Countries told audacious lies to boost their PR

Cuba: “We continue to work for the promotion and protection of human rights in our nation”
Cuba: “In Cuba, freedom of association and thought and speech are guaranteed in the constitution. They are reflected in policy which fosters the broadest political and public debate, exchange of opinion and consensus building.”
China: “Our people enjoy more extensive democratic rights and social equity, and justice is stronger than ever before”
Sudan told the Council that they are “promoting a policy of zero tolerance to violence against women and have been since 2007.”
Myanmar insisted that “women and girls enjoy human rights fully. There is no glass ceiling for women in Myanmar either in the workplace or in politics.”
Venezuela: “Venezuela is absolutely free.”
Saudi Arabia: “The freedom of worship for non-Muslims in the Kingdom is guaranteed in practice. Freedom of expression is guaranteed in the Kingdom for all people, unless it infringes on national values.”
Mauritania affirmed its “commitment to continuing on the path of protecting human rights.”
Eritrea: “The country has invested its resources in order to ensure that all citizens are enjoying their natural human rights.”
Kuwait declared itself “a leader of humanitarian justice.”
 

Dictatorships took aim at Western democracies in a bid to deflect from their own abuses

Cuba: “Have any countries criticized or said a word against the warmongering of the North around the world? No. Why aren’t we hearing about the xenophobia or glorification of fascism in the North?”
Egypt deplored the “daily reality” of “xenophobia, racism, hatred and extrajudicial executions in the US, UK, France, Netherlands and Belgium.”
North Korea warned of “racism, discrimination, xenophobia, the refugee crisis” and other evils “prevalent and deeply-rooted in the US and Western countries.”
Venezuela took the floor to “warn about the dangers of foreign powers’ continuous warmongering,”
 

Human rights abusers used “sovereignty” and “non-politicization” as a shield for their crimes and those of their allies

North Korea: “The DPRK will continue to reject any politicization of human rights and promote sincere and constructive dialogue in the field of human rights.”
Belarus: “The Council supports selective, politicized country mandates because their functions are limited by non-objective monitoring from outside.”
North Korea: “All issues related to Syria should be resolved by the Syrian government and the people themselves.”
Venezuela expressed “support for the Syrian government of Bashar Al-Assad.”
Cuba expressed support for Assad’s “legitimate government,” saying “the Syrian people is capable of resolving its differences itself and we would ask that foreign efforts come to an end. We object to any attempts to encroach on territorial integrity and sovereignty.”
Syria argued that Belarus had showed “a real desire to discharge its international obligations,” and denounced a UN expert’s critical report on Belarus as “an instrument of interference in another country’s affairs.”
Venezuela criticized “the biased report” on Belarus, which “ignores the leaps forward that Belarus has taken in human rights.”
Saudi Arabia protested “tools to interfere with our internal affairs, under the pretense of protecting human rights.”
 

The same human rights abusers abandoned all notions of non-politicization on Israel hate day

Saudi Arabia lambasted Israel for subjecting Palestinians to “the worst forms of terrorism, oppression and intimidation.”
Algeria said that while “we are unable to enumerate Israel’s violations because of the number, we must at least mention some of them.”
Venezuela reproached Israel for its “colonialist policy as well as harassment and discrimination against people living in the Occupied Territories.”
Egypt denounced Israel’s “shameful” refusal to participate in the discussion.
Kuwait “categorically” condemned the “heinous crimes of Israel.”
Iraq decried Israel’s “policy of discrimination, collective punishment and killing”
Bahrain: “Israel continues to kill Palestinians in an arbitrary manner, confiscating lands and destroying homes.”
Iran inveighed against Israel’s “indiscriminate use of force by Israeli forces against Palestinians and destruction of vital Palestinian infrastructure” as well as the “killing and extrajudicial killing of Palestinian civilians including children.”
Libya criticized Israel for “wanton murder” and the “Judaization of Jerusalem.”
Lebanon censured Israel for continuing “to flout all humanitarian values and international instruments,” casting it as “a real enemy to peace and security”

 

Abusive regimes lashed out when criticized

Countries reacted angrily to frank criticism in a UN expert’s report on Freedom of Peaceful Assembly.
Cuba characterized the report as “distorted, manipulative, politicized and bereft of any objectivity on my country.” The delegate accused the UN expert of “groundless accusations concerning the working of political systems which, just because they don’t tally with his political point of view, have been tarred as undemocratic.”
Indonesia accused the expert of not having “enough knowledge or understanding of the country on which he reports.”
Venezuela “deplored” the content of the report and excoriated its author as “ignorant and not at all objective.”
 
 
 
 

The post UN Watch blog highlights: UN Human Rights Council 32nd session appeared first on UN Watch.

UNHRC Holds Hate Israel Day; Iran, Syria, Libya (Al Capone & Jack the Ripper were off today) lecture on human rights https://t.co/xhwDFW4ARC

— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) June 27, 2016

Qatar lamented Israel’s “apartheid wall, racist policies and continued attempt to spread terrorism.”

Ecuador thanked Palestine for sending doctors following the recent earthquake in the country, scrupulously avoiding any mention of the Israeli health team sent at the same time.

Saudi Arabia lambasted Israel for subjecting Palestinians to “the worst forms of terrorism, oppression and intimidation.”

Algeria said that while “we are unable to enumerate Israel’s violations because of the number, we must at least mention some of them.”
Venezuela reproached Israel for its “colonialist policy as well as harassment and discrimination against people living in the Occupied Territories.”
Egypt denounced Israel’s “shameful” refusal to participate in the discussion.
Kuwait “categorically” condemned the “heinous crimes of Israel.”

Iraq decried Israel’s “policy of discrimination, collective punishment and killing”

Bahrain said that “Israel continues to kill Palestinians in an arbitrary manner, confiscating lands and destroying homes.”
Iran inveighed against Israel’s “indiscriminate use of force by Israeli forces against Palestinians and destruction of vital Palestinian infrastructure” as well as the “killing and extrajudicial killing of Palestinian civilians including children.”
Libya criticized Israel for “wanton murder” and the “Judaisation of Jerusalem.”
Lebanon censured Israel for continuing “to flout all humanitarian values and international instruments,” casting it as “a real enemy to peace and security”
Oman blamed Israel for all the Middle East’s woes, suggesting that “peace and war in the region has the Palestinian problem at its core.” With no hint of irony, Oman condemned the EU’s absence as evidence of “a politicized alliance in support of one party.”

Additional resources:
Hillel Neuer testifies at United States Congress
Previous blog posts from the Human Rights Council

The post UNHRC Holds Hate Israel Day appeared first on UN Watch.

Lies, Damned Lies and Statements at the UNHRC

Cuba criticized the policy of singling out countries for censure, protesting against the “endless allegations against the South by the industrial North.” The delegate asked the Council, “have any countries criticized or said a word against the warmongering of the North around the world?” before providing his own answer: “No.” He continued, asking “why aren’t we hearing about the xenophobia or glorification of fascism in the North?” Contrasting Cuba’s human rights record with that of the developed world, he told delegations that “we continue to work for the promotion and protection of human rights in our nation”
Venezuela joined the attack on the alleged sanctimony of the West, bemoaning the fact that “some countries will try to share lessons about human rights while they are violating human rights.” Advocating an abstracted and non-specific discourse, the delegate suggested that “this council loses credibility when principals pillars are jeopardized by naming and shaming.”
Not to be left out, Egypt lamented the “daily reality” of “xenophobia, racism, hatred and extrajudicial executions in the US, UK, France, Netherlands and Belgium.” These countries, according to the Egyptian delegate, were also guilty of “naming and shaming based on a lack of assessment and knowledge,” and of attempting to “impose their values on others.”
North Korea, officially known as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), joined the chorus of nations pillorying the developed world. The Hermit Kingdom “has repeatedly cautioned” about the dangers of “racism, discrimination, xenophobia, the refugee crisis” and other evils “prevalent and deeply-rooted in the US and Western countries.” North Korea’s delegate reassured the Council that “the DPRK will continue to reject any politicization of human rights and promote sincere and constructive dialogue in the field of human rights.”
Iran, meanwhile, denounced the “escalation of racism, xenophobia and Islamophobia in European countries.
China was scathing of the criticism it received from various states who, “in total disregard of the achievements of China in the human rights field, made groundless and uncalled-for accusations against China.” In truth, insisted the delegate, “our people enjoy more extensive democratic rights and social equity, and justice is stronger than ever before”
Belarus, whose human rights situation received extensive scrutiny yesterday, said that “the politicized mandate of the special rapporteur on Belarus is not actually very helpful.” It would be better to abolish the expert charged with monitoring the country — “the resources freed by this could be spent on a more specific activity with more tangible results.” Casting doubt over the independence of UN experts, the delegate from Belarus said that “the Council supports selective, politicized country mandates because their functions are limited by non-objective monitoring from outside.”

Country Propaganda

Eritrea was last week accused of crimes against humanity by the UN commission tasked with investigating allegations against the government of that country. Today, Eritrea held two meetings on a resolution that it is submitting designed to undercut the much stronger, condemnatory resolution also being submitted at the session.

Additional resources:
Hillel Neuer testifies at United States Congress
Previous blog posts from the Human Rights Council

The post June 22: Today at the UN Human Rights Council appeared first on UN Watch.

Human Rights as a Political Tool

As the UNHRC heard damning reports from its experts on human rights abuses in Syria, Belarus and Eritrea, dictators cried foul and defended their partners in crime.
While Assad bombs helpless civilians in his own cities, North Korea said “all issues related to Syria should be resolved by the Syrian government and the people themselves.”
Likewise, Cuba said “the Syrian people is capable of resolving its differences itself and we would ask that foreign efforts come to an end. We object to any attempts to encroach on territorial integrity and sovereignty.” The problem is not with “the legitimate government” but rather with “foreign forces which, in one way or another, have helped train armed groups.”
Venezuela took the floor to “warn about the dangers of foreign powers’ continuous warmongering,” reiterating their “support for the Syrian government of Bashar Al-Assad.”
Belarus, the last dictatorship in Europe, and due to face scrutiny later in the day, said “the Human Rights Council must renounce politicized accusations against the government of the country.”

When Belarus was addressed, Syria reciprocated, saying Minsk showed “a real desire to discharge its international obligations,” and denounced a UN expert’s critical report on Belarus as “an instrument of interference in another country’s affairs.”
Venezuela slammed “the biased report” on Belarus, which “ignores the leaps forward that Belarus has taken in human rights.” Echoing their earlier defense of Syria, the Maduro regime said foreign meddling was liable to “force a change of political system which has been democratically chosen by its people.”

Propaganda at the UN

A Sudanese Government-sponsored NGO, the Eastern Sudan Women Development Organization and Society Studies Center, hosted a side event, “honored by Mr. Idris Jazairy,” the UN expert on sanctions and apologist for Sudan’s genocidal regime. This is the second occasion on which Sudan has used the UN for propaganda purposes at this session, after organizing a discussion on the empowerment of Sudanese women last week.

Additional resources:
Hillel Neuer testifies at United States Congress
Previous blog posts from the Human Rights Council

The post June 21: Politics Trumps Human Rights at UN Human Rights Council appeared first on UN Watch.

Additional resources:
Hillel Neuer testifies at United States Congress
Previous blog posts from the Human Rights Council
 
 

The post June 20: Today at the Human Rights Council appeared first on UN Watch.

Unwelcome Criticism

At today’s discussion on the UN expert’s report on Freedom of Peaceful Assembly, a range of countries reacted angrily to the report’s frank criticism of their approach to free speech and public protest.
Cuba characterized the report as “distorted, manipulative, politicized and bereft of any objectivity on my country.” The delegate accused the UN expert of “groundless accusations concerning the working of political systems which, just because they don’t tally with his political point of view, have been tarred as undemocratic.”
Indonesia accused the expert of not having “enough knowledge or understanding of the country on which he reports.”
Egypt gave the Special Rapporteur a more sober telling off, saying “we believe that the focus of the Special Rapporteur should always be on his mandate, including in ensuring non-politicization, non-selectivity, impartiality, respect for cultural and religious diversity and particularities.”
Venezuela, meanwhile, “deplored” the content of the report and excoriated its author as “ignorant and not at all objective.”

Lies & Deceit

Cuba, where dissenters are jailed and dissidents ruthlessly silenced, insisted that “in Cuba, freedom of association and thought and speech are guaranteed in the constitution.” More than that, “they are reflected in policy which fosters the broadest political and public debate, exchange of opinion and consensus building.”
The delegate of Pakistan, meanwhile, assured the Council that “In Pakistan, peaceful assembly has been an integral part of our efforts to consolidate democracy.” She insisted that Pakistan fosters “the expression of all views, not only inside the parliament but outside it also.”
Freedom house ranks Pakistan as ‘not free’ with respect to media and internet usage.

Venezuela took the floor to proclaim that “Venezuela is absolutely free.”
Saudi Arabia told the Council that “the freedom of worship for non-Muslims in the Kingdom is guaranteed in practice. Freedom of expression is guaranteed in the Kingdom for all people, unless it infringes on national values.” That is, unless you insult Islam or call for free debate about Saudi Arabia’s political system.

Additional resources:
Hillel Neuer testifies at United States Congress
Previous blog posts from the Human Rights Council

The post June 17: Lies and Obstruction at the UN Human Rights Council appeared first on UN Watch.

Additional resources:
Hillel Neuer testifies at United States Congress
Previous blog posts from the Human Rights Council
 

The post June 16: Theater of the Absurd at UN Human Rights Council appeared first on UN Watch.

Saudi Arabia protested “tools to interfere with our internal affairs, under the pretense of protecting human rights.” Responding to a proposal to decriminalize certain drugs, the Saudi delegate objected to “anything that comes in contradiction with Islam.”
Sudan organized a side event on “Women’s empowerment in the Sudan,” yet the subject was quickly diverted to attacks on the West for having the audacity to sanction the genocidal regime.
Sudan’s delegate said “unilateral sanctions by the U.S. affect directly the rights of women in development and education.”
He then referred to the visit to Sudan by former Algerian ambassador Idriss Jazairy, the council’s “Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures,” an anti-Western mandate by which the council seeks to cast all sanctions on oppressive regimes as human rights violations in themselves. UN Watch exposed the absurdity of this sham UN visit here.
“The special rapporteur visited Sudan and saw all these sectors which were affected,” said the Sudanese delegate. “We call on the international community to lift these sanctions, because they affect human rights and especially the rights of women.”
Eritrea took the floor to back Khartoum, saying, “we know what sanctions mean, we say in the Sustainable Development Goals that no one should be left behind, so we need to make sure that certain countries would not be burdened by these measures.”
Qatar likewise expressed its “support to the Sudanese Government for protecting human rights.”

Additional resources:
Hillel Neuer testifies at United States Congress
Previous blog posts from the Human Rights Council

The post June 15: Hypocrisy at the UN Human Rights Council appeared first on UN Watch.

Anti-Western Rhetoric: North Korea Blasts U.S. & Japan for “Gross Human Rights Abuses” 

North Korea, known at the UN as the ‘Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’ (DPRK), said “the Council must address gross human rights abuses such as the U.S. invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan, Japan’s crimes against humanity—including sexual slavery and political violations committed under the national laws of South Korea—and coercive abduction of DPRK citizens into South Korea.”
The North Korean delegate added that his country “strongly opposes politicization, selectivity and double standards in field of human rights,” and “will continue promotion of dialogue in human rights while opposing and rejecting overtly political allegations from those countries such as US, Japan and South Korea under the pretense of human rights.”

Lies & Hypocrisy

Democratic Republic of Congo, which Freedom House ranks as ‘not free’, boasted of its “67 TV channels, 100 written media and 26,000 NGOs, which exercise their rights in all freedom.” Responding to criticism of its shrinking democratic space, DRC said “We must avoid far-fetched claims which are hollow and devoid of all meaningful content.”
Mauritania, a slave-holding country, affirmed its “commitment to continuing on the path of protecting human rights.”
Eritrea, found last week to have committed crimes against humanity, said that “the country has invested its resources in order to ensure that all citizens are enjoying their natural human rights.”
Kuwait, which has contributed warplanes to the Saudi-led coalition that has killed more than 1,100 children in Yemen, and which joined the Saudis in blackmailing the UN into deleting the coalition from its child-killer list, said it was “a leader of humanitarian justice.”

Additional resources:
Hillel Neuer testifies at United States Congress
Previous blog posts from the Human Rights Council
 

The post June 14: Outrages at the UN Human Rights Council appeared first on UN Watch.