The Human Rights Council this morning adopted six resolutions, appointing a Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation, and extending mandates on Afghanistan and the right to health.
The Council also adopted texts on human rights implications of new and emerging technologies in the military domain, human rights and transitional justice, and terrorism and human rights.
Concerning the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation, the Council strongly urged the Russian authorities to comply with all of the State’s obligations under international human rights law, and decided to appoint a special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation for a period of one year.
With regard to the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, the Council decided to extend and strengthen the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan for a period of one year, and to include in his mandate a child’s rights perspective and the responsibility to document and preserve information relating to human rights violations and abuses. It further requested the Special Rapporteur and the Working Group on discrimination against women and girls to prepare a report on the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan.
The Council decided to extend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health for a further period of three years.
Concerning human rights implications of new and emerging technologies in the military domain, the Council requested the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee to prepare a study examining the human rights implications of new and emerging technologies in the military domain. On human rights and transitional justice, the Council requested the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner to prepare a report on lessons learned and good practices of transitional justice in the context of sustaining peace and of sustainable development. As for terrorism and human rights, the Council invited the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism to pay attention to the negative effect of terrorism on the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and to make recommendations in this regard.
The webcast of the Human Rights Council meetings can be found here. All meeting summaries can be found here. Documents and reports related to the Human Rights Council’s fifty-first regular session can be found here.
The Council will resume its work at 1:30 p.m. to conclude taking action on 15 draft texts before concluding its regular fifty-first session.
Action on Resolution under Agenda Item Two on the Annual Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and Reports of the Office of the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General
In a resolution (A/HRC/51/L.27) on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, adopted by a vote of 29 in favour, 3 against and 15 abstentions, as orally revised, the Council decides to extend and strengthen the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan for a period of one year, and to include in his mandate a child’s rights perspective and the responsibility to document and preserve information relating to human rights violations and abuses, and to present a report to the Human Rights Council at its fifty-second session, an oral update at its fifty-fourth session, and a report to the General Assembly at its seventy-eighth session. The Council further requests the Special Rapporteur and the Working Group on discrimination against women and girls to prepare a report on the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan, and to present it to the Human Rights Council at its fifty-third session, to be followed by an enhanced interactive dialogue. The Council also decides that, in order to provide the support necessary to the mandate holder, the mandate holder shall continue to benefit from additional dedicated and specific resources and expertise to be provided by the Office of the High Commissioner. The Council also requests the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to end reporting on the implementation of Human Rights Council decision 2/113 of 27 November 2006 and Council resolution 14/15 of 18 June 2010, and requests the Office of the High Commissioner to enhance its monitoring and reporting on the overall situation of human rights in Afghanistan, and to update the Council thereon on an intersessional basis, as deemed necessary, and to present a comprehensive report to the Council at its fifty-fourth session, to be followed by an interactive dialogue.
The results of the vote were as follows:
In favour (29): Argentina, Armenia, Benin, Brazil, Cote d’Ivoire, Czechia, Finland, France, Gambia, Germania, Honduras, India, Japan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Montenegro, Namibia, Netherlands, Paraguay, Poland, Republic of Korea, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and United States.
Against (3): China, Pakistan and Venezuela.
Abstentions (15): Bolivia, Cameroon, Cuba, Eritrea, Gabon, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Libya, Mauritania, Nepal, Qatar, Senegal, Somalia, Sudan and Uzbekistan.
Before the Council took action on L.27, it considered and rejected amendments L.49 to L.54.
Action on Resolutions under Agenda Item Three on the Promotion and Protection of All Human Rights, Civil, Political, Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, including the Right to Development
In a resolution (A/HRC/51/L.5) on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, adopted without a vote as orally revised , the Council decides to extend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health for a further period of three years; encourages all Governments to respond favourably to requests made by the Special Rapporteur to visit their countries; and requests the Special Rapporteur to submit an annual report to the Council and to the General Assembly covering all activities relating to the mandate.
In a resolution (A/HRC/51/L.25) on human rights implications of new and emerging technologies in the military domain, adopted without a vote as orally revised, the Council requests the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee to prepare a study examining the human rights implications of new and emerging technologies in the military domain, while taking into account ongoing discussions about the applicable legal framework, and to present the study to the Human Rights Council at its sixtieth session. The Council also requests the Advisory Committee to seek the views of and inputs from and to take into account relevant work already done when preparing the above-mentioned study, and decides to remain seized of the matter.
In a resolution (A/HRC/51/L.33) on human rights and transitional justice, adopted without a vote (as orally revised), the Council requests the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to prepare a report on lessons learned and good practices of transitional justice in the context of sustaining peace and of sustainable development, notably Sustainable Development Goal 16, informed by prior regional meetings, and to present it to the Human Rights Council at its fifty-eighth session during an enhanced interactive dialogue.
Before the Council adopted L.33, it considered and rejected amendments L.64 and L.66.
In a resolution (A/HRC/51/L.42) on terrorism and human rights, adopted without a vote as orally revised, the Council strongly condemns all terrorist acts as criminal and unjustifiable, and expresses grave concern at their detrimental effects on the enjoyment of all human rights; the Council further stresses the responsibility of States to protect persons in their territory against terrorist acts, in full compliance with their obligations under international law, in particular international human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law; the Council invites the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism to pay attention to the negative effect of terrorism on the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and to make recommendations in this regard.
Action on Resolution under Agenda Item Four on Human Rights Situations that Require the Council’s Attention
In a resolution (A/HRC/51/L.13) on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation, adopted by a vote of 17 in favour, 6 against and 24 abstentions as orally revised, the Council strongly urges the Russian authorities to comply with all of the State’s obligations under international human rights law; decides to appoint a special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation for a period of one year, and requests the mandate holder to monitor the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation, to collect, examine and assess relevant information from all relevant stakeholders, to make recommendations, and to present a comprehensive report to the Council at its fifty-fourth session and to the General Assembly at its seventy-eighth session; and calls upon the Russian authorities to cooperate fully with the Special Rapporteur.
Source: UN Human Rights Council