HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL TO HOLD SPECIAL SESSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN THE EAST OF THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

The Human Rights Council will hold a Special Session on the situation of human rights in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo on Friday, 28 November, in room XVII of the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

The Special Session was called by France on behalf of Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Chile, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, the Republic of Korea, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Ukraine and the United Kingdom. A number of non-members of the Council also joined the request. So far, 16 Council members and 23 non-members have signed the request of the Special Session.

General Assembly Resolution 60/251 which created the Human Rights Council states in its operative paragraph 10 that the Council “shall be able to hold Special Sessions when needed at the request of a member of the Council with the support of one-third of the membership of the Council”.

This will be the eighth Special Session which the Human Rights Council convenes. The Council has held Special Sessions relating to Israel; Darfur, Sudan; Myanmar and the global food crisis.


For use of the information media; not an official record

HRC08107E