Russia's continued assault on human rights both in Ukraine and nationally highlights the importance of ensuring Council scrutiny of country situations not formally on its agenda. We welcome the creation of a Commission of Inquiry on the Ukraine…

Thank you, Mr. President, Last week’s urgent debate showed that this Council can take action to hold even its most powerful members to account for their international crimes. Now, High Commissioner, it’s past time for you to do the same. I…

Madam President, Recent events in Sudan have highlighted the fragile nature of the transition, and the extent to which it was premature for the Human Rights Council at its recent session to allow scrutiny of Sudan to lapse. Within weeks, on…

Thank you, Madam President.  Hopes that the 2019 transition would usher a new era into Sudan continue to be dashed. The transitional authorities have taken some positive measures, including the ratification of key international treaties,…

High Commissioner, last session you underlined the importance of an “independent and comprehensive assessment of the rights situation” in Xinjiang, and indicated your Office was assessing reports of “arbitrary detention, ill-treatment and sexual…

High Commissioner, Your landmark report on the human rights impacts of Covid-19 highlights the indivisibility of rights, and reminds states of the need to address global inequalities in basic rights; reform healthcare systems; ensure equitable…

Now in its second year of a three-year transition, Sudan faces enormous challenges.  Protests have continued across the country over lack of progress on accountability and reform. In some instances, government forces used lethal violence to…

Thank you, Madam President. This statement is supported by more than 300 NGOs from over 60 countries, from Azerbaijan to Zambia. We join together to call for an international mechanism to address the Chinese government’s human rights violations,…

Thank you Madam President, High Commissioner, Today’s joint statement by Denmark on behalf of 29 countries highlights that Saudi Arabia should heed your call, High Commissioner, for the release of women’s rights defenders. We urge the council to…

Thank you, Madam President. Sudan’s political transition remains fragile. Protests have continued across the country, calling for faster reform and civilian rule. On June 30 in Omdurman, at least one protester was shot dead and many injured,…

Thank you, Madam President. High Commissioner, we share your concerns that Covid-19 has been instrumentalized by states, including China, to “limit people’s rights to speak,” and to threaten and intimidate journalists, bloggers and civic activists…

We welcome the High Commissioner’s release of the database of businesses contributing to illegal Israeli settlements. The report brings a degree of transparency to business activities and helps build pressure on companies to stop contributing to rights…

At the recent June session of the Human Rights Council, 25 states sent a joint letter to the President of the Human Rights Council and to the High Commissioner for Human Rights, expressing deep concern at widespread rights violations against ethnic…

Thank you. Sudan has seen dramatic changes since protests that started mid-December led to the ouster of Sudan’s president for 30 years, Omar al-Bashir, in April. A transitional government took over in August. Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and…

Thank you, Mr. President, High Commissioner, Venezuela is facing the most profound human rights crisis at the current time in Latin America. It combines a brutal crackdown on dissent with arbitrary arrests and torture of government opponents,…

The High Commissioner for Human Rights has requested unfettered access to conduct an independent assessment of the human rights situation in China’s Xinjiang region. While China has professed openness to this request, any such access would need…

Amid turbulent change in Sudan, the country’s human rights record remains dire. Since December 2018, government security forces have killed hundreds of protesters on the streets, attacked hospitals, arbitrarily arrested and detained, beaten and raped. …

We share the High Commissioner’s concerns at the brutal crackdown by security forces on peaceful democracy protesters in Sudan. The High Commissioner has rightly emphasized the Council’s prevention mandate, but expressed regret that the government has not…

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch welcome Nigeria’s cooperation with the review process and its positive response to some of the recommendations made by other States in the UPR Working Group. We remain deeply concerned about…

Thank you, Mr. President, and congratulations, High Commissioner, on your first annual report. The broad range of human rights concerns you have identified is a sobering reminder of the challenges faced in all regions of the world and the heavy…