilty yesterday in United States District Court in Burlington to a charge that he unlawfully possessed a pistol as a convicted felon. U.S. Magistrate Judge Kevin Doyle ordered that Austin be held without bail pending trial, which has not been scheduled. Austin is currently in the primary custody of the Vermont Department of Corrections awaiting trial on a 2023 aggravated assault charge stemming from a shootout in Burlington’s Old North End.

    This past November, a federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment alleging that in April 2024, Austin possessed a semi-automatic pistol. Austin is prohibited from possessing firearms because he has multiple felony convictions in Michigan. According to court records, police officers in Burlington located a rental car that had been reported stolen. Inside, officers recovered a loaded .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol that had Austin’s fingerprints on it.

    The United States Attorney emphasizes that the charge in the indictment is merely an accusation, and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty. If convicted, Austin faces up to 15 years of imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.

    This case was investigated by the Burlington and South Burlington Police Departments and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

    Austin is represented by the Office of the Federal Public Defender. The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Waples.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Convicted Felon Is Sentenced For Illegal Possession Of A Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Osco Lothario Jackson, 37, of Charlotte, was sentenced today to 64 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for illegal possession of a firearm, announced Lawrence J. Cameron, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

    Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join Acting U.S. Attorney Cameron in making today’s announcement.

    According to court documents and court proceedings, on September 6, 2023, Jackson, shot into a group of people that included a man and several teenagers. Jackson’s shot hit his intended target, the man, in the leg. Jackson has multiple prior convictions for violent and drug-related offenses including Assault on a Government Official/Employee, Possession With Intent to Deliver Cocaine, Assault with a Deadly Weapon Inflicting Serious Injury, and Conspiracy to Commit Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon, thus he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.

    On June 26, 2024, Jackson pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon. He will remain in federal custody pending placement by the Federal Bureau of Prisons at a designated facility.

    The ATF and CMPD investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimlani Ford of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case. 

    MIL Security OSI –