HRC54: RUSSIA, CHINA AND BURUNDI ARE NOT FIT TO SIT AT THE HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL
 

ISHR delivered a statement at the 54th session of the HRC, urging UN member States not to vote for Burundi, China and Russia as they are not fit to sit at the Human Rights Council.

HRC ELECTIONS 2023: STATES PLEDGE TO KEEP COUNCIL RELEVANT, INCLUSIVE AND ABLE TO RESPOND TO CRISES

States running for the UN Human Rights Council responded to questions from civil society on their human rights records as they outlined their vision for strengthening the global human rights system during ISHR and Amnesty International’s annual pledging event.

URGING THE EU TO HELP RELEASE BAHRAINI POLITICAL PRISONERS

Civil society organisations sent a joint letter to the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission, the EU Special Representative for Human Rights, and the EU Special Representative for the Gulf region, urging the European Union to call for the immediate and unconditional release of all those sentenced for their political beliefs in Bahrain.

REPRISALS: FRANCE AMONG 41 STATES CITED IN UN CHIEF REPORT

A UN report has identified dozens of attacks, threats and acts of intimidation by States against human rights defenders or groups who engaged with UN bodies, with new cases including France’s Assa Traoré.

TREATY BODIES: PROTECTION FROM UNDUE STATE INFLUENCE

At the 2023 meeting of UN Treaty Body chairpersons, ISHR raised concerns about the patterns of reprisals committed by China against individuals who engage with Treaty Bodies. ISHR and NGO partners also took the opportunity to discuss a range of practical measures related to NGO engagement as a follow-up to the 2020 review process.

NEW POSSIBILITY FOR THIRD PARTY INTERVENTIONS AT UN ANTI-TORTURE COMMITTEE

ISHR welcomes the adoption by the Committee against Torture (CAT) of a procedure that enables the submission of third party interventions to individual communications. By doing so, the CAT aligns with the practice of fellow UN Treaty Bodies.

HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER STORY: CYNTHIA PALACIOS RECKZIEGEL, FROM ARGENTINA

Cynthia Palacios Reckziegel works in international advocacy for the Center of Legal and Social Studies (CELS) in Buenos Aires. She shared her hopes for a future in which women in Argentina can access reproductive health services without being discriminated.

IT'S TIME TO #ENDREPRISALS
 

Human rights defenders are essential voices from our communities. Some of them face intimidation and reprisals when engaging with the United Nations. Join our campaign to #EndReprisals!

CALL ON CHINA TO FREE DEFENDERS AND REPEAL RSDL

We are mobilising the international community to put pressure on the Chinese Government to #RepealRSDL, a form of enforced disappearance widely used to silence those who defend human rights. Join our campaign!

HRC54 SIDE EVENTS

Here is a non-exhaustive overview of the upcoming side events co-organised by ISHR. More information will be available on our website shortly:

• Findings of the UN women’s rights committee on China: perspectives of affected communities
  Co-organised with the Gesellschaft für bedrohte Völker (Society for Threatened Peoples)
  28 September, 12:00 pm-1:00 pm CEST
  Room XXV, Palais des Nations, Geneva
   
• Black migrants in Europe: Law enforcement, identity, and politics
  Co-organised with UNARC and partners
  5 October, 12:00 pm-1:00 pm CEST
  Room XXV, Palais des Nations, Geneva