Trending UN Watch tweets from October 2019 put a global spotlight on the election of new members to the UN Human Rights Council, Turkey’s invasion of Syria, Germany’s biased voting record against Israel in the UN General Assembly, and Pakistan’s threats against the family of rights activist Gulalai Ismail.
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Ahead of the UN Human Rights Council Elections
Venezuela dictator Nicolás Maduro destroyed his country, starved his people & crushed pro-democracy dissidents. So in 2 weeks the U.N. is electing him to its "Human Rights Council."
I urge all lawmakers & human rights activists who follow me: Speak out!https://t.co/k3vAewz6WI pic.twitter.com/Py6G8bX6CU
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) October 2, 2019
"The Human Rights Council is the United Nations’ greatest failure. Instead of protecting human rights, it has long protected the tyrants, dictators and strongmen who abuse them… If Venezuela is elected, the HRC will continue to make a mockery of human rights."
—Amb. @NikkiHaley https://t.co/gqnBEvfLds— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) October 14, 2019
No joke: the U.N. will tomorrow elect Mauritania — which has 500,000 slaves — to its highest human rights body.https://t.co/VwgXBYpIcz
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) October 16, 2019
Reaction to the UN Human Rights Council Elections
BREAKING: Venezuela beats Costa Rica by 9 votes to win election to UN Human Rights Council.
Here are the % of votes received by top abusers just elected:
🇻🇪 Venezuela: 54%
🇲🇷 Mauritania: 89%
🇱🇾 Libya: 87%
🇸🇩 Sudan: 91%— UN Watch (@UNWatch) October 17, 2019
SHAME: Venezuela dictator Nicolás Maduro destroyed his country, starved his people & crushed dissidents. So the U.N. just now elected him to its "Human Rights Council."
Also elected:
🇲🇷 Mauritania, which has 500,000 slaves – won 89% of votes
🇱🇾 Libya – 87%
🇸🇩 Sudan – 91% pic.twitter.com/0MQO1v1gGe— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) October 17, 2019
Make no mistake: Electing the Venezuelan regime of Nicolás Maduro to a human rights council is like making a pyromaniac into the town fire chief.
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) October 17, 2019
I am pleased to announce the launch of the Global Campaign to Expel Maduro from the UNHRC.
We did the same after Qaddafi won a seat in 2010 by a large majority. People laughed at us. Then the madman went to war with EU states who suddenly embraced our campaign & expelled him. https://t.co/Me088Npck3
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) October 17, 2019
We have the honor to announce that Diego Arria, former President of the United Nations Security Council & former Ambassador of Venezuela to the U.N., is Chair of the new Global Campaign to Expel Maduro from the U.N. Human Rights Council.https://t.co/wainC4ISkQ @Diego_Arria
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) October 18, 2019
Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro devastated his country, starved his own people and crushed pro-democracy dissidents. Four million have fled. Electing his regime to the U.N. human rights council was obscene.
My op-ed in the New York Post:https://t.co/IWEWBLpc12 @nypost @NYPostOpinion
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) October 20, 2019
U.N. Human Rights Council members today include:
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
🇵🇰 Pakistan
🇸🇴 Somalia
🇳🇬 Nigeria
🇶🇦 Qatar
🇪🇬 Egypt
🇨🇺 Cuba
🇨🇳 ChinaJoining on January 1, 2020:
🇻🇪 Venezuela (Maduro regime)
🇲🇷 Mauritania
🇸🇩 Sudan
🇱🇾 LibyaI wish I were making this up. I'm not. This is real.
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) October 23, 2019
Neuer: "Today's election of Venezuela, Mauritania, Libya & Sudan to the UN's highest human rights body is absurd, immoral and offensive. Electing the regime of Nicolás Maduro to a human rights council is like making a pyromaniac into the town fire chief."https://t.co/AtNkRmv8JA
— UN Watch (@UNWatch) October 18, 2019
Turkey’s Invasion of Syria
Turkey's Erdogan regime invades Syria, bombs Kurdish towns, killing civilians, in violation of international law & Geneva Conventions. Humanitarian crisis looms.https://t.co/h0HJWPYPmd
In Geneva where I live, this is & will remain the reaction of the U.N. Human Rights Council: pic.twitter.com/whtW6ovlLC
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) October 9, 2019
Day 4 of Turkey's invasion of Syria:
60 injured
119 killed
100,000 forced to fleeU.N. Human Rights Council still silent:
0 resolutions
0 urgent sessions
0 commissions of inquiryWhy, @mbachelet? https://t.co/rF6ODFrQFP
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) October 12, 2019
Day 5 – Turkey's invasion of Syria:
• 232 killed
• 785 ISIS-linked foreigners escape
• 130,000 Kurdish civilians forced to fleeU.N. Human Rights Council still silent:
• 0 resolutions
• 0 urgent sessions
• 0 commissions of inquiryWhy, @mbachelet? https://t.co/rF6ODFrQFP
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) October 13, 2019
🇹🇷 War crimes: Turkish-backed militias filmed themselves executing restrained prisoners, while yelling 'God is great'.
🇺🇳 Reaction from U.N. Human Rights Council:
0 resolutions
0 urgent sessions
0 commissions of inquiryWhy, @mbachelet?https://t.co/g7qhnv6IX3
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) October 22, 2019
On Germany’s Disproportionate Condemnation of Israel at the UN General Assembly
Germany's voting record at the UNGA last year in country condemnations:
🇮🇷 Iran – 1
🇮🇱 Israel – 15
🇲🇲 Myanmar – 1
🇰🇵 North Korea – 1
🇷🇺 Russia – 1
🇸🇾 Syria – 1Germany introduced 0 condemnations of China, Cuba, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Venezuela, etc.
Why, @HeikoMaas?
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) October 9, 2019
On Pakistan’s Intimidation of Rights Activist Gulalai Ismail
Pakistani security forces harass and intimidate the parents of human rights activist @Gulalai_Ismail.
Why is Pakistan a member of the UN Human Rights Council? https://t.co/FHCpu1gfic
— UN Watch (@UNWatch) October 20, 2019
