The 51st Session of the Human Rights Council 

12 September 2022 – 7 October 2022

Item 4 : General debate  

27th September 2022

Statement with Meezaan Center for Human Rights and Geneva International Centre for Justice

Delivered by Martin Browne / GICJ

President,

Addressing some general concerns covering the mechanisms under Item 4. 

Their operation needs reform only to the extent that they must be fully resourced in order to be effective in carrying out their agreed mandates as endorsed by states and civil society. 

Resources are required due to the detail required for producing accurate substantive reports, establishing liability, helping accountability and achieving successful prosecutions of identified crimes.

Despite the expansion of these bodies' work - there are still countries outside of the specific mandates where there are serious, grave, and ongoing human rights concerns that require greater attention within this Council.

We should focus on precise steps to protect the rights of people in Iraq which have unfortunately been ignored in recent years. Yet people in Iraq are suffering from the effects of rampant enforced disappearances and the destabilising effects of sectarian violence. This has included unlawful killings, denial of basic services and the violent repression of peaceful protestors in 2019 and continuing to the events in Baghdad just 3 weeks ago.

States calling this body’s processes “political” do not help the process of accountability to become less political by sitting on the sidelines and criticising without proposing alternative methods of achieving justice for victims around the world. 

Meezaan Center for Human Rights and Geneva International Centre for Justice strongly urge all states to give real, practical, and effective support to the mechanisms as necessary to increase accountability for serious crimes and achieve justice for victims around the world.

Thank you.