HRW accuses Turkey of 'rights violations'

Here is a round-up of global news developments:

• Iran’s president Hassan Rouhani has slammed the imposition of sanctions as a wrong policy. Speaking with high-level French executives in Paris, Rouhani said the nuclear deal between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries proved how dialog can pave the way for the progress of nations.
   
• The Iranian city of Qom is hosting an international conference on the threat posed by the Takfiri terror groups against the Muslim world. Addressing the event, Iranian cleric Grand Ayatollah Nasser Makarem Shirazi called for unity among Muslim scholars in dealing with the threat.
   
• Iran’s Navy is conducting the second stage of its naval drills codenamed “Velayat 94”. The maneuvers are underway in the Sea of Oman and the northern part of the Indian Ocean. During the drills, Iranian commandos launched attacks on hypothetical enemy’s units using speed boats, combat vessels and rocket-launcher ships.
   
• The UN Emergency Relief coordinator has blamed the continued suffering of Syrians on the inaction of the international community and the key stakeholders. Stephen O’Brien also accused the Syrian government of hampering aid access inside the country. He urged the warring sides to resort to dialog and put people before politics.
   
• Human Rights Watch has slammed Turkey for what it calls a spike in human rights violations committed over the past year. The rights group says the Turkish government have created a climate of fear for the critics. It added that civilian deaths are rising in Kurdish regions of Turkey's.
   
• Greek coastguard says at least 24 refugees including eight children, have drowned after their boat sank off the country’s Samos Island. This is the second boat accident in the Aegean Sea in as many days. a total number of 19 refugees lost their lives since Wednesday.
   
• Spokesperson for Yemen’s Ansarullah movement, Mohammed Abdulsalam has criticized the UN for quote-remaining silent on Saudi Arabia’s relentless airstrikes on his country. Abdulsalam also slammed the US policies in the Middle East. He said the policies are aimed at paving the way for Washington to pursue its own interest in the region.
   
• Greece has rejected the European Commission accusation that Athens neglects its obligations to control the frontier of Europe’s passport-free Schengen zone. The Greek government instead accused Turkey of failing to clamp down on smugglers’ rings and stem the flow of refugees.

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