• The United Nations General Assembly at the U.N. Headquarters in New York on October 1, 2012.
    © 2012 Reuters
    UN: Noncompetitive Elections Weaken Rights Council

    Limited competition in elections for the United Nations Human Rights Council undermines membership standards set for the body by the UN General Assembly. Although the General Assembly elected 18 countries to the Human Rights Council on November 12, 2012, only three faced challengers in their bids for a seat.  

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United Nations

  • Rwanda’s Rampaging Rebel Force
    Dec 28, 2012

    Despite supporting a brutal rebel group in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda is about to take a seat on the U.N. Security Council. Few countries dare challenge the Security Council the way Rwanda does; even fewer get away with it. Yet on Tuesday, despite backing an abusive rebel group that has attacked U.N. peacekeepers in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda will take a two-year seat on the council.  

  • South Sudan: Heed Global Call to End Death Penalty
    Dec 20, 2012
    South Sudan should carry out its commitment for a moratorium on the death penalty. On December 20, 2012, South Sudan, along with 110 other nations, voted in favor of a United Nations General Assembly resolution calling on countries that use capital punishment to place a moratorium on executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty.
  • Joint Letter to UN Security Council on an International Military Force for Mali
    Dec 5, 2012

    As the UN Security Council considers the authorization of an international military force for Mali, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, FIDH, and the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect share concerns about the possible human rights challenges such a force could encounter if it is not accompanied by the proper safeguards for civilian protection and human rights monitoring capability.  

  • United Nations General Assembly: Support Resolution on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in Iran
    Nov 21, 2012
    We, the undersigned human rights organizations and press freedom groups, write to respectfully urge your government to vote in favor of the resolution on the promotion and protection of human rights of the Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Affairs Committee of the 67th session of the United Nations General Assembly, scheduled to take place on November 27, 2012. This 67th UNGA provides an important opportunity to elevate and advance the concerns of the international community with respect to ongoing human rights abuses in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
  • UAE: Make Good on Human Rights Commitments
    Nov 16, 2012
    The United Arab Emirates should swiftly end the arbitrary detention and harassment of its critics in line with its obligations as a recently elected member of the United Nations Human Rights Council.
  • UN: Act on Failings in Sri Lanka
    Nov 14, 2012

    The United Nations secretary-general’s internal review on UN action in Sri Lanka should lead to specific and concrete measures to ensure the UN takes all needed measures to prevent mass atrocities in future conflicts, Human Rights Watch said today.

  • UN: Noncompetitive Elections Weaken Rights Council
    Nov 12, 2012

    Limited competition in elections for the United Nations Human Rights Council undermines membership standards set for the body by the UN General Assembly. Although the General Assembly elected 18 countries to the Human Rights Council on November 12, 2012, only three faced challengers in their bids for a seat.  

  • Indonesia: UN Rights Visit Can Challenge Discrimination, Impunity
    Nov 9, 2012

    The visit of United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanethem Pillay is an opportunity to highlight concerns about discrimination against religious minorities and impunity for state security forces in Indonesia.

  • Joint Letter to Candidates to the UN Human Rights Council on Cooperation with UN Special Procedures
    Nov 9, 2012
    In establishing the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2006, the UN General Assembly provided that Council members "shall uphold the highest standards in the promotion and protection of human rights" and "fully cooperate with the Council" (GA Resolution 60/251). In a letter to candidate states, a group of 35 nongovernmental organizations from around the world express their concern about the failure of some candidates to comply with these criteria.
  • Letter to President Chavez on Venezuela's Candidacy to the UN Human Rights Council
    Nov 9, 2012
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