UN expert’s visit to Viet Nam postponed due to air traffic restrictions in Europe

HANOI / GENEVA (19 April 2010) – The mission to Viet Nam by UN independent expert on human rights and extreme poverty, Magdalena Sepulveda, has been postponed due to extended airspace restrictions imposed by European air traffic authorities.

Widespread flying restrictions affecting most of northern Europe have been adopted because of the after-effects of the eruption of an Icelandic volcano, which have made flying too hazardous, according to air traffic bodies.

The UN Human Rights Council envoy was due to visit Viet Nam from 20-29 April 2010, in the first independent expert mission to the country in over 12 years. A new Media Advisory will be release in the coming weeks, as soon as the mission is rescheduled.

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Magdalena Sepúlveda is the Independent Expert on the question of human rights and extreme poverty since May 2008. She is a Chilean lawyer currently working as Research Director at the International Council on Human Rights Policy in Geneva.

Media Advisory announcing mission (now postponed): http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=9965&LangID=E