This submission to the 4th Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of China addresses the Chinese government's misuse of ill-defined national security legislation as a structural abuse and common root cause of systematic and widespread violations against Uyghurs, Tibetans, and human rights defenders and lawyers in mainland China and Hong Kong.
In this briefing paper, ISHR looks at the powerful role of China over the UN human rights treaty bodies (UNTBs), identifying the ways in which China deploys influence, from an official discourse that consistently focuses on restricting their scope of work to direct threats to independent NGOs who wish to engage with the UN experts.
The present assessment provides substantial evidence that demonstrates how the human rights situation in China meets each of the nine ‘objective criteria’ for action by the Human Rights Council.
A new ISHR report, China and the UN Economic and Social Council provides an overview of the way in which China has extended its representation throughout the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and its subsidiary bodies and processes, enabling the Chinese government to significantly influence the UN’s development priorities and cooperation with civil society.
States should encourage Hungary to protect human rights defenders and civil society space through its forthcoming UPR, ISHR and TASZ said in a new briefing paper launched today.
In 2020, the United Nations will review the functioning of the ten human rights treaty bodies. OpenGlobalRights and ISHR are publishing a series of op-eds to stimulate more discussion on ways to improve the work of the treaty bodies. Eleven of these op-eds are collated in a publication.
We are excited to share the launch of two new briefings that provide guidance for institutional investors and companies on how to respect the rights of human rights defenders.
Making human rights a reality for all depends on the work of human rights defenders. Despite this, across the globe, the right to defend human rights is being systematically undermined. Promoting, protecting and advocating for the rights of defenders should be among the highest priorities of the new UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and her Office.
ISHR and the Burkinabe Coalition for Human Rights Defenders urge States to use Burkina Faso’s upcoming Universal Periodic Review to call for a better protection of human rights defenders and journalists in the country.
States should encourage Uganda to refrain from criminalising the legitimate activities of human rights defenders and repeal all laws and policies which restrict their rights and activities through its forthcoming UPR, ISHR, Human Rights Awareness and Promotion Forum and Chapter Four Uganda have said in a joint briefing paper.
