COUNCIL HOLDS GENERAL DEBATES ON ANNUAL REPORTS OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER AND ON TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND CAPACITY BUILDING

The Human Rights Council today heard the presentation of country reports on Guatemala, Honduras, Colombia, Cyprus and Iran under the agenda item on reports by the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Secretary-General, followed by a general debate. It then heard the presentation of reports on Afghanistan, Libya, Guinea and an oral update on Yemen under the agenda item on technical assistance and capacity building, followed by a general debate.

Introducing the reports on Guatemala, Honduras, Colombia, Cyprus and Iran, Kate Gilmore, United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, said the Office of the High Commissioner remained concerned about persisting attacks against journalists and human rights defenders in Guatemala, but underlined that progress was possible. Colombia was on the brink of extraordinary change. Applauding the efforts in finding a political solution to the armed conflict, Ms. Gilmore said that the report focused on the potential that peace offered for addressing both conflict-related and structural human rights challenges. Turning to Honduras, she described the process of the establishment of a country office there. The report on Cyprus described some positive developments, with cooperation among religious leaders leading to consistent progress in the realization of freedom of religion or belief. Yet, the division of the island continued to hinder the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms. The final report Ms. Gilmore presented, on Iran, described trends in the human rights situation in the country, with particular attention to the death penalty.

Colombia, Cyprus, Guatemala and Iran spoke as concerned countries.

Colombia reaffirmed the advances in the talks to end the conflict, which were taking place in Havana and which had had a concrete impact on the ground. Under no circumstance would there be an amnesty for grave crimes

Cyprus stated that it had remained divided for decades, as a part of the island was occupied by Turkish military. As long as the occupiers remained, they would continue to violate the human rights of all Cypriots.

Guatemala said that the report of the High Commissioner contained appropriate recommendations, but also some questionable information that went beyond the mandate. Concern was expressed regarding the acceptance of information without taking into account clarifications from the Government.

Iran expressed regret that insufficient attention had been paid to the information it had provided. Iran had taken genuine measures to safeguard the human rights of all its people, and it was expected that the Secretary-General would refrain from using unclear allegations.

In the general debate on the annual report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and reports of the Office of the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General, speakers commended the efforts of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to promote human rights and congratulated the steps taken by the concerned countries in the promotion and protection of human rights. Challenges still remained however. In Columbia, it was essential that persons working on the land restitution process were provided protection, and that the rule of law was reinforced. In Guatemala, the insecure environment for journalists and human rights defenders, as well as the protection of women and indigenous peoples’ rights continued to be a challenge. In Cyprus, while some speakers highlighted the lack of Turkish schools and limitations on freedom of movement and religion, others stated that the problem was the occupation by the Turkish military. Some speakers warned of widespread and human rights violations in Iran, including the imprisonment of teachers and workers.

Speaking were European Union, Switzerland, Germany, United States, Norway, Greece, Honduras, Turkey, Spain, Canada, and Ireland.

The following non-governmental organizations also took the floor: Defensoría del Pueblo de Colombia, Verein Sudwind Etnwicklungspolitik, United Nations Watch, Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain, Iraqi Development Organization, Peace Brigades International Switzerland, International Fellowship of Reconciliation, Alsalam Foundation, Colombian Commission of Jurists, Centre Europe – Tiers Monde, International Service for Human Rights, Association for the Prevention of Torture, World Organization Against Torture, Human Rights Watch , Amnesty International, Arab Commission for Human Rights, Indian Council of South America, International Catholic Child Bureau, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, Corporación para la Defensa y Promoción de los Derechos Humanos, Humanist Institute for Cooperation with Developing Countries, International Commission of Jurists referred to Colombia, Centre for Human Rights and Peace Advocacy, and Comité Permanente por la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos.

Speaking in right of reply were Cyprus, Greece, Turkey and South Sudan.

Ms. Gilmore then introduced the reports on Afghanistan, Libya and Guinea under the agenda item on technical assistance and capacity building, and presented an oral update on Yemen. Starting with Yemen, she said that since the escalation of the conflict, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights had recorded a total of 3,221 people killed by all the parties, 55 per cent of which was caused by Coalition airstrikes. The conflict was aggravating the tragic humanitarian situation in Yemen, and continued to affect children disproportionately. In Afghanistan, between 1 January and 30 November 2015, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights had recorded the highest number of civilian casualties since 2009: 3,234 civilians killed and 6,935 injured. Children continued to suffer the direct and indirect consequences of conflict-related violence. In Libya, throughout 2014 and 2015, widespread violations of international human rights and humanitarian law and abuses of human rights had been committed by all parties to the ongoing conflict, many of which may amount to war crimes and other crimes under international law. Impunity prevailed, as none of the parties to the conflict appeared to have been exercising their responsibilities to address violations or abuses. In Guinea, the report focused on the episodes of violence during the pre-electoral period. Sexual violence, early marriage, domestic violence and female genital mutilation remained prevalent throughout the country, and conditions of detention, notably cases of torture and prolonged pre-trial detention, were also of concern.

Afghanistan and Guinea spoke as concerned countries.

Afghanistan said it was committed to its goals of democracy, strengthening democratic institutions and promoting and protecting human rights. The core challenges were the insecurity and insurgency, with anti-governmental groups causing the deterioration of human rights, and creating an environment of fear and unsafety.

Guinea reaffirmed its commitment to cooperating with all human rights mechanisms, which were helping strengthen the democratic process in Guinea. Judges were continuously trained, while efforts were underway to decrease the prison population.

Speaking in the general debate on technical assistance and capacity building, Libya explained that the Government did not control the whole territory and therefore could not be held accountable for violations by militias, notably in the western territories.

Also in the general debate, Yemen said that additional information concerning violations of human rights by the militias was missing in the report.

In the general debate on technical assistance and capacity building, speakers reiterated their strong support for the High Commissioner and his Office, and paid tribute to their valuable work in the areas of technical assistance and capacity building. Speakers urged the Government of Libya to implement the recommendations in the report of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. They stated that improvement to the deeply concerning humanitarian and human rights situation in Yemen could only be achieved by a sustainable peaceful solution to the conflict. They agreed that challenges faced by a number of countries at the technical level required the international community to provide them with technical assistance and capacity building. Others underscored that technical assistance and capacity building measures should not be seen as a prescribed course of action for selected countries.

Libya, Yemen, the Netherlands on behalf of the European Union, South Africa on behalf of the African Group, India on behalf of the Like-Minded Group, the Netherlands, Algeria, Morocco, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Maldives, China, Qatar, United States, Egypt, Senegal, Canada, Gulf Cooperation Council, Bahrain, Ireland, Djibouti, Australia, Belarus, Iran, and Thailand took the floor.

The following national human rights organizations and non-governmental organizations also took the floor: National Human Rights Commission of Afghanistan, American Association of Jurists, Federación de Asociaciones de Defensa y Promoción de los Derechos Humanos, Asian Legal Resource Centre, Maarij Foundation for Peace and Development, Ecumenical Alliance for Human Rights and Development, International Lesbian and Gay Association, Liberation, Human Rights Watch, International Fellowship of Reconciliation, France Libertes, Amnesty International, United Nations Watch, Arab Commission for Human, Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain, Alsalam Foundation, Iraqi Development Organization, Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, Rencontre Africaine pour la Defense des Droits de l’Homme, Liberal International, Cameroon Youths and Students Forum for Peace, and Touro Law Centre, the Institute on Human Rights and the Holocaust.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo spoke in the right of reply.

At 7 p.m., the Council will start to take action on draft resolutions and decisions.

Documentation

The Council has before it an addendum – report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on his office in Guatemala (A/HRC/31/3/Add.1).

The Council has before it an addendum – report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the situation of human rights in Colombia (A/HRC/31/3/Add.2).

The Council has before it the report of the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on the question of human rights in Cyprus (A/HRC/31/21).

The Council has before it the report of the Secretary-General on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran (A/HRC/31/26).

Presentation of Reports

KATE GILMORE, United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, presented reports of the Secretary-General and of the High Commissioner concerning Guatemala, Honduras, Colombia, Cyprus, and Iran. On Guatemala, she said that the report highlighted outstanding issues, and that the Office of the High Commissioner remained concerned about persisting attacks against journalists and human rights defenders, but underlined that the report showed that progress was possible. The report on Colombia noted that the country was on the brink of extraordinary change. Applauding the efforts on finding a political solution to the armed conflict, Ms. Gilmore said that the report focused on the potential that peace offered for addressing both conflict-related and structural human rights challenges. Turning to Honduras, she described the process of the establishment of a country office there. The report on Cyprus described some positive developments, with cooperation among religious leaders leading to consistent progress in the realization of freedom of religion or belief. Yet, the division of the island continued to hinder the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms. The final report Ms. Gilmore presented, on Iran, described trends in the human rights situation in the country, with particular attention to the death penalty. Limitations on freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly also remained of major concern.

Statements by the Concerned Countries

Colombia, speaking as a concerned country, reaffirmed the advances in the talks to end the conflict, which were taking place in Havana and which had had a concrete impact on the ground. Under no circumstance would there be an amnesty for grave crimes and Colombia was clear that there would be no peace with impunity. The restitution of land had been implemented. In the area of economic, social and cultural rights, a certain number of initiatives had been undertaken, which had lifted 4.5 million Colombians out of poverty and provided them with free housing and access to water. One of the main challenges was the consolidation of peace in the post-conflict situation, as well as fighting organized crime, corruption, aggression against human rights defenders, and sexual violence.

Cyprus, speaking as a concerned country, expressed appreciation for the continued interest of the High Commissioner and his Office in the situation in Cyprus, stressing the value of the report, whilst the continued presence of foreign military troops violated fundamental human right and freedoms. Concluding observations of the Human Rights Committee’s examination of Cyprus, on which the report drew extensively, were ill-advised and unfortunate, and the accuracy of the report could be improved. President Anastasiades was fully committed to working closely with the Turkish Cypriot leader in order to reach a settlement. The active contribution of Turkey, which maintained more than 40000 troops on the island, was necessary for a viable and lasting solution.

Guatemala, speaking as a concerned country, said that the report of the High Commissioner contained appropriate recommendations, but also some questionable information that went beyond the mandate. Concern was expressed regarding the acceptance of information without taking into account clarifications from the Government. Concern was also expressed at value judgments, as all international role players should be independent and objective. In no case had the Government done anything to criminalise human rights defenders, as was suggested in the report. Instead, the Government would continue to develop measures so that human rights defenders could carry out their work.

Iran, speaking as a concerned country, expressed regret that insufficient attention had been paid to the information Iran had provided. Iran had taken genuine measures to safeguard the human rights of all its people, and it was expected that the Secretary-General would refrain from using unclear allegations. Claims of increasing numbers of executions of drug offenders showed a lack of attention to earlier communications. Iran noted that the death penalty was not internationally forbidden, and, in Iran, it was reserved for very serious crimes, including drug trafficking. Freedom of belief and expression had always been respected in Iran. Hope was expressed that, in the promotion and protection of human rights, selectivity would be replaced with objectivity.

General Debate on the Annual Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and Reports of the Office of the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General

European Union was deeply concerned about the excessive use of force in the West Bank. Allegations of violations by all sides had to be investigated. The European Union called on Israel to hold accountable all perpetrators of human rights violations and to fully cooperate with the Human Rights Council. It reiterated its strong opposition to the Israeli settlement policy and emphasized its concern about detainees.

Switzerland said that it was essential that victims were placed at the centre of the process in Colombia. The process had to be improved in order to ensure that real changes were brought to conflict areas. The protection of persons working on the land restitution process was essential. The International Commission against Impunity had made important contributions in reinforcing the rule of law in Guatemala.

Germany stated that in 2015, Guatemala had achieved significant results in the fight against impunity. Nevertheless, challenges remained on a wide range of human rights issues, such as the insecure environment for journalists and human rights defenders, as well as the protection of women and indigenous peoples’ rights. Germany welcomed the work of the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala.

United States commended the people of Sri Lanka for restoring democratic institutions and urged the Government to continue to pursue its reform agenda. It welcomed the commitment of the Haitian Provisional President to complete the final round of the electoral process, and called upon Cambodia to promote an open, free society. Concern was expressed that Russia might decide to close the Human Rights Office in Moscow.

Norway welcomed the important work carried out by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Colombia, and strongly encouraged Colombia to improve the protection of human rights defenders at risk, and in particular to prioritize the investigation of cases of threats and attacks against them.

Greece regretted that the report of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on the question of human rights in Cyprus had failed to address the roots of the problem that had led to the adoption of the mandate, and to highlight the responsibility of the occupying power for respecting human rights in the occupied part of Cyprus.

Honduras welcomed the opening of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in the country, adding that the Office would strengthen its national human rights system. The opening of the Office had been requested by the President to support the investigation of the murder of civil society activist Berta Cáceres.

Turkey spoke about the report on Cyprus and said that, while everyone supported ideas, there were no Turkish schools. The community was denied access to mosques, as well as the freedom of movement and religion, which were are all noted in the report. Turkish Cypriots could not participate in sports at a high level.

Spain stated that the presence of the Office of the High Commissioner on the ground made possible closer cooperation with States. The report on the office in Colombia showed the important progress of that country in key areas. Colombian authorities deserved the praise of the international society.

Canada said that the reports highlighted areas of progress and concern and, in doing so, provided an independent record which could facilitate dialogue and yield tangible results. Canada was concerned about the limits on civil society space and attempts to silence dissent by some Governments by enacting restrictive legislation.

Ireland noted the importance of the peace process to the achievement of human rights objectives in Colombia, and applauded progress towards a historic peace agreement between the Government and the FARC-EP. It urged the Government to engage in a participative process with civil society to jointly find solutions to the challenges.

Defensoría del Pueblo de Colombia appealed for a stop of any form of violence against boys, girls and adolescents, adding that all those children who were in the areas controlled by FARC-EP should not be forgotten. The Government and all relevant actors should take measures to prevent the recruitment of children by armed groups.

Verein Sudwind Etnwicklungspolitik warned of the grave, widespread and systematic human rights violations in Iran. It was of great concern that many teachers and workers who had tried to exercise their right to peaceful association, to protest against poverty and to try to improve their working conditions had been imprisoned.

United Nations Watch said that in Iran, the number of annual executions might be as high as 1,000, adding that Iran executed more people per capita than any other country in the world. Women and children were subjected to discrimination and humiliating practices.

Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain expressed concern at the exploitation of migrant workers in certain Gulf countries, such as Qatar, which was a candidate country for hosting Olympic games in several years.

Iraqi Development Organization said that the alliance working under the aegis of Saudi Arabia had also attacked Yemenis, adding that civilians had died in Yemen and that questions could only be answered if there was a true inquiry commission established by the International Criminal Court.

Peace Brigades International Switzerland, in a joint statement with Oidhaco, Bureau International des Droits Humains - Action Colombie, referring to the situation in Colombia, said that there had been an increase in aggression and homicide rates. Many of the perpetrators enjoyed impunity. There needed to be a dismantling of paramilitary structures, while public support against the stigmatisation of the work of human defenders ought to be reinforced.

International Fellowship of Reconciliation welcomed the progress made in recent years by the courts in Colombia towards tackling various human rights abuses associated with military service. However, the report said nothing about the continued failure to bring in legislation on conscientious objection to military service.

Alsalam Foundation shared the assessment of the High Commissioner for Human Rights that arbitrary arrests, torture, and revocation of citizenship were issues of serious concern in Bahrain. Little had been done to end impunity for human rights violations in Bahrain.

Colombian Commission of Jurists welcomed the progress made in Colombia towards building peace and the cooperation of the justice component which would provide redress to victims. There should be a system in place to hold accountable both the members of the Government and those coming from FARC.

Centre Europe – Tiers Monde shared concern over the human rights violations of trade unions and over the activities of certain multinational corporations, such as Coca Cola and Nestlé, in Colombia. Those responsible for the committed crimes had not been held accountable.

International Service for Human Rights, in a joint statement with Colombian Commission of Jurists agreed that human rights were a cornerstone for a long-lasting peace in Colombia, adding that 729 human rights defenders had been killed in the previous 20 years. The contribution of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights would therefore be vital in addressing that situation.

Association for the Prevention of Torture referred to human rights violations in Guatemala and the prison crisis in Colombia. It urged the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to put pressure on those States to sign the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture.

World Organization against Torture, in a joint statement, expressed concern that the international framework to prevent torture did not apply to sexual violence against women or to harassment of human rights defenders. It was concerned that Colombia would fail to provide reparation to torture victims, or to improve the conditions in prisons.

Human Rights Watch said that the rights of Iranians, particularly freedoms of expression, association, assembly and religion remained dramatically curtained, and referred to the prominent opposition figures Mir-Hossein Mousavi, Zahra Rahnavard and Mehdi Karroubi, who remained under house arrest without charge or trial since 2011.

Amnesty International spoke about Colombia, noting that, for peace to be effective, victims’ right to truth, justice and reparation had to be respected, but doubts remained whether the peace agreement would indeed guarantee such rights.

Arab Commission for Human Rights expressed concern about the situation of women and minorities in Iran, saying that there was persistent discrimination against non-Shiite Muslims. The adverse effects of sand storms and other environmental degradation were also noted.

Indian Council of South America said that in outlying regions of Colombia, close to indigenous territories, often the only State presence was the armed forces, which needed to be monitored. The Colombian State was called on to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture.

International Catholic Child Bureau, in a joint statement, noted that despite Guatemala’s endeavours, juvenile detention centres had exceeded their capacity by 54.9 per cent, and children and adolescents in conflict with the law continued to experience violence and ill-treatment in detention.

Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom called the Council’s attention to the importance of the inclusion of women in the peace-building processes. Colombian women were not visible in the relevant peace-making discussions. The League recommended the creation of a high-level institution that would guarantee their participation.

Corporación para la Defensa y Promoción de los Derechos Humanos reminded that in 1984 members of the Patriotic Union Party in Colombia had been eliminated through the sponsorship of the Government of Colombia. There had been no justice for those victims, and no guarantee for non-repetition of the political genocide.

Humanist Institute for Cooperation with Developing Countries welcomed Guatemala’s Constitutional Court’s recent ruling in favour of the rights of indigenous peoples, but remained concerned about corruption and impunity in the country. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights should monitor the situation to ensure that the rights of human rights defenders were protected.

International Commission of Jurists referred to Colombia regretted the lack of efforts to ensure accountability and provide victims with remedy, justice and truth, as well as guarantees of non-repetition. The Government and the FARC should ensure that the rights of victims were taken into account in their final peace agreement.

Centre for Human Rights and Peace Advocacy said that displaced persons from Balochistan had been leading a miserable life, and suffered harsh weather conditions and lack of access to basic services. They had been repeatedly attacked by covert agents of Pakistani intelligence agencies through suicide blasts, car bombs and targeted killings.

Comité Permanente por la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos was concerned about the clampdown on civil society activists in Colombia. The selective killing of social leaders showed the determined intention to spread fear among civilians in order to dissuade them from claiming the protection of their rights.

Right of Reply

Cyprus, speaking in a right of reply in response to the statement made by Turkey, noted that more than 40 years after the military invasion, some 40,000 Turkish troops remained on the island, having a grave impact on the entire population and posing an obstacle to finding a long-lasting political solution.

Greece, speaking in a right of reply, reminded that the so-called Turkish Cypriot isolation was the product of the Turkish occupation of Cyprus. The so-called isolation problems could only be solved through mutually agreed solutions. Greece deplored the Turkish exploitation of Greek property and homes.

Turkey, speaking in a right of reply, underlined that the Cyprus question had been created and perpetrated by the Greek Cypriot side. The grave human rights violations and life loss suffered by Turkish Cypriots since 1973 had not been reflected in United Nations reports. Turkish forces were on the island in order to preserve peace and could not be referred to as “occupying forces.”

South Sudan, speaking in a right of reply, said that it appreciated all comments made by various countries, and supported that capacity building support would be provided to South Sudan. It would work together with the Human Rights Council on all its efforts in South Sudan.

Documentation

The Council has before it the report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan and on the achievements of technical assistance in the field of human rights in 2015 (A/HRC/31/46).

The Council has before it the investigation by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on Libya - report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (A/HRC/31/47).

The Council has before it the report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the situation of human rights and the work of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Guinea (A/HRC/31/48).

The Council has before it the investigation by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on Libya: detailed findings (A/HRC/31/CRP.3).

Presentation of Reports

KATE GILMORE, United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, presented three reports on Afghanistan, Libya and Guinea, as well as an oral update on Yemen. Starting with Yemen, she said that since the escalation of the conflict, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights had recorded a total of 3,221 people killed by all the parties, 55 per cent of which was caused by Coalition airstrikes. Information alleging the use of cluster bombs by Coalition Forces and the Hajjah Governorate, as well as the disturbing pattern of attacks against medical facilities, was particularly alarming. The conflict was aggravating the tragic humanitarian situation in Yemen, and continued to affect children disproportionately. All parties should fulfil their obligations under international law and immediately facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid. She commended the Yemeni National Commission to Investigate Alleged Violations of Human Rights for its cooperation with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and strongly urged it to speed up its investigations in order to ensure accountability. Finally, she expressed concerns about campaigns discrediting and undermining the safety of staff of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Yemen. She called on Member States to intensify diplomatic efforts to bring about a durable ceasefire.

Moving to the report on Afghanistan, Ms. Gilmore said that between 1 January and 30 November 2015, the Office of the High Commissioner had recorded the highest number of civilian casualties since 2009: 3,234 civilians killed and 6,935 injured. Children continued to suffer from the direct and indirect consequences of conflict-related violence, she said, noting that on average, more than 58 children had been killed and injured per week across the country in 2015. The enduring prevalence of violence against women also remained of utmost concern. The report welcomed the adoption of national plans of action in the areas of women’s rights, and peace and security, as well as the elaboration of a new anti-torture law.

Turning to the report on Libya, she said that throughout 2014 and 2015, widespread violations of international human rights and humanitarian law and abuses of human rights were committed by all parties to the ongoing conflict, many of which may amount to war crimes and other crimes under international law. Impunity prevailed, as none of the parties to the conflict appeared to have been exercising their responsibilities to address violations or abuses. Human rights defenders, including in particular high-profile women activists, had been subjected to attacks. The report recommended the establishment, within Libyan courts, of a specialized structure dedicated to international crimes.

The last report, which focused on Guinea, referred to episodes of violence during the pre-electoral period. Sexual violence, early marriage, domestic violence and female genital mutilation remained prevalent throughout the country, and conditions of detention, notably cases of torture and prolonged pre-trial detention, were also of concern. The report noted some progress in the reform of the justice and security sectors and advances regarding accountability for the 28 September 2009 events.

Statements by the Concerned Countries

Afghanistan, speaking as a concerned country, was committed to its goals of democracy, strengthening democratic institutions and promoting and protecting human rights. The core challenges were the insecurity and insurgency, with anti-governmental groups causing the deterioration of human rights and creating an environment of fear and unsafety. The Taliban could not impose such suffering on the people of Afghanistan without external support. The Government had adopted several action plans, policies and roadmaps aiming to empower women in Afghanistan. Numerous challenges which remained included domestic abuse, forced marriage and the lack of access to justice.

Guinea, speaking as a concerned country, reaffirmed its commitment to cooperating with all human rights mechanisms, which were helping strengthen the democratic process in Guinea. Judges were continuously trained, while efforts were underway to decrease the prison population. Guinea would spare no effort in combatting human rights violations and curtailing discrimination against women, especially female genital mutilation. Guinea was also continuing to develop the necessary legal framework.

Libya, speaking as a concerned country, expressed its condolences to the Belgian people for the attacks in Brussels, and thanked the High Commissioner for his report on Libya. The Government did not control the whole territory of Libya and therefore could not be held accountable for violations by militias, notably in the western territories. The Commission of Inquiry had conducted only one visit in spite of assurances for security by the Government. The Government reiterated its full commitment to implementing all recommendations in the report. Those responsible for violations of humanitarian law would benefit from the amnesty.

Yemen, speaking as a concerned country, said additional information concerning violations of human rights in Yemen had to be included in the report because those responsible for these violations were the militias and this had not been pinpointed in the report. Considerable violations which had been noted in Yemen were due to the coup d’état organised by the Ministers in September 2014. Since then there had been further violations, including in September 2015. Yemen urged the High Commissioner to revisit this issue in the report, and condemn the acts of the militants.

General Debate on Technical Assistance and Capacity Building

Netherlands, speaking on behalf of the European Union, urged the Government of Libya to implement the recommendations in the report of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. The efforts of Haiti were appreciated. The humanitarian situation of the Yemenis was deplorable. The Government of Iraq was urged to continue its reforms to enhance inclusive governance. In Guinea, progress had been made, particularly in consolidating the rule of law.

South Africa, speaking on behalf of the African Group, said that technical assistance and capacity building were key for the development of States, and called on all States to intensify their efforts to ensure the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights could respond to the need for capacity building, particularly in Africa.

India, speaking on behalf of the Like-Minded Group, said technical cooperation and capacity building should not be seen as the province of just a select group of States, adding that States themselves were the best judges of their requirements and priorities. Donors were encouraged to contribute toward the sustainability of the relevant funds so the growing request for technical assistance could be addressed adequately.

Netherlands, speaking on behalf of a group of States, expressed serious concern about the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where increasing acts of harassment, cruel treatment and prolonged detention were being seen. That was regrettable in a pre-electoral context, and the Government was urged to step up efforts to ensure the rule of law.

Algeria, speaking on behalf of a group of States, said that technical assistance and capacity building were among the most important tools that the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights had to improve the promotion and protection of human rights in every country. The Office should implement ECOSOC resolution 2015/16 relating to non-self-governing territories and report thereon to the Special Committee and the Council.

Morocco, speaking on behalf of a group of States, said Morocco was involved in democratic reforms in Africa and elsewhere so as to extend the rule of law to cover the whole of the national territory. It was within that context of bilateral cooperation that technical assistance by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights had been carried out. Morocco had also been interacting with others who had visited Morocco in efforts to improve economic and social conditions.

Germany believed that improvement of the deeply concerning humanitarian and human rights situation in Yemen could only be achieved by a sustainable peaceful solution to the conflict. Germany called upon all parties to immediately cease attacks against populated areas and the destruction of basic infrastructure. Germany was deeply concerned about the deteriorating human rights situation in Libya.

United Kingdom said that freedom of religion, gender equality and civil and political rights remained under pressure, and there was an urgent need to address sexual violence. In Thailand, restrictions on the freedoms of assembly and expression needed to be lifted. The United Kingdom was also concerned about recent extremist attacks against secularists and religious minorities in Bangladesh.

France stated that the fight against impunity was a priority in Libya, and France called upon the Libyan authorities to comply with the International Criminal Court procedures. In Mali, the protection of human rights and fighting impunity were essential for securing lasting reconciliation. France was concerned about the increasing restrictions on fundamental freedoms in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Maldives welcomed and appreciated the support of the Voluntary Technical Assistance Trust Fund, which helped least developed and small island States participate in the Council. States with the capabilities should consider contributing to the Fund. Maldives had requested the assistance of the Office of the High Commissioner to place a human rights adviser in Maldives to assist in its democratic consolidation.

China stated that full consultations with concerned countries were needed in order to secure best possible assistance. China hoped that the Office would take a balanced approach to the two categories of human rights, with the view of helping developing countries achieve sustainable progress. Sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries also ought to be respected.

Qatar stated that the challenges faced by a number of countries at the technical level required the international community to provide them with technical assistance and capacity building. International efforts should not only focus on immediate humanitarian emergencies, but should focus on helping countries meet their development objectives and goals for securing peace.

United States called on all parties in Yemen to take all feasible precautions to protect the lives of civilians, and to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid, to provide safe, rapid and unhindered access to humanitarian actors, and to cooperate fully with United Nations humanitarian efforts. It noted Saudi Arabia’s announcement of a commission to address reports of civilian casualties caused by the Coalition strikes.

Egypt stated that the internal situation in Yemen had been affected by a number of attacks which had undermined the human rights of the people, especially economic and social rights. The unemployment rate among the young had increased dramatically, as well as poverty. Social policies no longer provided adequate coverage. The solution to the crisis had to be made in line with respect for Yemen’s sovereignty.

Senegal said that technical assistance and capacity building in the field of human rights were crucial to help beneficiaries overcome the challenges they faced. Senegal welcomed the Office of the High Commissioner’s activities in that regard, particularly through its regional office for West Africa and towards Mauritania and Tunisia.

Canada condemned atrocities by the so-called Islamic State, including the targeting of religious minorities and sexual violence. Canada continued to be concerned by the situation in Haiti, and noted that much remained to be done to establish functioning democratic institutions there.

Gulf Cooperation Council supported the Yemeni Government in its effort to find a political settlement, and called for technical assistance and moral support to fulfil the claims of the Yemeni people.

Bahrain said it had agreed with the High Commissioner’s Office as regards technical cooperation in an effort to further bolster civil society, and would do everything possible to further promote those measures. The setting up of a national commission under technical cooperation to investigate human rights in Yemen was welcomed.

Ireland said that no State had a perfect record on human rights and therefore seeking practical assistance was a sign of strength, not weakness. In that spirit, Ireland commended Honduras for having sought technical assistance from the Office of the High Commissioner in response to the murder of Berta Càceres.

Djibouti welcomed the release of four prisoners of war who had been detained by Eritrea since 2008. Eritrea had always denied the detention of Djibouti prisoners of war. Thirteen soldiers were still missing following Eritrea’s attack in 2008, and Djibouti demanded the return of those 13 soldiers, calling for the prompt settlement of all other issues.

Australia believed that technical assistance was an integral part of the Council’s mandate. Australia urged the Council to review the appropriateness of considering under item 10 situations where there was a continuing grave deterioration in the human rights situation and where human rights violations and abuses went unaddressed.

Belarus said that technical cooperation was an important element in protecting and promoting human rights and stressed that the principles of cooperation and dialogue lay at the heart of technical cooperation. The Office should desist from politicized approaches as country mandates were not useful vis-à-vis finding practical solutions to existing problems.

Iran stated that technical assistance and capacity building mechanisms could play a crucial role for the enhancement of human rights by providing countries with what they really needed, but should not be seen as prescribed course of action for selected countries. Those measures had to consider consent of the countries and the fact that the States were the best judge of their needs and priorities.

Thailand saw the need for the Council not only to address urgent human rights situations, but also to go further and take a proactive approach to assist States to overcome their human rights challenges. Conditionality should not be imposed upon States receiving such assistance. Thailand remained firmly committed to democracy, but there had to be a balance between security and freedom of speech.

National Human Rights Commission of Afghanistan noted that the continued conflict, increased insecurity, wide spread poverty, corruption, lack of good governance, and impunity had rendered the people of Afghanistan in a very vulnerable situation and exposed them to various types of human rights violations. The protection of human rights in Afghanistan was the shared responsibility of the Government and the international community.

American Association of Jurists drew attention to the widespread, continuous and serious violations of the human rights of the Sahrawi people by Morocco in the only non-self-governing territory that did not have a recognized administering power. It called on the High Commissioner to implement ECOSOC resolution 2015/16 to ensure meaningful technical assistance and capacity building for the peoples of non-self-governing territories.

Federación de Asociaciones de Defensa y Promoción de los Derechos Humanos noted that technical assistance and capacity building were vital in securing human rights. Despite the adoption of ECOSOC resolution 2015/16, the rights of people in non-self-governing territories had not been respected, notably in Western Sahara. The Council should provide training in human rights to non-self-governing peoples.

Asian Legal Resource Centre said that technical assistance programmes should take due consideration of the reality on the ground, and referred to the situation in Myanmar, where technical assistance should focus on programmes aimed at improving the conditions of the work of judges, lawyers, prosecutors and police officers.

Maarij Foundation for Peace and Development referred to sanctions imposed on Sudan by the United States, although allegations that this country supported terrorism had been proven false. The United States itself had planted the seeds of terrorism. Economic sanctions had a negative impact on populations, and would eventually return themselves against their authors.

Ecumenical Alliance for Human Rights and Development said the humanitarian and human rights situation in Yemen, Syria, Iraq and South Sudan needed more objective concern from the international community to end those violations and create mechanisms to hold accountable those responsible for these war crimes.

International Lesbian and Gay Association stated that ignorance bred fear, and fear bred exclusion. Education campaigns raising awareness on the human rights issues facing lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons were right at the core of making a person. In order to raise awareness in societies, civil society needed space to flourish and share visions for change.

Liberation said that the same States which were meeting in the Council held meetings in New York and adopted resolutions approving declarations of independence of colonized peoples and countries. Western Sahara was the only non-self-governing territory on which the United Nations did not receive information under article 73 of the Charter.

Human Rights Watch noted that civilians were being killed in Yemen on a depressingly regular basis, many by Houthi abuses, the vast majority by airstrikes from the Saudi-led Coalition. By continuing to sell weapons to Saudi Arabia, a known violator, the United States, the United Kingdom and France risked being complicit in unlawful civilian deaths.

International Fellowship of Reconciliation stated that the people of Western Sahara were in urgent need of technical assistance and capacity building to protect their natural resources until they achieved their right to self-determination. It noted that Morocco had granted exploitation rights of Western Sahara’s natural resources to multinational corporations.

France Libertes: Foundation Danielle Mitterrand called attention to the 2014 ECOSOC resolution on the granting of independence to colonial peoples, and called on the High Commissioner to take immediate measures to develop a programme of technical assistance and capacity building for Western Sahara.

Amnesty International called on the Human Rights Council to establish an international investigation into alleged violations of international humanitarian and human rights law, including possible war crimes, committed by all parties to the conflict in Yemen.

United Nations Watch said that it was not accurate for the Council to define the situation in Yemen as a matter of technical assistance and capacity building, and recalled that the Coalition was responsible for twice as many civilian casualties as all other forces put together. The Council should create an independent inquiry mechanism on Yemen.

Arab Commission for Human Rights called upon all parties to the conflict in Yemen to refrain from enrolling children in their activities, and to cooperate with the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy. Turning to Libya, the Commission welcomed mediation efforts by neighbouring countries, and supported the recommendations to increase UNSMIL’s capacity.

Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain welcomed steps taken by Saudi Arabia in engaging in training, but regretted the non-involvement of civil society organizations in technical assistance and capacity building activities.

Alsalam Foundation, in a joint statement, called the Council’s attention to Bahrain’s continued lack of cooperation with the Council, its mechanisms and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. It was worrisome that while Bahrain made public commitments to cooperate with United Nations bodies, it failed to follow through on them.

Iraqi Development Organization, in a joint statement, condemned the repeated killing of civilians in Yemen by the Saudi-led Coalition, noting that the Coalition was responsible for two thirds of the civilian casualties. Together, the airstrikes and blockade were measures deliberately inflicted on the Yemeni people.

Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, on behalf of severals NGOs¹, stated that all sides to the conflict in Libya continued to perpetrate grave human rights violations and abuses with complete impunity. Unless genuine accountability was provided, the cycle of violence in Libya would continue.

Rencontre Africaine pour la Défense des Droits de l’Homme expressed appreciation for the peaceful elections held in Guinea in October 2015, as well as appreciation for reforms in the economy, but noted that corruption had a negative impact on the enjoyment of human rights.

Liberal International said that some individuals and ethnic minorities in India had been the victims of forced sterilization, with some political leaders expressing approval of the idea. Forced sterilization was a grave violation of basic human rights and it needed to stop now.

Cameroon Youths and Students Forum for Peace called for urgent action regarding the ongoing crisis in Burundi, and urged all United Nations voices to exert all of their diplomatic, logistical and financial influence for the rapid deployment of peacekeeping troops to Burundi.

Organisation internationale pour les pays les moins avancés said that strengthening the capacity of States in the fields of human rights, conflict prevention, peacebuilding and post-conflict management had to be a priority for the Human Rights Council. Addressing the least developed countries’ problems required a holistic approach.

Conseil de jeunesse pluriculturelle was concerned about continuing impunity for flagrant violations of human rights in Libya, and noted that no initiative had been taken to respond to these concerns. The Council should take concrete action to remedy this situation.

Centre for Human Rights and Peace Advocacy said that the recent economic projects between Pakistan and China had brought more death and destruction for the Baloch people, instead of development and prosperity. Human rights violations by Pakistani forces against political activists and civilians had escalated because they voiced dissent on the deals.

Touro Law Centre, the Institute on Human Rights and the Holocaust said it was not fashionable to call Taliban martyrs. The High Commissioner’s report did not treat cases alike. Capacity building which excluded Jewish people built the capacity for terrorists.

Right of Reply

Democratic Republic of the Congo, speaking in a right of reply, expressed concern regarding information about political authorities and human rights defenders. It welcomed the statement previously made by the European Union together with the African Union and had hoped that this dynamism would be maintained, rather than subjecting the country to strong criticism. The state of law gained nothing if the institutions which were supported were undermined. The Democratic Republic of the Congo reiterated its commitment to promote and protect human rights as a priority.
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¹Joint statement: Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies; International Federation for Human Rights Leagues; Human Rights Watch; CIVICUS - World Alliance for Citizen Participation; and World Organisation Against Torture.

For use of the information media; not an official record

HRC16/052E