UN chief warns that rule of law risks turning into 'rule of lawlessness'

United Nations Secretary-Basic António Guterres warned Thursday that the rule of legislation dangers turning into "the rule of lawlessness," citing quite a lot of illegal actions dedicated by numerous states world wide, together with Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The UN chief addressed the Safety Council, portray a bleak image of the present state of peace in quite a few international locations and urging member states to uphold the "the imaginative and prescient and the values" of the UN Constitution and the Common Declaration of Human Rights.

For instance of the rule of legislation being violated, Guterres pointed first to Moscow's aggression in Ukraine.

The conflict, within the UN chief's phrases, has created a "humanitarian and human rights disaster, traumatised a technology of kids, and accelerated the worldwide meals and vitality disaster." 

Referring to Russia’s annexation of 4 areas in Ukraine in late September in addition to its 2014 annexation of Crimea, he claimed any annexation ensuing from the menace or use of pressure violates the UN Constitution and worldwide legislation.

Guterres additional referenced a number of important conditions world wide, from coups in Africa’s Sahel area to North Korea’s unlawful nuclear weapons programme and Afghanistan’s assault on girls’s and ladies’ rights.

He additionally cited the breakdown of the rule of legislation in Myanmar for the reason that navy ousted the elected authorities of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021, and famous his concern about Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s new conservative authorities, fearing an aggravation of tensions between Israelis and Palestinians.

"From the smallest village to the worldwide stage, the rule of legislation is all that stands between peace and stability and a brutal battle for energy and assets," Guterres careworn, claiming that the world was at "grave threat of the rule of lawlessness."

The council assembly on strengthening the rule of legislation was presided over by Japan’s Overseas Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and noticed roughly 80 international locations communicate.

The subject sparked a heated debate, as Russia and Western supporters of the Kyiv authorities clashed over the conflict in Ukraine.