Reacting to a report by UN experts exposing ongoing threats and attacks against human rights defenders across the globe, ISHR calls on States to work together and cooperate with the UN to protect civil society.
In a statement made today at the 36th Session at the UN Human Rights Council (HRC), ISHR welcomed the latest Joint Communication Report, which reveals the continued reluctance of States to cooperate with Special Procedures – independent experts mandated by the HRC to respond to individual cases of human rights violations.
ISHR’s Special Procedures focal point Helen Nolan explained that the report compiles letters sent by the experts to States regarding allegations of serious human rights abuses, as well as the State replies. ‘These letters cite very grave cases, yet 33 States have kept silent – offering no explanation or information on what has been done to help the victims,’ said Nolan.
‘What is most shocking is that 11 of the States that have failed to respond are Human Rights Council Members, who clearly have a particular duty to cooperate with the mechanisms that they themselves have created.’
HRC Council Members Bangladesh, Brazil, Congo, Egypt, Hungary, India, Iraq, Kenya, Nigeria, Qatar and Venezuela are all mentioned in the report as having yet to reply to at least one letter from the Special Procedures. ISHR urged the President to request rapid updates from all non-responding countries.
‘We are also deeply concerned by the fresh cases of reprisals in Egypt, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Uzbekistan. It is completely unacceptable that defenders be targeted for engaging with the UN.’
ISHR also drew attention to steps the Special Procedures could take to increase cooperation, effectiveness and impact, pointing to recommendations crafted by ISHR and 8 other organisations for the 24th Annual Meeting of Special Procedures.
‘The recommendations require action by all countries – Council Members in particular – in order to succeed,’ explained Nolan. ‘We will continue to work with all actors to implement these necessary reforms.’
The full text of the statement is available here.
Watch the statement here:
Photo: UN Photo by Jean-Marc Ferré
A newly-released confidential letter by a UN Special Rapporteur documents the disbarment of human rights lawyers in China and the tightening ideological control over lawyers and law firms. The UN expert denounces disappearances, closed-door trials, harassment of relatives, travel bans, and other abuses targeting human rights lawyers.
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.
The 79th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights will be held in Banjul, The Gambia, from 14 May to 3 June 2024. The session will be preceded by the NGO Forum, which will be held in hybrid format from the 11-13 May 2024.
