Stolen Presidential elections, the use of deeply repressive tactics by State agents against real and perceived opponents, and the recent return of OHCHR to Caracas informed today’s dialogue on Venezuela between the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Human Rights Council.
'There is a responsibility for big tech companies to uphold human rights to make sure that they are not complicit in the violation of human rights, especially in the context of genocide.'
Two years after the publication of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights' landmark assessment on the situation in the Uyghur region (Xinjiang), global scrutiny of China's human rights violations remains strong.
At the review of Burkina Faso’s periodic report to the African Commission, ISHR noted a worrying trend of arrests, conscription, and abductions of human rights defenders, some of whom are deployed to the battlefield.
At a side event on the relevance of the African human rights system to the conflict in Gaza, panellists urged States and the Commission to ensure Israel ends its unlawful occupation and respect international human rights norms.
We call on all African States, including Burkina Faso, Mauritius, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to do more to ensure defenders are safe and supported in their vital work.
Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg took a stance at the United Nations General Assembly last week, mentioning six specific cases and situations of reprisals during the dialogue with the Assistant Secretary-General Ilze Brands Kehris, including cases ISHR had actively campaigned for.
An event held on 18 October 2024 on the sidelines of the African Commission's 81st session shed light on restrictions on the work of human rights defenders in Côte d’Ivoire - specifically with respect to freedom of association and assembly, the shrinking of civic space, and the particular threats faced by those who defend the rights of LGBTIQ+ people.
During three days, participants in the NGOs Forum held in Banjul, The Gambia, discussed key human rights and democracy issues affecting the continent, as well as the work of defenders, and proposed better ways to address them. This culminated in the adoption of resolutions and recommendations.
On 27 September, the Council debated the annual report of the UN Secretary-General on reprisals against persons or individuals working or seeking to work with the United Nations – which this year flagged incidents involving 32 States.
