HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL HEARS FROM 21 DIGNITARIES WHO ADDRESS ITS HIGH-LEVEL SEGMENT

The Human Rights Council this morning heard statements by 21 dignitaries who addressed its High-Level Segment.

Speaking were Alfonso Nsue Mokuy, Deputy Prime Minister for the Social Sector and Human Rights of Equatorial Guinea, Abul Hasan Mahmood Ali, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh, Yacoubou Hamadou, Minister for Human Rights, the consolidation of democracy, and the implementation of the recommendations of the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission of Togo, Marou Amadou, Minister of Justice, Keeper of the Seal and Government Spokesperson of Niger, Erlan Idrissov, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, Manuel González Sanz, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Costa Rica, Alexis Thambwe Mwamba, Minister of Justice and Human Rights of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Frederick A. Mitchell, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Immigration of the Bahamas, Joséphine Ouédraogo, Minister of Justice, Human Rights and Civic Promotion of Burkina Faso, Edgars Rinkēvičs, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Latvia, Franklyn Bai Kargbo, Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of Sierra Leone, Taieb Baccouche, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Tunisia, Charles Flanagan, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade of Ireland, Anwar Mohamad Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates, Joaquim Verissimo, Deputy Minister of Justice, Constitutional and Religious Affairs of Mozambique, Thant Kyaw, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Myanmar, Benedetto Della Vedova, Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy, Carmen Liliana Burlacu, State Secretary for Global Affairs of Romania, Edgardo Riveros Marín, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Chile, Isam Eldin Abdelgadir Elzien Mohamed, Deputy Minister of Justice of Sudan, Hisham Badr, Assistant Foreign Minister of Egypt, and Joaquim Verissimo, Deputy Minister of Justice, Constitutional and Religious Affairs of Mozambique, speaking on behalf of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries.

During the meeting, speakers presented national efforts to better protect human rights domestically and to strengthen their engagement with United Nations human rights mechanisms. They noted that the international context was once again marked by terrorist acts, military conflicts, and systematic violations of human rights. The number of refugees worldwide was at its highest since the Second World War, and climate change was having a negative impact on populations. The Human Rights Council could make a significant contribution to the promotion and protection of human rights globally; it was not only capable of flagging contemporary human rights issues, but also providing effective remedies to countless victims across the world; however, it had to avoid dispersion of its efforts and act according to its mandate in response to issues of concern.

Speakers prioritized the fight against terrorism and protection of civilians in conflict, as well as protection of women, persons with disabilities and minorities, and called for more attention to be given to the effects of poverty, the Ebola virus, arbitrary detention and the failure to respect due process. To bring about a real change, the post-2015 development agenda should address global and emerging challenges, including climate change and natural disasters, conflicts, inequalities, lack of rule of law and terrorism. There were divergences and differences of opinion between States, speakers recognized and stressed that those should not prevent action nor should they deny the universality of human rights.

At the end of the meeting, the Russian Federation spoke in right of reply.

At the next meeting at 3 p.m. today, the Council will hold a High-Level Panel on the question of the death penalty. The High-Level Segment will resume at 9 a.m. on Thursday, 5 March.


High-Level Segment

ALFONSO NSUE MOKUY, Deputy Prime Minister for the Social Sector and Human Rights of Equatorial Guinea, restated Equatorial Guinea’s commitment to the international human rights system. Considerable achievements in the country had been made, such as the reform of the criminal and civil code and the laws on trials, prohibition of discrimination against women and total prohibition of child labour. Particular priority was attached to the needs of the most vulnerable. Actions were guided by the principles of the well-being of the people of Equatorial Guinea and of human rights, and the international human rights obligations of the country. The Deputy Prime Minister called on the Human Rights Council to provide experts from friendly countries to assist in meeting its reporting obligations. A lot still remained to be done; they needed to strengthen the effectiveness and capacity of the institutions, eradicate corruption, do away with racial and gender discrimination, and address threats against human rights defenders. Equatorial Guinea was concerned by the use of different standards to measure progress; the State had been generous and had created and endowed with $ 3 million to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization a fund, to support worldwide research in life sciences, and had financially supported the fight against Ebola, which had killed more than 8,000 people in West Africa. Nevertheless, the international community and some countries still continued to point fingers and say that the country had failed to comply.

ABUL HASAN MAHMOOD ALI, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh, said that the Human Rights Council could make a significant contribution to the promotion and protection of human rights globally; it was not only capable of flagging contemporary human rights issues, but also providing effective remedies to countless victims across the world. The Council needed to be nurtured to make it more suitable and credible. Cooperation, dialogue and mutual respect in light of the United Nations Charter were essential for improving the human rights situation on the ground. Bangladesh had consciously chosen a development pathway where it had not waited for a high growth trajectory to make considerable strides in its human development efforts. Poverty had been reduced from 40 per cent in 2010 to 26.2 per cent in 2014, and various initiatives were in place to empower women; Bangladesh today was possibly the only nation in the world with women occupying positions of the Prime Minister, the Speaker of the Parliament, the Leader of the Opposition and the Deputy Leader. The reserved 10 per cent of posts for women had made it possible for many to reach high positions in judicial, administrative, diplomatic, defence services and in law enforcing agencies. The Government was committed to end the culture of impunity against grievous crimes, war crimes and crimes against humanity, and had set in motion an independent national judicial process to try perpetrators of war crimes committed in the territory during the liberation war in 1971, which would heal the wounds of the war and bring to closure the longstanding demand for justice for past crimes.

YACOUBOU HAMADOU, Minister for Human Rights, Consolidation of Democracy, and Implementation of the Recommendations of the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission of Togo, noted that the international context was once again marked by terrorist acts, military conflicts, and systematic violations of human rights. Deadly conflicts gave rise to displacement, endangering the future of youth and children. The ongoing conflicts in Africa, the Middle East and elsewhere illustrated the insufficient capability of States to secure peace and security, and they jeopardized the principles and values enshrined in the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The international community needed to pay more attention to the effects of poverty, the Ebola virus and AIDS, racial discrimination, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, and the trafficking of children. It also needed to take into account the interconnectedness between civil and political rights, and economic, social and cultural rights on the one hand, and of democracy and development on the other hand. The realization of economic and social rights was of crucial importance in the developing world. It was particularly difficult for African countries to develop sound democratic institutions in the face of economic and financial difficulties. Accordingly, Togo had been working to reinforce its economy in order to achieve the well-being of its people, to ensure sustainable development, and to promote political stability through an enforced process of national reconciliation. With respect to security challenges in West Africa, together with the African Union, Togo would organize in November 2015 an international conference dedicated to maritime security and development in Africa. Togo called for enhanced cooperation between all countries to combat maritime piracy and terrorism. In its efforts to promote more efficient promotion of human rights, Togo would present its candidacy for membership to the Human Rights Council in the 2016-2018 period.

MAROU AMADOU, Minister of Justice, Keeper of the Seal and Government Spokesperson of Niger, said that current international events reminded of the fragility of human rights in several parts of the world, including in the Lake Chad basin, where deadly attacks of Boko Haram were an illustration of grave and massive human rights violations. Niger prioritized responses to security challenges and the fight against terrorism. In that sense, it had reinforced its legal framework and had put in place institutions, including the establishment of the National Security Council and the central Service to Combat Terrorism. The Human Rights Council should support sub-regional and African initiatives and stand with the States of the Lake Chad basin in their fight against terrorism. Justice was an essential pillar for security, democracy and the rule of law and Niger had adopted in 2012 the National Judicial and Human Rights Policy; the National Agency for Legal Assistance had been established to provide free legal aid to vulnerable individuals, such as women and the poor. Fighting slavery and human trafficking was a priority: more stringent penalties for those offences had been adopted and the National Commission to Combat Slavery and Human Trafficking had been established. Substantial progress had been made in protecting freedom of the press, and in the field of education, Niger had developed the national policy for education, as well as the framework for the involvement of girls in education.

ERLAN A. IDRISSOV, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, said that for his country, which had more than 100 ethnic groups and 18 different religious denominations, maintaining inter-ethnic and inter-religious peace and accord was a national priority. To that end, Kazakhstan would host the fifth Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Leaders in June 2015. It was regrettable that the human rights situation around the world has been declining since the last session of the Human Rights Council. Kazakhstan continued to advocate a peaceful resolution of all existing conflicts, and President Nursultan Nazarbayev had actively assisted in the search for a peaceful settlement of the crisis in Ukraine. The Government of Kazakhstan was convinced that wider security depended on the respect and protection of the dignity of the individual. It would thus play an active part in the United Nations Task Team on the post-2015 development agenda, which should become a global and well-balanced programme complying with fundamental human rights. In addition to participating in various international institutional frameworks, Kazakhstan also engaged with Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Nine Special Rapporteurs had visited Kazakhstan and two more were expected to come. Although the Government was pleased to cooperate with Special Procedures mandate holders, it nevertheless called for an even-handed and evidence-based approach, as well as for an open and honest dialogue between Special Rapporteurs and States.

MANUEL GONZALES SANZ, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Costa Rica, said that the times were challenging for human rights, with the highest number of refugees worldwide since the Second World War, and climate change having a negative impact on populations. Respect for all human rights for all was the best guarantee to prevent conflicts. The need to strengthen the third pillar of the United Nations was a historical challenge, and required actions to strengthen the institutional capacity and independence of human rights mechanisms, including the Office of the High Commissioner, treaty bodies and the Human Rights Council. Human rights were universal and belonged to all. Many violations remained unpunished, and the Council had to avoid dispersion of its efforts and act according to its mandate in response to issues of concern. Costa Rica was concerned about violence and discrimination against women, and about terrorism, arbitrary detentions and the failure to respect due process. There were divergences, but different opinions should not prevent action from the international community nor should it deny the universality of human rights. Women, girls, persons with disabilities, and persons belonging to sexual minorities all needed protection. Effective mechanisms had to be implemented to prevent violations, rather than just react after they occurred. Costa Rica was attached to the Universal Periodic Review mechanism, as well as to the work of treaty bodies and thematic and country-specific Special Procedures. The Office of the High Commissioner had to be given the means, including an increased regular budget, to be able to work independently and according to its mandate. The treaty body strengthening process was successful, and now needed to be implemented in order to guarantee the sustainability of the system.

ALEXIS THAMBWE MWAMBA, Minister of Justice and Human Rights of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, spoke of the human rights violations and crimes committed by the ADF-NALU and LRA in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and called on the Human Rights Council to break the silence by publicly condemning the sponsors of those despicable acts. Mr. Mwamba also called upon the international community to support the effective implementation of the Addis Ababa framework agreements for peace, security and cooperation in the region of the Great Lakes. As a post-conflict country, the Democratic Republic of the Congo spared no efforts to ensure respect and promotion of human rights. During its second cycle of the Universal Periodic Review, a total of 190 recommendations had been accepted and the plan for their implementation had already been adopted. An action plan to revitalize focal points for human rights in the provinces had been launched, and within the coming weeks, the National Human Rights Commission would be established. A Centre for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders had been established, and human rights monitoring missions in prisons and detention centres in the provinces had been undertaken by the Government; at the same time, capacity building activities were taking place. In order to address sexual violence, a Personal Representative of the President to fight sexual violence and child recruitment had been appointed in 2014 and penalties for perpetrators had been strengthened.

FREDERICK A. MITCHELL, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Immigration of the Bahamas, said that the Government of the Bahamas was giving priority to the following issues: illegal immigration, climate change and fighting crime. Migration, for whatever reason, was a natural state of mankind. However, such movement should be documented to ensure the safety and security of the nation State. The Government of the Bahamas was resolute to ensure orderly migration and prevent irregular migration, and therefore took steps to require that all persons working in the Bahamas had a valid work permit. In that spirit, the Government had also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Organization of Migration in September 2014, in order to strengthen migration management and identify proper measures to assist and protect vulnerable migrants. The issue of climate change was crucial for the Bahamas, as it was a small island developing State and thus vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. Addressing climate change was central to its economic survival, which depended on tourism and financial services. The concern of small island developing States was the inadequate financing to assist in the mitigation of the negative effects of climate change, and hope was expressed that this concern would be addressed through a legally binding arrangement applicable to all States. The Bahamas also continued to grapple with a high crime rate, and to that end the Government called on gun-producing States to stop the inflow of weapons to the Bahamas’ shores.

MOUSSA B. NEBIE, Minister Delegate of Foreign Affairs and Regional Cooperation of Burkina Faso, said that Burkina Faso experienced an insurrection last year, with people making demands for more democracy, and this had resulted in a transition process. The President of transition had fully taken stock of the challenges, and was ensuring full respect for human rights, even during the transition period. Coming out of such a crisis, reconciliation was required. Major reforms had been planned and would be carried out this year. 2015 would indeed be a challenging year for Burkina Faso, with elections to be held in October. The current President and Government would hand over their power to the new President to be elected. A law had just been adopted to fight corruption. A plan of action to implement Burkina Faso’s human rights policy was underway. A law on the prevention and punishment of torture had been adopted, in accordance with recommendations made to Burkina Faso by the treaty bodies. Burkina Faso was committed to continue its cooperation with United Nations human rights mechanisms. Regarding the international situation, Burkina Faso believed that peace and security were prerequisites for the enjoyment of human rights and development. In light of this, the defence and security forces of Burkina Faso were deployed in several conflict zones in the region.

EDGARS RINKĒVIČS, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Latvia, said that the mandate of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights was crucial to the protection of human rights and Latvia would continue to work to preserve its independence. The strength of the Council was its ability to provide timely and effective response to urgent human rights violations. Europe was facing the most serious security crisis since World War II, and Latvia remained alarmed by the human rights impact of Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, including after the illegal annexation of Crimea. It was of the utmost importance that the United Nations continued to use all tools they had to address this situation. Latvia commended the Council’s work in Syria and the commission of inquiry’s latest report which presented more testimony of egregious violations of human rights, and shared the call to ensure that those responsible were held accountable. Latvia strongly condemned the brutal atrocities perpetrated by the ISIL/Da’esh and said that concerted international action was vital when addressing this transnational threat. Freedom of expression was at the heart of any democratic society and safety of journalists was an issue of particular concern. In 2015, gender equality would be in the spotlight as the twentieth anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action was celebrated. In closing, Mr. Rinkēvičs said the post-2015 development agenda should address global and emerging challenges, including climate change and natural disasters, conflicts, inequalities, lack of rule of law and terrorism.

FRANKLYN BAI KARGBO, Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of Sierra Leone, said that Sierra Leone was firmly committed to the protection of human rights, and had ratified all the principal United Nations human rights treaties, as well as sub-regional and regional legal instruments. It continued efforts to build national consensus around the implementation of the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and the ongoing constitutional review process. Along with Liberia and Guinea, in 2014 Sierra Leone was struck down with an unprecedented epidemic of the Ebola virus. Due to a weak health system, its economic, social and community structures were devastated, and the stability of the country was severely challenged. The Ebola epidemic derailed a lot of the Government’s plans to improve human rights and many timelines had been moved. The Government was forced to declare a state of emergency, which involved restriction of free movement, curtailment of certain economic activities and the detention of persons who deliberately obstructed health workers and security personnel in the execution of their duties. Sierra Leone condemned terrorism in all its forms, and voiced concern over the ongoing conflicts in Africa, the Middle East and Ukraine. It particularly drew attention to the violence perpetrated by Boko Haram in Nigeria, Cameroon and Chad. In addition to condemning those acts of violence, the Government held the view that it was equally important to investigate their root causes. Finally, Sierra Leone expressed its dissatisfaction with the insufficient funding of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

TAIEB BACCOUCHE, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Tunisia, said that the success of Tunisia’s democratic process was the result of consensus between all the components of society. The new constitution was in conformity with international human rights standards, and reserved a special protection to human dignity by explicitly criminalizing torture with no possible prescription for related crimes. Tunisia was indeed committed to eradicate torture by ordering independent and impartial investigations in all allegations of torture and through strengthening its cooperation with United Nations mechanisms. The constitution of Tunisia also guaranteed freedom of religion, boosted women’s rights, and enshrined the principle of parity between women and men. After it held free and fair elections, Tunisia was today in a new and crucial phase of building stable democratic institutions, including the Constitutional Court, the Human Rights Commission and the High Independent Instance of Election. The regional and international security situations, with growing terrorism and religious extremism, required concerted efforts by the international community, as well as a developmental approach in parallel with security measures. Tunisia was in this context in the process of adopting an anti-terrorism bill to address this scourge while respecting international human rights standards. Tunisia was determined to continue its engagement with the United Nations human rights system through the ratification of additional treaties and the withdrawal of reservations, and also through agreements with United Nations agencies, allowing them to operate freely in the country. Tunisia had addressed a standing invitation to the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Finally, the Minister expressed Tunisia’s support to the Palestinian people, and called for further support to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

CHARLES FLANAGAN, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade of Ireland, said that the international community needed to address the current global threats to human rights through a shared commitment, firmly grounded in pluralism, tolerance, equality, justice and, above all, recognition of the universality of human rights. Ireland demonstrated its commitment to the protection of human rights through five goals in its foreign policy: combating poverty and hunger; advancing human rights; promoting disarmament; a commitment to United Nations peacekeeping; and sharing its own experience of peace and reconciliation. Noting that freedom of religion and belief was in peril in many parts of the world, the Government of Ireland called for the intensification of international efforts to combat terrorism and all forms of discrimination and religious intolerance. It expressed concern that certain States had resumed the application of the death penalty, and stressed the role of freedom of expression, gender equality and the right to education. Ireland’s own history demonstrated that positive change in the promotion and protection of human rights was possible when there was political will. In 1993 homosexuality was decriminalized in Ireland, whereas in May 2015 a referendum would be held to allow people the choice of amending the Constitution to provide for the availability of same sex marriages. Ireland was also active in the negotiations of the post-2015 development agenda: together with Kenya, it was tasked by the United Nations to facilitate those negotiations. It would endeavour to achieve a transformative post-2015 development agenda, which would eradicate extreme poverty, address climate change, and promote sustainable development based on equality and human rights.

ANWAR MOHAMAD GARGASH, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates, expressed outrage about attacks in Paris and the beheading of Egyptians in Libya, perpetrated by terrorists that did not represent any religion, and were a result of stereotyping religions. The response to such attacks lay in reinforcing the values of tolerance and respect for diversity. The Minister urged the Council to focus its limited resources on the most pressing issues, including the promotion of religious tolerance. ISIL had perpetrated crimes against humanity and war crimes, and should be held accountable by the Human Rights Council. The United Arab Emirates had undertaken a number of initiatives to promote tolerance and combat extremism. It had for example hosted a forum for the promotion of peace in Islamic societies. It had also established a Muslim Council of Elders, and financed a project to train moderate imams. In addition, the United Arab Emirates intended to launch a new contact group on countering terrorism in New York. More had to be done by the international community to combat extremism. Young people needed hope and jobs, and minorities had to be better integrated. The international community had to support the legitimate government of Libya in its fight against terrorism. Israel’s continued construction of illegal settlements constituted a threat to the two-State solution and had to stop. The United Arab Emirates was also committed to promoting the empowerment of women, including the right to equal access to education for girls, and to improve the protection of workers in the region.

JOAQUIM VERISSIMO, Deputy Minister of Justice, Constitutional and Religious Affairs of Mozambique, said that central and northern parts of Mozambique were being devastated by severe floods in which 180 people had lost their lives. Natural disasters constituted a serious obstacle to the development of the country and undermined the efforts to improve the population’s enjoyment of human rights. Those floods were a reminder of the importance that should be attached to the Third United Nations World Conference on disaster risk reduction due to open in Sendai, Japan in two weeks, and the need to advocate a people-centred vision of disaster prevention and mitigation with the primary purpose of safeguarding human life. Mozambique expressed support for the six thematic priorities outlined by the High Commissioner for Human Rights and said that budget allocations to his Office should match the complexity of the mandate assigned to it. Thanks to the capacity building provided by his Office, the National Commission for Human Rights of Mozambique had been able to carry out the first systematic monitoring of places of detention as the national preventive mechanism under the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. The magnitude of the Ebola epidemic and its death toll required due attention, and the conclusions of the study into the human rights dimension of the epidemic by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights must be swiftly implemented.

THANT KYAW, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Myanmar, said that Myanmar had made tangible progress since 2011, and its people now enjoyed the fruits of democratization. One hundred and nineteen laws had been newly enacted or amended, and many others had been repealed. The Myanmar National Human Rights Commission was established and a recent law would allow its functioning in compliance with the Paris Principles. The termination of censorship had permitted opening the door wider to freedom of expression, and to give more space to Myanmar’s vibrant civil society organizations. Myanmar had also facilitated the right to peaceful assembly. Myanmar had been able to prevent the recurrence of violence in the Rakhine State. Myanmar traditionally respected women’s rights, and discrimination against them had never existed there. Myanmar had nonetheless adopted measures and policies to empower women and children, including in terms of access to health and education. Myanmar had strengthened its collaboration with United Nations human rights mechanisms, and had acceded to additional human rights treaties. It had taken concrete steps to prevent the enrolment of children in armed conflicts, and was considering ratifying the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict. Despite the progress achieved, Myanmar continued to be treated the same way it was treated 20 years ago. The people of Myanmar were questioning this practice of double standards, and it was high time for the Council to ensure equal treatment to all Member States.

BENEDETTO DELLA VEDOVA, Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy, said that the post-2015 development agenda could represent a chance for progress on the mainstreaming of human rights and should encompass promotion of the human rights situation, peace and the rule of law. A political solution was the only way to put an end to the crisis in Syria, which had now entered its fourth year, and Italy reaffirmed its support to the United Nations diplomatic efforts and encouraged any initiative aimed at favouring an inclusive political dialogue among the Syrian people. Italy was extremely worried about the violence by Da’esh and other terrorist groups against local communities, including religious ones, and said that the world could not turn its eyes away. The Human Rights Council should address the worrying situations on the ground through all the instruments at its disposal: the recent events in Libya which increased the possibility of plunging the country into further chaos, the conflict in Ukraine which endangered security and stability in Europe and reawakened the ghosts of the Cold War, the continuing violence in parts of the Central African Republic and in northern Mali, and the crisis in South Sudan which continued to have a huge humanitarian impact on the civilian population. The situation of human rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea remained a source of concern and Italy continued to call for the cooperation of this country with the Council and its Special Rapporteur.

CARMEN LILIANA BURLACU, State Secretary for Global Affairs of Romania, emphasized Romania’s commitment to a strong and efficient multilateral system and to an effective Human Rights Council. Referring to the current international context dominated by unprecedented violence in Syria, Iraq, Libya and the Central African Republic, Ms. Burlacu called for the international community’s action, which was needed now more than ever. In previous years the Council had given voice to victims of human rights violations, and had addressed serious country situations. However action was needed. In particular, the crisis in Ukraine brought up the imperative of the observance of international norms. Respect of the territorial integrity of States needed to be upheld. Although the establishment of the Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine had helped the international community assess the human rights situation in the country, Romania deplored the fact that the Mission did not have full and unfettered access to the territory of Ukraine. Romania also regretted, with regards to Georgia, that the Office could not monitor the situation and provide legal remedies to the affected people living in the two breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. While peace and stability were the priority, it was essential to identify the very causes of violence and terrorism, so as to prevent them in the future. Romania commended the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights for the global voice that it had become to promote and protect all human rights and fundamental freedoms, and called for the need for it to maintain its independence and receive the appropriate financial resources it needed.

EDGARDO RIVEROS MARÍN, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Chile, said that Chile attached great importance to the promotion and protection of human rights and to international cooperation in that regard. Chile also attached great importance to the work and participation of civil society and human rights defenders. The crucial links between human rights, democracy and security were recognized. There had been an erosion of fundamental standards of peace and security, as well as setbacks in the rights of human rights activists. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights was an extremely important body for the protection of human rights worldwide, and had to be appropriately funded. Cooperation between national human rights institutions and regional mechanisms was one of the requirements of the Paris Principles, and Chile encouraged strengthening this cooperation. The intensification of threats, intimidation, aggression and acts of terrorism infringing human rights was a fact. Chile encouraged a proactive and participatory approach to address these issues, and stood ready to support all initiatives to protect human rights without discrimination of any kind. Chile promoted the duty of States to protect freedom of religion and promote tolerance and mutual understanding between faiths. Human rights challenges required a coordinated approach inclusive of all actors.

ISAM ELDIN ABDELGADIR ELZIEN MOHAMED, Deputy Minister of Justice of Sudan, said that the implementation of the 10 year National Plan for Human Rights would start in 2015; the Plan was flexible and had been coordinated with civil society organizations. The national human rights body had been set up, together with institutions to deal with economic and social rights, including for women, children and persons with disabilities. The Criminal Law and the Electoral Law had been amended, as was the law on refugees which increased their protection. Sudan had adopted a law on money laundering, which was in accordance with international standards, and a law on human trafficking. In April, Presidential and Parliamentary elections would take place; the campaign was taking place in a very open and transparent climate, in which over 30 political parties had taken part. The Government was anxious to establish peace in Sudan and affirmed that it would continue its efforts to resolve the crisis in a peaceful manner as agreed under the African mediation mechanism. Groundless reports of allegations of rapes in northern Darfur were of great concern, said Mr. Mohamed, adding that those rumours aimed to destabilize the country. The Government had undertaken its own investigation into the allegations, and had allowed access to the United Nations peacekeepers; no evidence of rape had been found. Sudan welcomed the appointment of the Special Rapporteur on the harmful effects of unilateral sanctions, which undermined the right of Sudanese to enjoy their human rights.

HISHAM BADR, Assistant Foreign Minister of Egypt, said that since 2011, Egyptians had expressed an unwavering call for democracy based on equality and good governance. There were challenges that remained, but despite them, Egypt was determined to make a real difference in the protection of human rights, and in building its constitutional institutions based on the rule of law and on its determination not to repeat the errors of the past. Human rights played an important role in any transitional period. Therefore the President had established a Committee charged with drafting human rights standards. A number of other measures had also been adopted, such as a standing Commission mandated to monitor human rights and propose appropriate matters aimed at the recommendations accepted by Egypt under the Universal Periodic Review. Measures had been adopted to protect social and cultural rights as well as to fight unemployment and carry out urban development projects and fight discrimination and violence against women. Terrorism was a gross violation of fundamental rights and freedoms. Despite this increasing threat, Egypt was determined to promote and respect human rights and chose to fight terrorism while not imposing any emergency laws. It only applied the penal code. Egypt was determined to cooperate with the Human Rights Council and other human rights mechanisms. Egypt supported the rights of the Palestinians to self-determination and the establishment of a Palestinian State with East Jerusalem as its capital. Egypt was concerned about the situation in Libya and the threat posed by violent extremist ideology. Regarding Syria, Egypt strongly opposed violence against civilians. It was hoped that the Human Rights Council would protect freedom of expression but not at the expense of freedom of religious expression.

JOAQUIM VERISSIMO, Deputy Minister of Justice, Constitutional and Religious Affairs of Mozambique, speaking on behalf of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries, underlined the importance of the independence of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. He welcomed that Equatorial Guinea had recently acceded to the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries. The Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries had recently adopted a resolution reiterating its attachment to human rights. It paid particular attachment to the strengthening of its cooperation with the United Nations, and particularly with the Human Rights Council and its mechanisms, and the treaty bodies. In June 2014, the Council of Ministers of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries adopted a resolution on human rights and the death penalty, underlining its commitment in favour of the abolition of the death penalty. All Member States of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries had already abolished capital punishment, with the exception of their new member Equatorial Guinea, where measures in that direction were being taken. The Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries had taken measures to combat gender-based violence and poverty, and promote and protect economic, social and cultural rights. The Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries had also created a network of national human rights institutions.

RIGHT OF REPLY

Russian Federation, speaking in a right of reply, regretted Latvia’s comments on Ukraine and Crimea. Ukrainian troops had perpetrated violence and attacks against civilians. The use of the Human Rights Council for unfounded political motives undermined the protection of human rights.

For use of the information media; not an official record

HRC15/014E