United Nations Human Rights Council appoints Special Rapporteur on Eritrea
UN Human Rights Council, July 07, 2012
Human Rights Council
MORNING
President-for-life of Eritrea Isaias Afwerki
Adopts Resolutions on Syria, Mali, Nelson Mandela International Day and Arbitrary Detention
The Human Rights Council this morning appointed a Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea, extended the mandates of the Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Côte d’Ivoire and the Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Somalia, and adopted texts on the human rights situations in Mali and Syria, arbitrary detention and on Nelson Mandela international day.
The Council adopted a resolution in which it strongly condemned the continued widespread and systematic violations of human rights committed by the Eritrean authorities, the severe restrictions on freedom of opinion and expression, and the forced conscription of citizens for indefinite periods. It decided to appoint a Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea.
Concerning technical assistance to Côte d'Ivoire in the area of human rights, the Council strongly condemned the attacks on the civilian population and personnel of the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire, in particular the killing of seven United Nations peacekeepers on 8 June 2012. The Council decided to renew the mandate of the Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Côte d’Ivoire for a period of one year.
With regards to technical assistance to Somalia in the field of human rights, the Council strongly condemned the grave and systematic human rights abuses perpetrated against the civilian population. It decided to extend the mandate of the Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Somalia for one year in order to support the efforts of the Transitional Federal Government and Somali sub-national authorities to ensure respect for human rights in preparation for the end of the transitional period on 20 August 2012.
Concerning the situation of human rights in Syria, the Council adopted by a vote of 41 votes in favour, three against and three abstentions a resolution that strongly condemned the widespread, systematic and gross violations of human rights and the continued extrajudicial killings and killings and prosecution of protestors, human rights defenders and journalists. The Council reiterated the importance of bringing to justice those responsible for the widespread and systematic use of violence against the Syrian people and encouraged the international community to ensure that there was no impunity for such crimes, stressing that the Syrian authorities had failed to prosecute alleged perpetrators. The Council rejected proposed amendments to the resolution by a vote of 33 against, eight for and six abstentions.
Read the full report of the United Nations Human Rights Coucil
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