UN News Today 12 August 2025 |

Rights report reveals ‘systematic torture’, sexual violence and other crimes in Myanmar

UN-mandated independent investigators have uncovered “systematic torture” in military-run detention facilities in Myanmar – including beatings, electric shocks, strangulations and gang rape.

The Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM) published its annual report on Tuesday, which noted “important progress” made in documenting crimes and identifying those responsible, including commanders of security forces overseeing detention facilities.

Myanmar’s military seized power in a coup in February 2021, and prominent leaders were detained.  The takeover sparked mass protests, a violent crackdown and a nationwide armed resistance movement, with the country descending into civil war.

The report details crimes, including burning of sexual body parts, other forms of sexual violence and summary executions of captured combatants or civilians accused of being informers.

Gaza hospitals overflow with people injured while seeking food: WHO

As malnutrition and starvation continue to deepen in the Gaza Strip, hospitals are increasingly overwhelmed by the influx of people who were injured at food distribution sites, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.

The overall health situation remains catastrophic, with less than 50 per cent of hospitals and less than 38 per cent of primary healthcare facilities functional, said Dr. Rik Peeperkorn, WHO Representative in the occupied Palestinian territories. 

Here he is, speaking to journalists in Geneva:

“Hospitals are particularly overwhelmed by the injuries coming from the food distribution areas, which are also driving persistent shortage of blood and plasma. The number of casualties among people trying to access food supplies has increased to 1,655 fatalities and more than 11,800 injuries since 27 of May 2025.” 

Many of the victims were shot at in areas near food distribution sites run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), the aid distribution mechanism backed by Israel and the United States, or while waiting for aid drops.

Meanwhile, hunger and malnutrition continue to devastate Gaza. As of 5 August, 147 people have died from the effects of malnutrition this year. They include 98 adults and 49 children – 39 of them under the age of five.

UNESCO chief deplores killing of 6 journalists in Gaza City

In more news from Gaza:

The head of the UN’s educational and cultural agency, UNESCO, has condemned the killing of six journalists in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City on Sunday.

Five of the men – two reporters and three camera operators – worked for the Al Jazeera media network, while the sixth was a freelance photojournalist.

“Targeting journalists covering conflicts is unacceptable and against international humanitarian law,” UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay said in a statement on Tuesday.

She reiterated her call to respect a UN Security Resolution, adopted 10 years ago, on the protection of journalists and other media professionals in conflict situations.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres also condemned the killings and called for an independent and impartial investigation.

At least 242 journalists have been killed in Gaza since the war began in October 2023, following Hamas-led attacks on Israel.

Anna O’Donnell, UN News.