Venezuela has been voted onto the Human Rights Council by one of the smallest ever majorities, along with Brazil. Costa Rica – who put forward their candidacy only two weeks ago – was narrowly beaten. All new members, including Venezuela, must now work to live up to the human rights standards that membership demands.
News
14 Oct
ISHR has joined a coalition of 54 Venezuelan and international NGOs to express our serious concerns about Venezuela’s bid for a seat in the Human Rights Council. Venezuela's long and worsening record of grave human rights violations makes them unfit for membership to the world's premier human rights body.
16 Oct
Human rights defenders are courageous people who act with humanity, serve humanity and bring out the best in humanity. None of them should have to spend their 50th birthday in prison. Before his imprisonment, Ahmed Mansoor was known as ‘the last human rights defender left in the UAE’ on account of his fearless work to document human rights violations in the country. Ahead of his 50th birthday, more than 140 human rights groups signed an open letter urging the Emirati authorities to release Ahmed Mansoor.
21 Oct
Restrictions of fundamental rights and freedoms have continuously forced human rights defenders to flee their place of residence to avoid threats and reprisals as a consequence of their human rights work. Defenders who have been forced into exile do not necessarily end up being safer and still face challenges to be able to continue their work in an enabling environment.
17 Oct
Human rights defenders in Fiji live in fear of harassment, threats and arbitrary arrests. As part of its upcoming Universal Periodic Review, ISHR and Rainbow Pride Foundation call on the Fiji Government to protect defenders and repeal legislation restricting their right to freedom of expression, assembly and association.
Opinion:
By Navi Pillay, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights from 2008 - 2014.
The human rights treaty bodies are central to human rights reform efforts, but are burdened by inefficiencies. The upcoming UN review offers a chance to make them both more efficient and more effective.
This article was first published on OpenGlobalRights on 15 October 2019.
Browse our articles:
Region
Country
Topic
Mechanism
ISHR Contact
Geneva Office View map
Rue de Varembé 1
P.O. Box 16
CH-1211 Geneva 20 CIC
Switzerland
information@ishr.ch
+41 22 919 71 00
New York Office View map
777 UN Plaza (6th floor)
New York
NY 10017
USA
information.ny@ishr.ch
+1 212 490 21 99
