The 33rd regular session of the Human Rights Council was held in Geneva from 13 September to 30 September 2016. The Council adopted 31 resolutions on a variety of issues, as well as the Council’s report for the session and the outcome of the Universal Periodic Review of 14 countries. Moreover, five Special Procedures mandate holders and seven members of the Advisory Committee have been appointed.

In his opening statement, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, brought to the attention of the Council an emerging pattern: the growing denial to grant OHCHR, or the human rights mechanisms, access to countries in general or to specific regions. These refusals include: unreasonable delays, elaborately ritualised and unjustifiably prolonged negotiations as well as responses to certain inquires which seemingly seek to deceive the Office with inadequate alternatives to real, fact-based assessments.

The High Commissioner stated that governmental blocking of international observers from investigating into the human rights violations will not make them disappear, but will rather raise suspicions on what are these governments actually hiding.

When it comes to Syria, neither the OHCHR nor the Commission of Inquiry have been allowed to access the country since the beginning of the crisis in 2011.

Notwithstanding the good technical cooperation made by the Islamic Republic of Iran prior to 2013, the country has not given access to OHCHR after this date either. All proposals of engagement were systematically overlooked, despite the grave human rights violations taking place in the country, such as, the large scale of issuance of death sentences, religious and ethnic discrimination and prosecution of minorities and women, as well as restrictions imposed on human rights defenders, lawyers and journalists.

The High Commissioner also recalled the long record of refusal of cooperation by Israel with most of the country-specific special rapporteurs, including the denial of access to the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

With regards to Yemen, despite the broad access gained by the Office in the country, the National Commission of Inquiry was not able to provide the Office with its outcome results on the serious allegations of human rights abuses. Therefore, the High Commissioner recommended to appoint an international independent body instead, in order to investigate into the alleged crimes.

Resolutions

At the end of the session, several resolutions were adopted by the Council, addressing different pressing issues.

Under the HRC’s agenda item on human rights situations that require the Council’s attention (Item 4), the Human Rights Council adopted resolution no. A/HRC/33/L.30, on the human rights situation in the Syrian Arab Republic. It asked Syria to cease its use of chemical weapons and demanded that full, immediate and safe access of humanitarian actors is granted to the places in need.

Moreover, the Council strongly condemned the military aggression and the indiscriminate shelling on the civilian population in eastern Aleppo committed by pro-governmental forces.

The Council called upon all parties to stop these acts against civilians and to urgently work on the implementation of the Geneva Communiqué.

On Yemen, following a long debate, the Council adopted resolution no. A/HRC/33/L.5, under agenda item 10, by consensus, which urged all the parties to the conflict to stand on their obligations under international human rights law and international humanitarian law.

Furthermore, the Council asked the High Commissioner to assign more international human rights experts in order to complement the investigatory work of the Yemeni National Commission of Inquiry.

With regards to the question of Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, no resolution has been adopted raising great concern among civil society, including Geneva International Centre for Justice (GICJ). The Centre has many times expressed its distress towards the decreasing attention of the Council towards this important matter and will continue to do so in the coming sessions.

Finally, resolutions demanding all States to implement comprehensive transitional justice strategies and to develop mechanisms to address the past atrocities, as well as promoting and protecting all human rights, were also adopted by the Council during this session.

GICJ Participation

GICJ participated in the 33rd session of the Human Rights Council by delivering several oral statements as well as submitting a number of written statements. Besides, it organized four side events on different topics, particularly on the human rights situation in Iraq and Yemen. The oral statements delivered by GICJ jointly with other NGOs can be watched in the next section, and official copies of the reports submitted as released by the Human Rights Council will be available to download at the bottom of the page, along with the summaries and videos of the side events.

GICJ ORAL STATEMENTS

GICJ delivered several joint oral statements under items 2, 3,4, 7, 8, 9 and 10 of the agenda of the Council, focusing mainly on the grave human rights violations in Iraq, Palestine and Yemen as well as with the critical growing issue of racism and racial discrimination across different parts of the world. GICJ also delivered three joint oral statements during the interactive dialogues respectively with the Special Rapporteur on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order, the Special Rapporteur on unilateral coercive measures and the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent.

General debate under agenda Item 3 Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development

Delivered by Ms. Alessia Vedano

Mr. Vice President,

This is a joint statement by EAFORD and Geneva International Centre for Justice. We would like to thank the High Commissioner for his report and join his urgent appeals to Member States to grant access to the OHCHR over their territories. We believe this is essential for the protection and promotion of human rights.

However, even where the access is granted, a mere “UN presence” is not enough. All countries need to engage with the mechanism in a genuine, impartial manner and in the best interest for human rights.

Unfortunately, we have witnessed many instances in which this does not occur. Iraq is perhaps a striking example. Despite that the country formally cooperates with the UN, the human rights violations occurring on ground are increasing rather than diminishing.

Although the UN has welcomed the establishment of an Iraqi commission of inquiry regarding the grave violations committed in Fallujah by state-affiliated militias, mainly al-Hashd al-Shaabi, so far, these investigations have led to nothing. We therefore demand the Human Rights Council to establish an independent commission of inquiry and the Iraqi Government to fully cooperate with this without further delay.

Moreover, we are concerned with the increasingly worrying issues of racism across the world, and, at the meantime, with the decreased attention of the UN on this matter.

We are worried for the reduction of resources for the anti-racism activities of the OHCHR, and believe that it was inappropriate of the Office to remain silent on the 15th Anniversary of the adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action.

The silence around important international instruments for the protection against all forms of racism and xenophobia means depriving many victims of the protection they need during this time of crisis. We call on the OHCHR to help prepare a multiyear outreach programme for the DDPA mobilisation to be adopted by the Council and to commemorate the 15th Anniversary of the DDPA with the high visibility it deserves.

Thank you.

Delivered by Ms. Anne Béatrice de Gressot

Joint statement with International Lawyers.

Thank you Mr President.

This is a joint statement with Geneva International Centre for Justice. We would like to thank the High Commissioner for this update and join his call for better protection of human life and dignity.

We would like to express our strong distress on the persistent lack of efficient redress of gross and systematic violations of international humanitarian and human rights law in the war-torn Middle East. Deliberate targeting of populated areas by the military forces of the UN-member states under the pretext of fighting ISIS is unacceptable. The protection of civilians and refugees should remain the utmost priority.

We receive countless testimonies of summary executions, arbitrary detention, rape, disturbing practices of torture and ill-treatment committed by militias and the security forces of the states involved in the armed conflicts in Syria, Yemen and Iraq. These widespread and systematic gross human rights violations taking place for years cannot be ignored and regarded as isolated incidents; the perpetrators should be brought to justice and victims compensated.

For example, Iraqi authorities continue to exert excessive force against certain components of society. The “liberation campaigns” conducted by them are in fact used to carry out policies of ethnic cleansing against the Sunni minority.

The pro-government militias, mainly al-Hashd al-Shaabi, financially and logistically supported by Iran, claim to fight ISIS but, in fact, they implement their own sectarian agenda in the region by committing horrendous war crimes. Moreover, the extraordinary use of violence by third states has caused extreme untold suffering.

Finally, we take this opportunity to urge you to give greater attention to the dissemination and implementation of the DDPA. The scourage of racial discrimination and other insidious forms of discrimination continue to be a significant obstacle to respect for human rights. We urge your office to better understand why actions, some mandated by the UNGA, has not been taken to date. Your Office must be made fit for the purpose of combating discrimination based on the mandate of the DDPA.

Thank you.

Delivered by Ms. Alessia Vedano

Thank you Mr Vice President,

We would like first of all to thank the Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order for his report. Our organizations are extremely supportive of the preventive and corrective actions recommended in the report, especially with regards to the use of trade to promote human rights and social development.

The past decades have witnessed a rapid increase of adverse human rights impact following the growing number of international investment agreements, bilateral investment treaties and multilateral free trade agreements. Too often these have led to the privatization of gains and the socialization of losses (to use Mr De Zayas’ formulation) as well as more serious consequences, including life losses, harm, displacement, and irreparable environmental damage. These crimes are grave and serious and shall bear penal responsibility.

Our organizations are also concerned, as the Independent Expert has diligently pointed out, with the threat to the international order posed by foreign intervention in the internal affairs of States. The 2005 concept of “Responsibility to Protect” must not be used as a pretext to circumvent the prohibition of the use of force stipulated in the Charter of the United Nations.

In these regards, we welcome the invitation of the Independent Expert to reformulate the doctrine so that it reflects a broader duty to protect the populations from structural violence and avoid its misuse.

In conclusion, our organizations wish to join the recommendations made by Mr De Zayas and reiterate the importance for States, Governments and other entities to guarantee the protection of human rights as well as environmental safeguard at all circumstances. In this context, the Human Rights Council shall encourage all States to amend existing trade agreements to adhere with human rights treaty obligations and ensure the protection of all people from politically and economically-motivated violence. The achievement of such goals would represent a milestone towards the establishment of a genuinely equitable international order.

Thank you,

Delivered by Ms. Anne Béatrice de Gressot

Thank you Mr Vice President,

This is joint statement by International-Lawyers.Org and Geneva International Centre for Justice. Our organizations welcome the reports of the Special Rapporteur and the independent expert. These two mandates address some of the most serious impediments to the fulfillment of human rights existing in the world today.

We welcome the Special Rapporteur’s report on means of redress for victims of unilateral coercive measures. Through experience, the lawyers of our organization have witnessed the failure of both international and domestic mechanisms in addressing the injuries suffered by innocent victims of unilateral coercive measures. We therefore strongly support the Special Rapporteur’s call to States to consider using international forums, which apply international human rights law, for the settlement of disputes among them. We also welcome the recommendations to States to consider submitting to the International Court of Justice a request for an Advisory Opinion on the legality of unilateral coercive measures. We offer our support and that of our network of lawyers in preparing such requests.

Similarly, we welcome the report of the independent expert on bilateral investment treaties and multilateral free trade agreements. As he reiterated, these agreements must be consistent with existing international human rights law. When they are not so, they should be a serious concern of the Council. We believe that this is the case of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, a multilateral free trade agreement, being negotiated between the United States and Europe. We welcome the apparent suspension of negotiations, partly based on the refusal of the European Union to accept United States demands that would violate the social and economic rights of Europeans. What is the independent expert’s view on these negotiations?

Thank you

Delivered by Ms. Anne Béatrice de Gressot

Thank you Mr. President

International-Lawyers.org is concerned about the ongoing and widespread violations of Palestinians rights caused by the intentional actions of Israel with the purpose of destroying these people in whole or in part. This Council has a responsibility to act immediately to end these violations and Israel’s impunity for genocide.

We also draw attention to the violence in Iraq, Syria, Libya, and Afghanistan, that has caused massive violations of human rights. We note that all of these situations were caused by the United States and its allies’ illegal use of force. Nevertheless, the US has done little to help these people. Moreover, even in specific cases the US seem to encourage violations of human rights. In Iraq, for example, Shawki Ahmed Omar has been arbitrarily detained and tortured by the United States and Iraq for more than a decade. No action has been taken to implement the 2014 WGAD decision calling for his release. Even U.S. Vice-Presidential candidate Tim Kaine, who is Shawki’s senator, refuses to assist his constituent. Similarly, countless cases of unfair trial, torture, arbitrary detention and executions have been documented in Egypt, where the military took power through unconstitutional means and remains in power with the support of the United States.

In, Switzerland, a US ally, Mohammed el Ghanem remains arbitrarily detained and scarred for life by the Swiss authorities who imprisoned him a decade ago. According to his lawyer, this was due to his refusal to spy on Muslims. He has never been convicted with any offense and his detention was ordered by Swiss security officials in clear violation of his human rights.

We welcome the concerns of the Special Rapporteur on water regarding the plight of women and girls who are increasingly denied access to water. We urge him to review dam projects denying such right.

Finally, we are shocked at the fact that some States continue to deny the right to development as a basic human right. This right is found in treaties as well as multiple instruments reiterating its customary value. Denying the right to development brings disrepute to the Council. This must stop.

Delivered by Ms. Iman Abu Zueiter.

Thank you Mr. President,

This is a joint statement by EAFORD and Geneva International Centre for Justice.

It is clear from the reports submitted to the Human Rights Council 33rd Session that human rights violations are widespread, violence has become intrinsic to the system and the lack of justice has become widely accepted. Not to mention the right to reparation, which appears to be a utopia for the majority of the victims.

The ongoing decades-long conflict in Palestine is a striking example of this. Countless human rights abuses are taking place on a daily basis. These include: house demolitions, demolition of internationally funded community projects, forced evictions, illegal arbitrary detentions, restrictions of all sorts, including denied access to water. These are clear features of an apartheid system steeped in policies of denials and lies.

Iraq is another case to suffer the same fate. Until today, the Iraqi population is still facing the consequences of the 2003 US-led invasion and occupation of the country which has caused over two million victims and led to the total collapse of the Iraqi state. Countless human rights violations including a collapse in the educational and health sectors, debilitating generations that will suffer the consequences. The establishment of a pro-invasion administration which incorporated the militias into the regular armed forces has created the basis for the highly explosive environment that provokes lawlessness. Militias are responsible for horrible crimes against civilians, such as enforced disappearance, torture, massive destruction and forced displacement, among others.

We believe in the importance of pursuing accountability for these grave human rights violations. If those committing crimes against humanity and war crimes were to be brought to justice, the world would be perhaps a little safer today. On the contrary, the lack of accountability sets dangerous precedents and legitimizes the excessive use of force.

Therefore, we urge the international community to take all the appropriate measures in order to ensure that justice is finally achieved.

Thank you.

Oral statements under agenda item 4 - Human rights situations that require the Council’s attention.

Delivered by Ms. Alessia Vedano

Thank you Mr Vice President,

This is a joint statement by EAFORD and Geneva International Centre for Justice.  Our organizations would like to draw the Council’s attention to the dangerous threat that the lack of accountability and justice pose on international peace and stability.

After all the hard lessons from history, in 2016 injustice and double-standards still dominate modern society.

Israel’s occupation of Palestine is a glaring case in question. How long will the Palestinian people continue to wait for the international community to take the required measures to end Israeli policies of racism which have resulted in the displacement of an entire population as well as countless human rights abuses, including house demolitions and forced evictions?

The situation in Iraq is not less grave: the illegal 2003 US-led invasion and occupation of the country has resulted in over two million victims and led to the total collapse of the state. The establishment of a sectarian pro-invasion administration set the foundations for the current proliferation of criminal militias and terrorist groups. Yet, after 13 years Iraqis have not even received an official apology!

On the contrary, today innocent civilians are paying the price of interest-driven Western policies. Pro-government militias are allowed – actually encouraged- to carry out policies of ethnic cleansing against the Sunni population.

Likewise, the situation in Yemen is just as astonishing: The Houthi militias, who refuse all initiatives for a peaceful settlement of the conflict, would not be able to sustain the ongoing war, if it wasn’t for Iran’s support. Yet again, Iran can sponsor murderous militias facing no consequences whatsoever.

Impunity for the perpetrators of these heinous crimes, whose violence seems to have somehow been legitimized, is undermining the authority of international law, corrupting the culture of human right and shaming the struggle against racism.

We therefore believe that the time has come for the international community to address these serious concerns and take the appropriate measures in order to ensure accountability and justice.

Thank you

Delivered by Ms. Lamia Fadla

Thank you Mr. President,

This is a joint statement by International Lawyers and Geneva International Centre for Justice.

We want to bring to the attention of the Council that the escalation of the grave human rights violations in the Middle East is a typical result of the Western Policies in the region during the last decades.

The US invasion of Iraq was the starting point to the dangerous deteriorations that occurred in the region. The invasion was accommodated with the gravest human rights abuses, a total destruction in the infrastructure, displacement of millions of Iraqis, and exposure of hundreds of thousands to torture. However, we did not hear anything about this in this Council. Moreover, no special rapporteur on the human rights situation in Iraq has been ever appointed, and no international tribunal has been formed in order to trial the invaders and require them to pay full compensation to the country.

The same happened to Libya. The county has been totally destroyed, mess has been spread over and extremism were supported. This has led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands, to the absence of state authority and the destruction of educational and health institutions.

In Syria, we witness a miserable failure of the international community, as violence became widespread with the support and the cooperation of several international parties. The people of Syria have paid the price of this while looking forward to a peaceful solution of their tragedy that will bring peace and unity to the state.

Yemen is also witnessing very serious developments. Houthi Militias continue to reject all the peace plans of the UN and rather keep on committing the most egregious violations of human rights with the support of some regional parties on purely sectarian bases.

Mr. President, we look forward that practical procedures would be finally taken against all these violations in order to achieve justice and to promote and respect human rights everywhere in this world.

Thank you.

Oral statements under agenda item 7 - Human rights situation in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories.

Delivered by Ms. Iman Abu Zueiter.

Thank you Mr. President.

This is a joint statement by EAFORD and Geneva International Centre for Justice.

The ongoing decades-long conflict in Palestine is a source for systematic and widespread human rights violations against Palestinian people. For more than half a century, Palestinians are suffering badly from grave human rights abuses resulted from the Israeli occupation oppressive and unjust policies.

In the West Bank, Israel keeps confiscating more and more lands from Palestinians to build unlawful settlements and facilitate the transfer of Israelis to the occupied West Bank, while imposing restrictions of all sorts against the Palestinian population making their lives even harder.

Arbitrary detention is also a common phenomenon in the West Bank. Under the cover of “administrative detention”, Israel is holding high numbers of Palestinians in custody for extended periods of time, without upper time limit, without trials, without informing them or their lawyers of the charges against them, in an obvious misuse of the concept and a breach of International law.

Collective Punishment is a regular practice against Palestinians as well. In the West Bank, this takes the form of demolitions of the family houses of the accused or suspected in carrying out attacks against Israelis, causing harm to those who have nothing to do with the allegedly committed attacks.

In the Gaza strip this takes the form of a ten years-long blockade. Besides the severe restrictions imposed on civilians’ movement, people are also deprived of their basic daily needs; such as goods, clean water, fossil fuels, building materials, and electricity. Obviously this has horrible consequences and constitutes a serious breach of the fundamental human rights of the 1.8 million inhabitants.

The international community has a duty over the Palestinian population, to put an end to the ongoing collective punishment of civilians. People in Palestine need more than mere humanitarian assistance. They need to live in dignity in their recognized Palestinian territories out of fear.

Therefore, we urge the international community to take immediate action to stop these grave human rights violations. Achieving this will bring us a step closer to the long awaited peace.

Thank you.

Delivered by Ms. Anne Béatrice de GRESSOT

Thank you Mr. President.

This is a joint statement by International Lawyers and Geneva International Centre for Justice.

The day-to-day life of the Palestinian people has been one for dramatic news headlines for more than half a century now. Yet, nothing is changing and the situation, in fact, seems to get worse. In total breach of the international obligations incumbent upon the occupying power, Israel has been oppressing and discriminating the Palestinians through various means.

The ongoing and widespread Israeli settlements in the OPT, especially the West Bank and East Jerusalem, are the cause of massive forced displacements and of severe restrictions of movement for the Palestinian people. These practices, often backed by a disproportionate and ideologically-motivated military presence, violate both their right to enjoy basic living standards and their right to return as established in international human rights and humanitarian law. To add an insult to an injury, these actions are openly carried out under the eyes of the world and without any care of the consequences.

In addition, the harassing campaign of the Israeli authorities seems to see absolutely no end. On the contrary, the violence only increases as shown by the regular grave violations committed against the Palestinians, more heinous every time. On Tuesday in Hebron, Israeli soldiers were photographed beating a Palestinian man, allegedly because he was resisting arrest. The pictures show a man, barefoot, pinned to the ground by 5 soldiers and roughly manhandled.

The total impunity granted to Israel regarding these war crimes and crimes against humanity is horrendous. The tacit complicity of the international community, which has been standing by for too long, has allowed the Israeli authorities to carry out this apartheid regime for decades. In this regard, the boycott of Item 7 of the agenda by the Council itself, several countries and international organizations is totally unacceptable. How long before the item is totally wiped out of the programme of work? The international community has a shared responsibility to take the appropriate measures on order to ensure the respect of the human dignity of the Palestinian people.

Thank you.

Oral statements under agenda item 8 - Follow-up and implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action.

Delivered by Ms. Anne Béatrice de GRESSOT

Thank you Mr Vice President,

This is a joint statement by International Lawyers and Geneva International Centre for Justice.

The Preamble of the VDPA clearly calls upon the peoples of the world and all States Members of the United Nations -and I quote- “to rededicate themselves to the global task of promoting and protecting all human rights and fundamental freedoms”-end quote-. 23 years have gone by since, and one would think that the human rights situation would have been at least a bit more secure. On the contrary, paradoxically, all the instruments and mechanisms established by the international community are shamelessly disregarded by their very same creators.

Why, one may ask. Protecting the human rights of all requires a genuine commitment that puts human race as the focal point. In a society built upon economic and political interests, where the wealth of a minority prevails upon the wellbeing of the majority, human rights will never be a priority.

As a matter of fact, Super Powers have been pursuing their own interests around the world at whatever human cost this might have. The current chaos tearing apart the whole Middle East, and for instance Iraq, Syria and Yemen showcase the total disregard of the international community for life. The very governments of these war-torn countries are also more interested in acquiring and maintaining their despotic power rather than fulfilling their duty to protect their people.

We are also particularly concerned with the repetitive interference by an increasing number of countries and institutions, with the right to freedom of expression when it comes to reporting human rights violations. The UN itself should set a better example. We refer to the limitations imposed on Inner City Press as an apparent act of retaliation for reporting on scandals involving corruption within the UN.  We urge the UN to cease such reprisals, to restore the full rights of access to Inner City Press, and to ensure mechanisms are put into place to protect against such abuses in the future.

Furthermore, we urge all State Members, especially those sitting at this Council, to remember that human rights are an obligation not an option.

Thank you

Oral statements under agenda item 9 - Racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related forms of intolerance, follow-up and implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action.

Delivered by Ms. Iman Abu Zueiter.

Thank you Mr. President

This is a joint statement by EAFORD and Geneva International Centre for Justice,

Discrimination and racism are among the ongoing threats that overwhelm our modern world. People in different parts of the world are heavily suffering of various forms of discrimination, xenophobia and intolerance.

On the other side, the UN OHCHR cut in resources provided for fighting racism affects the effectiveness of the Office to work on issues safeguarded by the Durban Declaration and Program of Action.  This results in decrease of attention paid and protection provided to the victims during this time of crisis.

One tackling case is the apartheid system practiced against the ethnic and religious minorities living in Israel as well as Palestinians in the occupied territories. Arabs in Israel are living in impoverished communities surrounded by the Jews who are benefiting from most of the public resources. There are some of 50 discriminatory laws in Israel which either directly or indirectly discriminate against Palestinians in different aspects of life.

One of such is the discrimination by Israeli Prison Service (IPS) between Israeli and Palestinian prisoners categorizing the Palestinians as “security prisoners” even in cases with no apparent charge, or minor offences. This discriminatory policy deprives Palestinian prisoners of their rights even as simple as a telephone call.  Moreover, while non-Arab are tried before civilian courts, Palestinian civilians are tried before Israeli Military Courts for the same offences, in a clear form of discrimination.

Confiscation of Palestinian lands is a usual practice as well. The new built Jewish-Only settlements inside the occupied territories are benefiting from Israeli security protection, most of the resources and access to roads which formed to be for Jews only use.

These forms of discrimination practiced for decades and decades against Palestinians and the non-Jewish element in Israel and the occupied Palestine should not be tolerated any more. The international community have to give greater attention for the implementation of DDPA to provide protection and legal assistance for all the victims of discrimination.

Thank you.

Delivered by Ms. Alessia Vedano

Thank you Mr President,

This is a joint statement by EAFORD and Geneva International Centre for Justice. We would like to thank the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent for their detailed report. Indeed, we share their concerns with regards to the increasingly worrying “Afrophobic” sentiment spreading around the world, and in particular in those Western countries which have for centuries exploited these very same people for their own economic gains.

As the Working Group has put it, colonial history, the legacies of enslavement, racial subordination and segregation, and policies on race remain a serious challenge in many countries. We strongly agree with the Experts that addressing those forms of bias requires the adoption of regional and national laws to create the potential for restitution, compensation and satisfaction for those affected.

In addition, our organizations would like to highlight the danger posed by the spreading of Islamophobic ideologies across Europe following the latest waves of migration.  In these regards, a worrying number of radical political parties that promote hatred against Arab Muslims have gained wide consensus in the European political scene and overseas. These are only likely to increase racial discrimination and racism, which, as history teaches, can lead to catastrophic consequences. We therefore suggest that the Working Group takes this into careful account in their future reports.

Furthermore, we deeply regret that the UN is dedicating less and less attention to this important matter and certainly less resources to the anti-racism activities of the OHCHR. We believe that the Working Group should enhance its cooperation with civil society, as it represents an important asset in the promotion and protection of principles of equality and tolerance for diversity.

During this time of crisis, instruments to combat racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia should be created instead of being reduced. We therefore call on the Human Rights Council to adopt a multiyear outreach programme for the DDPA mobilisation, because, to quote Martin Luther King “our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

Thank you

Delivered by Ms. Lamia Fadla

A joint statement with the Union of Arab Jurists.

Thank you Mr. President,

It is regrettable to witness the outbreak of waves of racial hatred and discrimination, as well as religious intolerance in many countries, especially in the countries with an advanced approach to human rights. We also regret the unprecedented rising in racially motivated crimes and hatred rhetoric which helped in the spread of intolerance that typically results from aggressive trends of nationalism and ethnicity along with hatred of minorities.

In this context, we want to point out that the problem is actually lies in the ongoing neglect of these issues and the failure to protect refugees and immigrants. We express our deep concern in light of the dozens of reports we receive which document a wide range of discrimination against the refugees who are fleeing their war-torn countries. These include, racial profiling, excessive use of force, prevent access to health care, education, housing and employment among other human rights violations.

Therefore, we call on the international community to urgently address these violations in order to ensure full protection to refugees and migrants who became victims of negative stereotyping and aggression for the only fault of fleeing the conflict zones toward much safer countries with a hope of a better life.

On the other hand, Israeli Occupation forces continue its discriminative policies against the Arabs living in the occupied Palestinian territories and the Syrian Golan, as well as the Arab element inside Israel who are treating as second class residents in their own country occupied by Israel.

Therefore, we urge the Human Rights Council and United Nations Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights to pay more attention and allocate more resources to address the issues of racism, discrimination, xenophobia and aggression, to achieve further progress in the implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action and the related human rights instruments.

Thank you.  

Oral statements under agenda item 10 - Technical Assistance and Capacity Building.

Delivered by Ms. Iman Abu Zueiter.

Thank you Mr. President,

This is a joint statement by International Lawyers and Geneva International Centre for Justice.

Since the fall of the regime in 2011, Yemen has been torn apart by chaos. The situation deteriorated even more when militias took over the power in the capital Sana’a and the rest of the governorate in 2014.

Massive human rights violations are taking place in Yemen since then. Among which are violations conducted against women and children. Thousands of schools have been targeted leaving about 3 million children in Yemen without education. Abductions and recruitment of children are common practices as well in a clear breach of the International Convention on the Rights of the Child and its optional protocols.

Women are also subjected to grave human rights abuses; such as, abduction, torture, and inhumane and degrading treatment among others.

Enforced disappearance is practiced on a large-scale as well. Journalists, human rights activists, politicians and academics are among the targets who have been forcibly disappeared by militia al-Houthi and Saleh affiliated groups solely for practicing their right to freedom of expression. While in custody, the victims are exposed to the worst types of treatment and all forms of torture while held in inhumane circumstances.  All of which have led to the death of high number of persons either in custody or after their release.

Blockades of cities and complete areas in Yemen have been imposed by Houthis as well. This situation caused huge suffer for citizens and led to the total collapse of the public sector and to massive loss in human lives.

Human rights abuses in Yemen became countless, and while accountability is absent, suffer will continue. Therefore, we urge the member states of this Human Rights Council to provide all the needed support to the Yemeni National Commission of Inquiry to fulfil its mission in investigating into all the violations taking place in the country for years in order to finally bring justice to the region and rebuild the collapsing state.

Thank you.

Delivered by Alessia Vedano

Thank you Mr President

This is a joint statement by EAFORD and Geneva International Centre for Justice. As the High Commissioner for Human Rights well expressed in his update report yesterday afternoon, the situation of Yemen has become a truly dramatic one. Since 2011, Yemen has been the theatre of a number of simultaneous and overlapping armed conflicts which have been tearing the country apart.

The Houthi-Saleh militias have been authors of grave violations against innocent civilians. In particular we are extremely concerned with the persistent attacks on highly populated areas, including on residential buildings, public and private infrastructures, historic or cultural sites and places of worship.  In addition, the brutal militias have harassed and killed journalists and human rights defenders to undermine their freedom of expression.

We are acutely distressed by all cases of arbitrary deprivation of liberty, unlawful detention, enforced disappearance, intimidation, unlawful killing as well as sieges and blockades that have been committed at the hands of the same actors. How can Yemenis live even a resemblance of normal life when all of this occurs in total impunity?

The perpetuation of the conflict is having devastating consequences on the innocent population in Yemen, including women and children, who are trying to live a dignified life without fear and violence.

States are responsible for promoting and protecting the human rights of all persons who are in their territory, however, whereas such protection is not ensured, the international community has a duty to support national institutions in the implementation of human rights standards. Such interference shall be in accordance with the principles of state sovereignty and always respectful of human rights law and international law.

In this context, we urge this Council to enhance technical assistance and capacity building in order to fully support the Yemeni National Commission of Inquiry established to investigate the heinous crimes against humanity and war crimes committed against civilians, so that justice for Yemenis can finally be achieved and the perpetrators of the crimes stopped once for all.

Thank you

GICJ WRITTEN STATEMENTS

The participation of Geneva International Centre for Justice at the 33rd. session of the Human Rights Council included the submission of several written statements on various human rights issues, including the human rights violations in Iraq, Palestine and Yemen, as well as the current counterproductive approach of combating terrorism and the rise of racism against migrants.

Agenda item 3 - Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development

Al-Ahwaz an ongoing Tragedy

Iraq: New Laws Contradicting Basic Principles of Human Rights.

Grave Violations by Houthi Militias and Other Armed Groups in Yemen.

Assessing Fifteen Years of the War on Terror.

Agenda item 4 - Human rights situations that require the Council’s attention

The Chilcot Report: another list of unpunished wrongdoings!

Agenda item 7 - Human rights situation in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories

Palestine: The Lost Homeland

Palestine: Israeli Collective Punishment against Palestinians Constitutes a War Crime.

Agenda item 9 - Racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related forms of intolerance, follow-up and implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action

The Rising Tide of Racism against Migrant