Cuba Cheats on UN Review, Uses 454 Front Groups to Fake its Human Rights Record
Today’s Miami Herald has major article on UN Watch report
Also: Syria, Iran, North Korea took the floor to sing Havana’s praises
The UN review of Cuba’s human rights record, which culminated today, is tainted by “massive fraud” committed by the regime’s use of an unprecedented 454 front groups to officially register 93 statementspraising Havana’s policies and practices, as revealed exclusively in a new report by UN Watch entitled “How Cuba Hijacked its UPR.”
Cuba used hundreds of front groups to hijack the United Nations compilation of NGO submissions and turn it into a propaganda sheet for the Castro Communist regime. While critiques of genuine NGOs do appear, they are overwhelmed by an unprecedented amount of submissions by fraudulent ‘NGOs’ that, if they do exist, are mere puppets of Cuba and its allies abroad.
Recent UPR country reviews saw 23 NGO submissions on Germany, 32 on Russia, and, the highest, 48 on Canada. For Cuba, however, the number soars to an incredible 454. This is fraud committed on a massive scale.Cuba is cheating the United Nations human rights system.
As a result of its barrage of filings by hundreds of state-controlled organizations, numerous statements of praise taint the UN’s official summary, which now form a basis for Cuba’s review.
In addition, the UN Watch report raised serious questions regarding the credibility of the submissions by the UN Country Team for Cuba, which is full of praise, and the UNESCO submission which, aside from a handful of exceptions, also gives “a free pass” to Cuba’s human rights record. Only three paragraphs in these two UN submissions offered any critique ofCuba’s human rights record.
UN Watch condemned Cuba’s resort to friendly tyrannies and non-democracies who took the floor this week to deliver false praise of Havana’s abysmal record. The UN should not be a mutual praise society for the world’s worst regimes.
Selected statements from this week’s UN Human Rights Council session
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Positives: USA, Czech, other democracies call for independent investigation of Oswaldo Paya’s death
USA: “We recommend to Cuba to eliminate or cease enforcing laws impeding freedom of expression and allow for an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Oswaldo Paya and Harold Cepero.” Slovenia: “We remain concerned that freedoms of expression, assembly and association in Cuba continue to be severely restricted and we recommend to Cuba to … release all political prisoners.” |
Nicaragua:“We are witness to Cuba’s commitment to human rights despite the unjust and cruel blockade.”
Pakistan:“We appreciate the excellent progress made by Cuba in the field of human rights especially in health and education, irrespective of resource constraints due to unilateral sanctions.”
Russia: “Cuba has made considerable progress in human rights. These results are particularly impressive in the conditions of the unilateral sanctions against Cuba.”
Saudi Arabia: “We would like to note the efforts made to promote and protect human rights. We wish every success to Cuba.”
Sri Lanka: “Congratulations on impressive strides made in the field of human rights despite significant challenges.”
Palestine: “Wish to express our appreciation toCubafor its efforts in promoting and protecting human rights.”
Syria: “Wish to commend the important achievements Cuba has made in the field of human rights despite the illegal, unjust and inhuman sanctions imposed on it by the United States. We recommend to Cuba to promote efforts to ensure the highest standard in the administration of justice and to continue to promote and protect human rights and citizens’ safety and security.”
Bolivia: “Welcomes the fraternal delegation on Labor Day. Continue promoting and protecting human rights.”
China: “Chinasincerely congratulatesCubafor its progress in the human rights area. Welcomes achievements made in health, education, gender equality…Chinacalls on the relevant country to remove the economic, commercial and financial embargo which violates the human rights of the Cuban people.”
North Korea: “EncouragesCubato continue its positive efforts.”
Iran: “We praiseCubafor its commitment to human rights,” and note “its efforts in promoting and protecting human rights.”
Click here for today’s UN Watch report.
