Rohingya, Bahá’ís, Disarmament: UN World News Brief

There are 28,000 documented Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, including these boys at the Kutupalong refugee camp.

Independent UN human rights experts on Wednesday called for urgent action to support Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh after reports indicated that two boats carrying more than 500 passengers may have capsized off the coast of Myanmar in mid-July.

"Statelessness affecting Rohingya refugees and the protracted situation of displacement contributes to serious risks of human trafficking, with devastating consequences for victims," the Human Rights Council-appointed experts said in a statement.

Long denied citizenship in Myanmar and subjected to brutal attacks by the military and police that escalated in 2017, the UN has described the Rohingya Muslims as "the most persecuted minority in the world."

In August 2017 alone, more than 750,000 Rohingya fled to neighbouring Bangladesh, where they formed the world's largest refugee settlement.

Doctors Without Borders reported that 6,700 Rohingya were killed during the first month of the 2017 crackdown, while the UN has found that the Myanmar authorities acted with "genocidal intent" in their persecution of the Rohingya.

In 2025, more than 900 Rohingya refugees died at sea, mostly in the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal. About 66 per cent of those who died were women and children, according to the experts.

Refugees Face Difficulties in Bangladesh

Bangladesh currently hosts nearly 1.2 million Rohingya refugees, many of whom lack access to education, employment and safe, regular migration pathways, the experts said.

Criminal networks often exploit these vulnerabilities by deceiving refugees and trafficking them.

Children and young people living in refugee camps are particularly vulnerable to trafficking, while women and girls face heightened risks of gender-based violence.

Bahá’ís Face Arbitrary Arrests, Torture in Iran

Another group of Human Rights Council-appointed experts expressed concern on Wednesday over allegations of arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances and torture targeting Iran's Bahá’í religious minority.

"We are profoundly troubled by reports that Bahá’í individuals are being subjected to incommunicado detention, torture and enforced disappearance," they said in a statement. "This is a clear violation of international law."

The experts are independent of the UN and do not receive a salary for their work.

The Bahá’í Faith is a global religion that emphasises the unity of religions and humanity and the elimination of all forms of prejudice. Founded in the mid-19th century in what is now Iran, it has an estimated 8.5 million followers worldwide, according to the World Religion Database.

Fifty-seven members of the Bahá’í community are currently detained or imprisoned by the Iranian authorities, the experts said. Many have allegedly been forced to confess under threat of torture or while being broadcast on state media.

Arrests have also increased dramatically across Iran since the start of the war, raising new concerns over the persecution of religious minorities, the experts said.

Iran Urged to Uphold Religious Freedom

As a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Iran is required to uphold freedom of religion or belief, prohibit torture and enforced disappearance, ensure due process and protect minority rights.

"The targeting of religious minority communities through alleged arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance and coercion constitutes a flagrant violation of the right to freedom of religion or belief," the experts said.

They urged the Iranian authorities to immediately guarantee Bahá’ís access to legal counsel and medical care and to hold those responsible for arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, torture and ill-treatment accountable.

More Militants Disarm in Central African Republic

Between last Friday and Tuesday, 100 members of the armed group Retour, Réclamation et Réhabilitation (3R) voluntarily laid down their weapons in the towns of Besson and Péhouri under a UN disarmament, demobilisation, reintegration and repatriation (DDRR) programme.

UN peacekeepers from the UN Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) collected 69 weapons, more than 4,400 rounds of ammunition and 24 rockets from the former combatants, allowing them to return to their communities.

Second Disarmament Operation in a Month

Earlier this month, another MINUSCA-supported operation saw 34 members of various armed groups voluntarily disarm in the capital, Bangui.

Since signing a fragile peace agreement with armed groups in 2019, the Central African government has worked to reintegrate some former fighters into government and security positions.

"The Mission continues to work alongside the Central African authorities and national partners in support of peace, security and the implementation of the Peace Agreement," UN spokesperson Farhan Haq told reporters on Wednesday.