In the written submissions below, published by the United Nations as official documents of the 45th session of the Human Rights Council, UN Watch exposed the false UNHRC campaign pledges made by candidates China, Russia, Cuba, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. For more on the elections see our detailed Joint NGO Report and dissidents’ press conference.
A/HRC/45/NGO/119: Candidacy of the Russian Federation for election to the United Nations Human Rights Council for 2021-2023
Excerpt:
The Russian Federation (“Russia”) is running for election to the UN Human Rights Council for the 2021-2023 term. Its candidacy should be rejected because Russia does not meet the membership criteria set out in UNGA Resolution 60/251…
As detailed below, Russia is not qualified for membership in the Human Rights Council according to the above criteria…Russia commits aggression and human rights violations throughout the world, including in Syria—where it is accused of war crimes, Crimea which it has illegally annexed and Georgia—where it committed ethnic cleansing in 2008 and illegally occupies Abkhazia and South Ossetia…
A/HRC/45/NGO/121: Candidature of Saudi Arabia for UN Human Rights Council Membership for 2021-2023
Excerpt:
Saudi Arabia is running for election to the UN Human Rights Council for the 2021-2023 term. Its candidacy should be rejected because Saudi Arabia does not meet the membership criteria set out in UNGA Resolution 60/251…
As detailed below, Saudi Arabia is not qualified for membership in the Human Rights Council according to the above criteria…Saudi Arabia is governed by an absolute monarchy and theocracy. Citizens have no ability to influence government through democratic practices. The judiciary is highly influenced by the government and is dictated by Sharia law.
The government and courts systematically deny freedoms of expression and the media, prosecuting and imprisoning dissenters and peaceful critics of government policies or the Islamic religion…
A/HRC/45/NGO/123: Candidacy of China for UN Human Rights Council for 2021-2023
Excerpt:
China is running for election to the UN Human Rights Council for the 2021-2023 term. Its candidacy should be rejected because China does not meet the membership criteria set out in UNGA Resolution 60/251…
As detailed below, China is not qualified for membership in the Human Rights Council according to the above criteria…China is an authoritarian one-party political system led by President Xi Jinping who is also the Secretary General of the Chinese Communist Party. No Chinese national leader is freely elected. In March 2018, President Xi amended the constitution to eliminate presidential term limits, enabling him to rule the country indefinitely.
Under President Xi, China brutally silences criticism and dissent through a variety of tactics, including torture, enforced disappearances and arbitrary detention…
A/HRC/45/NGO/124: Candidacy of Cuba for UN Human Rights Council membership for 2021-2023
Excerpt:
Cuba is running for election to the UN Human Rights Council for the 2021-2023 term. Its candidacy should be rejected because Cuba does not meet the membership criteria set out in UNGA Resolution 60/251…
As detailed below, Cuba is not qualified for membership in the Human Rights Council according to the above criteria…Cuba is an authoritarian state, which until recently was led by Raúl Castro (Raúl), who held the three most powerful governmental positions: president of the Council of State and Council of Ministers, Communist Party first secretary, and commander in chief of the security forces…
Today, under President Miguel Diaz-Canal, Cuba continues to be a one-party communist state with the Communist Party being the only legal party recognized by the constitution. The Communist Party controls all government offices and most civil institutions. Thus, there is no independent judiciary. According to Freedom House, “the overlap between state and party is almost total.”
A/HRC/45/NGO/125: Candidacy of Pakistan for UN Human Rights Council membership for 2021-2023
Excerpt:
Pakistan is running for election to the UN Human Rights Council for the 2021-2023 term. Its candidacy should be rejected because Pakistan does not meet the membership criteria set out in UNGA Resolution 60/251…
As detailed below, Pakistan is not qualified for membership in the Human Rights Council according to the above criteria…
Large areas of Pakistan continue to suffer from terrorist violence targeting civilians and the military, mostly perpetrated by the Tehrik-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Pakistani military and security forces are accused of heavy-handed tactics in responding to the militants, including extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detentions and forced disappearances.
In addition, torture by police and security forces is common. In its 2017 concluding observations for Pakistan, the Committee Against Torture expressed concern about widespread police torture to obtain confessions, as well as torture in counterterrorism efforts…
