UN Peacekeepers: Allegations of rights abuse may result in their return

If allegations of human rights abuse against a UN peacekeeper are substantiated, it results in non-deployment or even repatriation, said a spokesperson for the UN secretary general.     

Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric made the remarks at a press briefing in New York on Wednesday when his attention was drawn to a DW investigative documentary.

The documentary says Bangladesh and Sri Lanka sent to UN missions some officers implicated in human rights violations, such as torture and extrajudicial killings.

Dujarric said that over the years, there have been cases where they were informed of allegations of past human rights violations committed by uniformed personnel from a small number of countries. 

"When such cases occur, our peacekeeping colleagues take appropriate actions in accordance with their screening policy and other relevant frameworks, including in consultation with troop-contributing countries.

"And sometimes it can result in uniformed personnel not being deployed or even being repatriated by the UN if allegations are substantiated."

Dujarric said they have seen the DW documentary, and the UN colleagues in the peacekeeping department interacted and gave a statement to the producers. 

"But, you know, we want to restate very clearly that the secretariat [UN] is committed to deploying personnel that meet the highest standards of efficiency and integrity, including respect for and commitment to human rights, and has established the relevant procedures and mechanisms under the policy on human rights screening of UN personnel." 

He said there are three parts to the screening. One involves self-certification; the other one involves the certification by the sending country, and there's another procedure followed by the office for human rights, the High Commissioner's Office for Human Rights.