Weaponizing ordinary devices violates international law, United Nations rights chief says

Source: Associated Press

Weaponizing ordinary devices violates international law, United Nations rights chief says

By EDITH M. LEDERER
Updated 10:57 PM EDT, September 20, 2024

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Weaponizing ordinary communication devices represents a new development in warfare, and targeting thousands of Lebanese people using pagers, two-way radios and electronic equipment without their knowledge is a violation of international human rights law, the United Nations human rights chief said Friday.

Volker Türk told an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council there must be an independent and transparent investigation of the two attacks in Lebanon on Tuesday and Wednesday where these devices exploded, reportedly killing 37 people and injuring more than 3,400 others.

“Those who ordered and carried out these attacks must be held to account,” he said.

Lebanon has blamed Israel for the attacks, which appeared to target Hezbollah militants but also saw many civilian casualties, including children. Hezbollah has fought many conflicts with Israel, including a war in 2006, and it has conducted near-daily strikes against Israel to support Hamas militants who attacked Israel on Oct. 7.

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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/un-lebanon-explosions-pagers-international-law-rights-9059b1c1af5da062fa214a1d5a3d7454