"From Colombia and Cuba to Egypt and Pakistan, human rights activists are being killed, imprisoned and harassed. In several countries, no independent human rights monitoring is even allowed," said Joanna Weschler, U.N. representative for Human Rights Watch. "It's encouraging that the United Nations has finally taken real action to protect those who are risking their lives for the rights of others." The envoy, to be appointed by Secretary General Kofi Annan for a three-year term, would intervene in cases of harassment of rights monitors and press for implementation of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the U.N. General Assembly in December 1998.
Human Rights Watch described the six-week Commission session, which concludes Friday, as "relatively successful,"citing Commission action on Russian atrocities in Chechnya, while deploring the Commission's failure to take up a resolution critical of China.
On Tuesday, the Commission criticized "disproportionate and indiscriminate use of Russian military force, including attacks against civilians," called on the Russian government to establish a commission of inquiry and mandated U.N. envoys on torture, political killings, and violence against women to visit Chechnya. The resolution was approved by a vote of 25 to 7 with 19 abstentions.
"This is the first time the Commission has mustered the political will to criticize abuses committed by a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council," said Weschler. "It shows that no one is immune from scrutiny."
At the same time, the group lamented the Commission's decision last week not to even consider a resolution criticizing China's human rights performance. A procedural "no-action motion" was adopted by a vote of 22 to 18, with 12 abstentions. "Beijing's leaders have again used their political clout to escape censure for trampling on the rights of their citizens," said Weschler.