United Nations special rapporteurs were “bullied” into not signing a letter documenting allegations arising from the October 7 attacks, the global body’s special rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment has claimed.
Dr Alice Edwards said some colleagues sought to water down a January 2024 letter detailing allegations received by her office, with a “concerted effort” to prevent aspects of the massacre being formally recorded by the UN.
“Some other special rapporteurs and working groups had wanted to sign on, but they also had been bullied by others not to sign on, and there was this concerted effort for this letter not to put on record some allegations that had been received.”
“There was a campaign to prevent that letter from going out. There were weeks of being bullied and deterred from writing it and telling me that everything in it was false."