Human Rights Council Opens Fifty-first Session, Hears Oral Update by the Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights

MORNING

The Human Rights Council this morning opened its fifty-first session, hearing an oral update by the Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada Al Nashif, on global human rights developments and the activities of the Office of the High Commissioner.

Ms. Al-Nashif extended her warmest welcome to Under-Secretary-General Volker Türk, whose appointment as the next United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights was approved by the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, 8 September. His leadership and commitment to championing human rights will be a real asset in the defence of the rights of everyone, everywhere.

Presenting the High Commissioner’s oral update, Ms. Al-Nashif said that since the Council’s last session in June, several situations around the world continued to raise serious human rights concerns requiring urgent action. The coming months were a critical test to political will. When galvanised through multilateral and concerted action, by building bridges rather than sowing division, political commitment that was grounded in international human rights standards could propel the world forward towards more just and equal societies. It lay at the core of the mission of the Council – to fulfil it was therefore to uphold the collective commitment to the enduring principle that all human beings were born free and equal in dignity and rights.

The general debate on the High Commissioner’s oral update will be held on Tuesday, 13 September.

The Council also heard a statement by Alphonse Charles Wright, Minister of Justice of Guinea, who said the Human Rights Council helped States to uphold human rights. All countries needed to promote respect, non-discrimination and combat violence in all spheres, and this was the main role of the Human Rights Council. However, no protection of human rights was conceivable unless authorities and non-governmental organizations were able to put them above their own interests. The Republic of Guinea was committed to observing its human rights commitments, releasing detained political opponents. Strategic documents all reflected the Government’s aim to uphold human rights.

The Human Rights Council also held a minute of silence for the passing of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, and a minute of silence for the passing of the Leopold Samba, Permanent Representative of the Central African Republic to the United Nations Office at Geneva.

The webcast of the Human Rights Council meetings can be found here. All meeting summaries can be found here. Documents and reports related to the Human Rights Council’s fifty-first regular session can be found here.

The Human Rights Council will next meet at 10 a.m. to hold an interactive dialogue on the report of the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar, followed by an interactive dialogue on the report of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on Sri Lanka.

Minute of Silence for Passing of Queen Elizabeth II

United Kingdom thanked many in the hall for the words of condolence and tribute in the last few difficult days for the United Kingdom. It was a day of national mourning. Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was a truly remarkable person, and an era had ended. She was an internationalist before the word became fashionable, and was present at the very first meeting of the United Nations General Assembly in London in 1946, and throughout her long life of service to her country and to the Commonwealth, she visited more than 100 countries and touched the lives of countless people across the globe. She was the United Kingdom’s greatest diplomat. She worked until the very last day of her life, devoted to the service of her people and her country.

The Human Rights Council then held a minute of silence in commemoration of the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.

Minute of Silence for Passing of Permanent Representative of the Central African Republic

FEDERICO VILLEGAS, President of the Human Rights Council, expressed the Council’s deep sorrow as well for the death of Ambassador Leopold Samba, Permanent Representative of the Central African Republic to the United Nations Office at Geneva, who had been an active participant in the work of the Human Rights Council.

In memory of Ambassador Samba, a second minute of silence was held.

Opening Remarks by the President of the Council

FEDERICO VILLEGAS, President of the Human Rights Council, welcomed Nada Al-Nashif, Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights, to the Human Rights Council, also expressing the Council’s support for the new High Commissioner for Human Rights, Under-Secretary-General Volker Türk. He urged all speakers to respect the work and role of the mandate holders, including Special Rapporteurs. He reminded all that the code of conduct including protection against sexual harassment was in force, and would be implemented during the Council session, ensuring that any and all complaints be dealt with promptly. The work of national human rights institutions and representatives of civil society was essential to the fulfilment of the mandate of the Council - and all allegations of acts of reprisal due to their contribution to the work of the Council would be investigated.

The Council then approved the draft programme of work for the session.

Oral Update of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

NADA AL-NASHIF, Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights, extended her warmest welcome to Under-Secretary-General Volker Türk, whose appointment as the next United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights was approved by the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, 8 September. His leadership and commitment to championing human rights will be a real asset in the defence of the rights of everyone, everywhere.

Presenting the High Commissioner’s oral update on the global situation of human rights, Ms. Al-Nashif said that since this Council’s last session in June, several situations around the world continued to raise serious human rights concerns requiring urgent action.

Ms. Al-Nashif welcomed the recently concluded peaceful and inclusive elections in Angola as well as in Kenya. The Office was concerned about the deteriorating situation and shrinking civic space in Burundi. In the Central African Republic, the Government should ensure that defence and security forces and foreign private military contractors immediately ceased violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. In the context of ongoing transitions taking place in several countries such as Chad, Guinea, and Sudan, all alleged violations committed during military operations or in the context of protests must be promptly, impartially and thoroughly investigated. More than a year on, political instability and civil unrest that started with pro-democracy protests in Eswatini were being reportedly met with excessive use of force by security officers.

Following the recent resumption of hostilities in northern Ethiopia, the announcement by authorities in Tigray of their readiness to abide by an immediate cessation of hostilities and to participate in a robust peace process under the auspices of the African Union was encouraging. The most recent violent clashes in Tripoli, Libya had resulted in civilian casualties and the destruction of civilian infrastructure, and all parties should protect civilians, refrain from further violence, and comply with international human rights and international humanitarian law. In Mali, there was concern about alleged violations committed during military operations conducted by Malian defence and security forces.

In the context of the conflict of northern Mozambique, the Government should investigate and hold to account perpetrators of human rights violations, and of threats and intimidation against human rights defenders, ensuring the findings were made public. The Office reiterated its call to the Government of Sierra Leone to hold prompt, impartial and thorough investigations into the violence and fatalities that occurred during public protests on 10 August and bring those responsible to account regardless of their status and political affiliation.

The peaceful transfer of power and the formation of a new Federal Government in Somalia was welcome, as well as the newly elected President’s statement on the need for universal suffrage for the next elections. In Tunisia, concerns were mounting regarding executive interference with the judiciary, including summary dismissals and the launching of criminal proceedings against judges. In Haiti, the Office of the High Commissioner had consistently raised the alarm about the unbearable levels of violence and associated human rights abuses involving heavily armed gangs – as well as the urgent need to support State institutions to curtail this violence.

The new Colombian Government’s strategy to seek “total peace”, including its commitment to fully implement the 2016 peace agreement with the FARC-EP and the recommendations of the Truth Commission’s final report was positive. In Ecuador, the economic recession and unresolved social grievances affecting already marginalised populations had sparked widespread protests in June. The Office continued to record attacks against rights defenders in Honduras, ranging from threats to harassment to killings.

During the first ever visit by a High Commissioner to Bangladesh last month, as well as to the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, the former High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet had discussed a full range of concerns with the authorities and offered the Office of the High Commissioner’s support to review restrictive laws governing on-line expression. On 31 August, the Office published its assessment of human rights concerns in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China, with recommendations to the Government and other stakeholders.

In the Papua region (Papua and West Papua Provinces) of Indonesia, there were reports of intensified violence, including clashes between the Indonesian security forces and armed groups resulting in unknown numbers of civilian casualties and fatalities and internal displacement. In Iraq, people continued to suffer the consequences of the political deadlock, amidst economic challenges, a shrinking space for freedom of expression, and the severe impact of climate change. The Office was closely following the transitional justice agenda in Nepal, including relevant legislative amendments, and urged the Government to ensure their compliance with international human rights norms and the aspirations and rights of victims.

There was concern for the targeting of human rights defenders in the occupied Palestinian territory, including the disturbing increase in the number of Palestinians, including children, killed and injured by Israeli forces in the occupied Palestinian territory, including in the recent escalation in Gaza in early August and the widespread use of live ammunition in law enforcement operations in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. The recent executions of at least eight people for drug-related offences in Singapore were deplored. In Viet Nam, the Government’s growing restrictions on civic space and fundamental freedoms, as well as the sentencing of people on charges related to their human rights work and efforts to promote a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment were worrisome. Since the United Nations’ mediated truce was announced in Yemen, the country had witnessed a decline in reported casualties from conflict-related violence.

The former High Commissioner had visited Bosnia and Herzegovina in June 2022, during which she conveyed strong messages ahead of the October general elections, occurring in a particularly polarised context. In the Russian Federation, the intimidation, restrictive measures and sanctions against people voicing opposition to the war in Ukraine undermined the exercise of constitutionally guaranteed fundamental freedoms, including the rights to free assembly, expression and association. In Tajikistan, particularly in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast, concerns persisted about the harassment of human rights defenders and journalists and recent prosecution requests for 25 years or life term prison sentences in some cases, disregarding due process. In Ukraine, the war’s serious socio-economic consequences persisted, including severe fuel shortages and threats to food security in some of the poorest countries.

The coming months were a critical test to political will. When galvanised through multilateral and concerted action, by building bridges rather than sowing division, political commitment that was grounded in international human rights standards could propel the world forward towards more just and equal societies. States could and should use the full gamut of human rights as problem-solving measures, including for inclusive participation and stronger institutions. Fuller use should be made of the international human rights mechanisms. The pursuit of peace, stability and justice united all. It lay at the core of the mission of the Council – to fulfil it was therefore to uphold the collective commitment to the enduring principle that all human beings were born free and equal in dignity and rights.

Statement by the Minister of Justice of Guinea

ALPHONSE CHARLES WRIGHT, Minister of Justice of Guinea, said that the Human Rights Council helped States to uphold human rights. The shortcomings of States needed to be recognised. All countries needed to promote respect, non-discrimination and combat violence in all spheres, and this was the main role of the Human Rights Council. However, no protection of human rights was conceivable unless authorities and non-governmental organizations were able to put them above their own interests. The Republic of Guinea was committed to observing its human rights commitments, releasing detained political opponents. Strategic documents all reflected the Government’s aim to uphold human rights. The Government intended to participate in international meetings and safeguard the gains of the country. The transitional Government would genuinely cooperate with all human rights missions.

A report was being drafted on human rights violations in Guinea by the local mission of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and this work was welcomed. It was incumbent on the Government to deliver justice to the victims of the events of September 2009. Proceedings would be held to put an end to impunity and bring justice to the families of victims. A draft law on the protection of victims had been prepared. A training course had been provided to judges who would be hearing trials. An investigation of deaths occurring in the most recent protests would also be carried out. The compensation fund needed to be strengthened through partnership with international organizations.

Link: https://www.ungeneva.org/en/news-media/meeting-summary/2022/09/morning-human-rights-council-opens-fifty-first-session-hears