The United Nations Human Rights Council’s international, independent fact-finding mission of high-level experts inquiring into the Gaza flotilla incident has wrapped up a week-long visit to Turkey. According to the statement of the Council received by AIR today, the three experts interviewed Government officials and witnesses who provided first-hand information on the incident. Technical and legal experts accompanying the mission also held meetings with forensic and judiciary officials and inspected the ship Mavi Marmara, which was part of the flotilla. The team now heads to Jordan tomorrow for a seven-day visit in which they will interview witnesses based in Jordan and neighbouring countries. The 47-member Council voted in early June to dispatch the mission to inquire into the incident regarding the flotilla on 31st May this year.AIR correspondent Dhirendra Ojha reports that The three-member fact finding mission is enquiring 31st May incident in which 9 Turkish activists of Gaza bound flotilla were killed in an Israeli navy raid. The incident attracted international criticism following which, the 47-member, Geneva-based Council voted on 2 June to dispatch the mission to inquire into incident. The committee is slated to present its report at the next session of the Council in September. The incident occurred when the activists on flotilla were trying to enter Gaza waters in an attempt to break the Israeli blockade on Gaza. Gaza is under Israeli blockade since June 2007 after radical Palestinian group Hamas captured the Gaza after bloody confrontation with its rival Palestinian faction Fatah.
News On AIR | August 28, 2010 2:06 PM
UN Human Rights Council wraps up week-long visit to Turkey