A group of Iranian refugees at the border between Greece and Macedonia have sewn their lips shut, going on a hunger strike to protest controversial new immigration policies enacted by several Balkan governments. The new measures passed first by Slovenia, but quickly adopted by Croatia, Serbia and Macedonia, block access to any asylum-seekers that cannot prove citizenship from Syria, Afghanistan or Iraq, classifying asylum-seekers from all other countries as “economic migrants.”

United Nations Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights denounced the attacks in Paris earlier this month, stating that they “may constitute a crime against humanity”.

 “These attacks may constitute a crime against humanity and certainly one which viciously and deliberately targeted sites of arts and leisure where people come together to enjoy their cultural rights,” said Karima Bennoune in apress release last week. 

The European Union reiterated its support for a "just, lasting and mutually political solution, which will allow the people of Western Sahara to exercise their right to self-determination".

The High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini said the EU "follows closely the human rights situation in Morocco", and added "the EU will take no action that may undermine” the efforts of UN chief Ban Ki-Moon in the region.

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The US has imposed sanctions on four officials connected to the violence which has hit Burundi over the last months.

Hundreds of people are said to have died in violent clashes since President Pierre Nkurunziza unconstitutionally ran for a third term earlier this year and ended up being elected.

“President Nkurunziza’s pursuit of a third term in office has precipitated a humanitarian, economic, and security crisis,” said a statement by Ned Price, spokesman of the National Security Council in Washington.

“Burundi is on the precipice, but there is a clear path available to Burundi’s leaders to avoid further violence and reach a political solution.”

Colombia is pardoning to 30 jailed members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), as a confidence-building measure in its peace talks with armed group, AFP reported on Sunday.

The government said none of those being pardoned were in prison for serious crimes and added that they will be supported in their efforts to find jobs and receive social support on their release.