Photo: ISHR
We did it! During the Interactive Dialogue on reprisals with the Assistant Secretary-General at the 51st session of the Human Rights Council, eight States raised specific cases of reprisals. Our work to #EndReprisals is not over!
On 29 September 2022, during the Interactive Dialogue on reprisals with Assistant Secretary-General, Ilze Brands Kehris, eight States raised individual cases of reprisals, including cases we have been campaigning for.
The case of the Human Rights Center ‘Viasna’ in Belarus was publicly raised by the group of countries BENELUX (Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg), Liechtenstein and Germany.
Germany and Liechtenstein raised the case of Ibrahim Metwally Hegazy from Egypt, while BENELUX also raised the cases of Armel Niyongere, Dieudonné Bashirahishize, Vital Nshimirimana and Lambert Nigarura from Burundi and Jiang Tianyong from China.
Germany additionally raised the cases of Mohamed El Baqer from Egypt and Li Qiaochu, Li Yuhan, Guo Feixiong and Tang Jitian from China.
Meanwhile, Namibia’s statement included the reprisals against Palestinian Human Rights Organizations by Israel. Denmark specifically drew attention to the case of Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja in Bahrain and Armenia included in their statement the case of Ahmad Mammadli in Azerbaijan.
This month, the Secretary-General’s report on reprisals will be introduced at the General Assembly’s Third Committee for the first time, and a joint statement is expected to be delivered by States condemning intimidation and reprisals, and calling on their peers to prioritise and support the meaningful participation of civil society at the UN.
Join us to call on States to join the cross-regional statement at the General Assembly:
During the 51st session of the Human Rights Council's Interactive Dialogue on reprisals (Item 5), with Assistant Secretary-General, ISHR calls on States to use this dialogue to speak out about specific cases of reprisals, push for accountability, an end to impunity, and reparations for victims.
Local authorities in Geneva have announced their intention to place a permanent public monument paying tribute to persecuted human rights defenders, including the late Chinese human rights defender Cao Shunli. The move follows a civil society petition to have a bust made in honour of Cao placed in a prominent location in the city.
On Tuesday 16 April 2024, ISHR delivered to both Geneva’s Administrative Council and its legislative counterpart, the Municipal Council, physical copies of the more than 1000 signatures collected in support of a memorial honouring Chinese human rights defender Cao Shunli.
13 April 2024 marked one year since the Chinese authorities arbitrarily detained prominent human rights lawyer Yu Wensheng and his wife, woman defender Xu Yan. As their health steadily deteriorates, 30 rights groups and the European Union have renewed their call for their prompt release.
