Council Concludes Interactive Dialogue on Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory
The Human Rights Council this morning concluded its interactive dialogue on the report of the High Commissioner on the human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and the obligation to ensure accountability and justice. The Council then held an enhanced interactive dialogue on human rights in Eritrea and began an interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan.
In the enhanced interactive dialogue on human rights in Eritrea, Nada Al-Nashif, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, said the human rights situation in Eritrea remained dire and showed no sign of improvement. It continued to be characterised by serious human rights violations, with credible reports of torture; arbitrary detention; inhumane conditions of detention; enforced disappearances; and restrictions of the rights to freedoms of expression, of association, and of peaceful assembly. It was alarming that all these human rights violations were committed in the context of complete impunity. Eritrea had not taken any demonstrable steps to ensure accountability for past and ongoing human rights violations. The Eritrean Government needed to engage on critical human rights issues, through dialogue with the Office and extending full cooperation to international human rights mechanisms.
Mohamed Abdelsalam Babiker, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea, said they had no evidence which indicated any progress in the human rights situation in the country, although the mandate on Eritrea had passed more than a decade since 2012. He was gravely concerned about the situation of many Eritreans who had been arbitrarily detained, and some disappeared, in secret prisons, for more than two decades, and urged Eritrea to reveal the whereabouts of victims of enforced disappearance to their relatives and to develop a transparent and efficient system for the registration of detainees. Mr. Babiker regretted that the Government of Eritrea continued to oppose his mandate, and that visit requests remained unanswered.
Adem Osman Idris, Permanent Representative of Eritrea to the United Nations Office at Geneva, said Eritrea was committed to the full enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all its citizens, through its commitment to social justice, despite unremitting external hostilities which continued to harass the country. The mandates of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights in Eritrea as well as others were part of this harassment, with the aim of advancing political motives and agenda, a weaponisation of human rights in its crudest form against a developing country. Eritrea continued to make substantial improvements in human rights for its citizens, including in healthcare and education, implementing serious programmes for soil improvement and to mitigate climate change. Eritrea would persist on its development agenda, despite the unwarranted harassment by certain powers.
Vanessa Tsehaye, a civil society activist from Eritrea, said her uncle was imprisoned in Eritrea because he was part of a group of journalists and politicians trying to stop the dictatorship. The situation in Eritrea was extremely dire; there were no elections, no parliament, no universities, no independent media and no opposing political parties. All capable Eritreans were forced to serve the government professionally. There were countless people imprisoned for opposing the government and no people were allowed to visit them. Many people were imprisoned indefinitely and faced inhumane conditions. This was an illegal war which had damaged too many Eritreans and caused immeasurable damage.
In the discussion on Eritrea, some speakers said they were seriously concerned about the human rights situation in Eritrea, which required continuous international scrutiny and monitoring. Some speakers called on the Council to extend the Special Rapporteur’s mandate. A number of speakers called on Eritrea to immediately end the collective punishment of relatives of those who absconded military service, and to reform its indefinite military service system. The Eritrean Government was called on to address all human rights violations, including arbitrary detention and enforced disappearances, inhumane prison conditions, and wide-spread sexual and gender-based violence as reported by the Special Rapporteur.
Some speakers said they rejected mandates which alleged to promote human rights without the consent of the country concerned. This contradicted the spirit of the United Nations Charter and the Council and politicised the agendas of some countries under so-called enhanced interactive dialogue. The genuine willingness and preparedness of the Government of Eritrea for the promotion and protection of human rights should be taken into account and further encouraged. Speakers noted that Eritrea had cooperated actively with the Council, providing timely information on its efforts to protect human rights.
Speaking in the discussion on Eritrea were European Union, Luxembourg on behalf of the Benelux countries, France, United States, China, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Venezuela, Djibouti, United Kingdom, Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Belarus, Yemen, Syria, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Ireland, Nicaragua, Russian Federation, and Cuba.
Also speaking were Christian Solidarity Worldwide, East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project, International Fellowship of Reconciliation, Conscience and Peace Tax International, CIVICUS – World Alliance for Citizen Participation, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and International Bar Association.
The Council then started an interactive dialogue on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan.
Richard Bennett, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, said after his initial report last September, the situation of human rights continued to deteriorate. In December, there were further serious setbacks, in particular for women and girls. Mr. Bennett welcomed the Council’s strengthening of his mandate in resolution 51/20 and the assignment of additional reporting responsibilities, and hoped the recommendations would assist. The cumulative effect of the restrictions on women and girls had a devasting long-term impact on the whole population and was tantamount to gender apartheid. The poverty rate had doubled with 28 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, including more than 6 million Afghans living on the brink of famine-like conditions. The Taliban were urged to immediately cease actions that disrupted equitable and speedy access to humanitarian aid to those most in need and for the de facto authorities to immediately lift the ban on women working for non-governmental organizations.
Afghanistan, speaking as the country concerned, said since the Special Rapporteur’s last report, the human rights situation in the country had worsened. Over 18 months, Afghanistan under the Taliban rule had turned into the ground zero of human rights and the graveyard of international norms. Since August 2021, the Taliban had consistently failed to meet the basic demands of the people of Afghanistan and the expectations of the international community. The report was the tip of the iceberg. Many violations were still going undocumented; many casualties still overlooked. The full nature and extent of violations and abuses demanded an immediate and effective response by the human rights system. An independent investigative mechanism could fill the gap – collecting, analysing and preserving evidence of human rights violations of the people of Afghanistan, especially those of women, children, and vulnerable groups.
Some speakers in the discussion on Afghanistan commended the Special Rapporteur for his efforts in documenting human rights abuses and engaging the de facto authorities. The discriminatory denial of women and girls’ rights contravened Afghanistan’s human rights obligations, and could amount to persecution on gender grounds, a crime against humanity. The Taliban’s edict banning women from working in non-governmental organizations had created devastating roadblocks for the delivery of critical humanitarian aid to vulnerable communities. The ban on women and girls’ secondary and tertiary education deprived them of their human rights, which should be ensured by all. A number of speakers said the international community should continue stepping up engagement with the interim government, providing the country with necessary humanitarian assistance, and guiding it towards a government that was stable. They described the mandate as “meddling”, and said it would make no change in the human rights situation, as it was in line with the interests of its sponsors without genuinely ensuring the wellbeing of the human rights population.
Speaking in the discussion on Afghanistan were European Union, Iceland on behalf of the Nordic-Baltic countries, Pakistan on behalf of Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Uzbekistan on behalf of the Central Asian countries, European Union on behalf of a group of countries, Liechtenstein, United Nations Women, France, United States, Ecuador, Qatar, Switzerland, Ireland, United Arab Emirates, Germany, Belgium, Republic of Korea, Israel, Japan, Sierra Leone, Cyprus, Luxembourg, India, Costa Rica, China, Indonesia, North Macedonia, Venezuela, Canada, Poland, Netherlands, and Albania
At the beginning of the meeting, the Council concluded its interactive dialogue on the High Commissioner’s report on the human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and the obligation to ensure accountability and justice. The High Commissioner presented his report on the human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and the obligation to ensure accountability and justice on Friday, 3 March and a summary can be found here.
In the discussion, some speakers said there was concern about the destruction of civilian infrastructure, arbitrary detention, and difficulty with administration of justice, among others. A fair and long-term settlement of the conflict was only possible on the basis of fair international law. Steps taken so far by Israel and the State of Palestine to investigate possible violations of international humanitarian law had been insufficient. There was concern for the increase of settler violence, and Israel should investigate these incidents fully and ensure accountability. Israeli security forces continued to violate international law and international humanitarian law, with a culture of impunity – the Human Rights Council should support mechanisms that brought justice and ensured accountability. There should be a broad, fair, lasting solution to the situation, based on the two-State solution, so that Palestinians could have a sovereign State based on the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
In concluding remarks, Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said that mudslinging would not help anyone, and instead promoted further hatred and violence. There needed to be a stop to any hateful rhetoric. He appealed for Member States to assist all parties to find the exit ramp. Everyone needed to come back to how people were affected at the human level. The report outlined that people were dying and suffering, and this needed to be taken into account when it came to finding solutions. It was most important to abide by the Akaba Declaration and use this as a foundation to build on. Mr. Türk hoped the discussions in the Council could help move towards solutions.
Speaking in the discussion were: Russia, Belgium, Cuba, Brazil, Australia, and South Africa.
Also speaking were the following representatives from civil society: the International Organization for the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the Institute for NGO Research, BADIL Resource Centre for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights, Touro Law Centre – the Institute on Human Rights and the Holocaust, United Nations Watch, Al Mezan Centre for Human Rights, Medical Aid for Palestinians, Defence for Children International, Meezaan Centre for Human Rights, and Association Ma’onah for Human Rights and immigration.
The webcast of the Human Rights Council meetings can be found here. All meeting summaries can be found here. Documents and reports related to the Human Rights Council’s fifty-second regular session can be found here.
The next meeting of the Human Rights Council will be at 3 p.m. this afternoon when it will conclude its interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan. It will then hold an interactive dialogue on the High Commissioner’s report on Myanmar, followed by an interactive dialogue on the report of the Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua.
Source: ohchr
