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…

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…

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. 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…

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…

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…

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…

Human Rights Watch welcomes the first Interactive Dialogue with the ASG and his latest report. We are deeply concerned about cases of reprisals committed in the reporting period, including by three countries that have appeared in every single report by…

At the opening of this session, High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet highlighted “deeply disturbing allegations of large-scale arbitrary detentions of Uighurs and other Muslim communities, in so-called re-education camps across Xinjiang.” Last…

At a time when courageous leadership in defense of human rights is most critical, Human Rights Watch regrets the self-defeating decision by the United States to withdraw from this Council. By walking away, the US is turning its back not just on the…

Human Rights Watch would like to express its appreciation to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (the “Committee”) for this opportunity to provide it with information on the compliance of China with the International…

Today we remember Cao Shunli, detained as she sought to travel to Geneva to engage with the UPR process, denied medical treatment, and who died in Chinese custody four years ago today. Since President Xi Jinping took power in China, Human…

In this anniversary year, we share your concerns at the gap between the promise of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and its implementation. The hashtag for your UDHR campaign is appropriately #StandUp4HumanRights. This is a time when…

These are testing times for the protection of international human rights around the world. The next three weeks will reveal whether the Human Rights Council is up to the test. The High Commissioner has rightly identified several areas where…

As called for by 262 Congolese and 9 international NGOs ahead of this session, it is critical that the Council immediately launch a Commission of Inquiry into violations committed in Congo’s Kasai region, providing it with the…