Council adopts resolutions on the situation of humans rights in the Syrian Arab Republic, and on cooperation with the United Nations
The Human Rights Council this afternoon appointed a Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of climate change, and a
Special Rapporteur to monitor the situation of human rights in Burundi.
In a resolution on the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of climate change, adopted by a vote of 42 in favour, 1 against and 4 abstentions, the Council decided to appoint, for a period of three years, a Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of climate change. The Council also requested the Advisory Committee of the Human Rights Council to conduct a study and to prepare a report, in close cooperation with the Special Rapporteur, on the impact of new technologies for climate protection on the enjoyment of human rights.
Concerning the situation of human rights in Burundi, the Council adopted a resolution by a vote of 21 in favour, 15 against and 11 abstentions, in which it decided to appoint a Special Rapporteur mandated to monitor the situation of human rights in Burundi, to make recommendations for its improvement, to collect, examine and assess information from all relevant stakeholders pertaining to the human rights in Burundi, building upon the work of the Commission of Inquiry, to advise the Government of Burundi in fulfilling its human rights obligations emanating from international treaties, and to offer support and advice to civil society and to the National Independent Human Rights Commission in executing its independent mandate of promoting and protecting human rights as well as in raising awareness on human rights issues.
On the situation of human rights in the Syrian Arab Republic, the Council adopted a resolution by a vote of 23 in favour, 7 against and 17 abstentions, in which it expressed grave concern that the crisis in the Syrian Arab Republic continued and that the conflict had been marked by consistent patterns of gross violations and abuses of international human rights law and violations of international humanitarian law, strongly condemned all violations and abuses and the ongoing human rights situation, demanded that all parties immediately comply with their respective obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law, and emphasized the need to ensure that all those responsible for such violations and abuses were held to account.
The Council also adopted a resolution on cooperation with the United Nations, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights, in which it condemned all acts of intimidation or reprisal, both online and offline, by State and non-State actors against individuals and groups who seek to cooperate, cooperate or have cooperated with the United Nations, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights. The Council urged States to take all appropriate measures to prevent the occurrence of acts of intimidation or reprisal, whether online or offline, including, where necessary, by adopting and implementing specific legislation and policies to promote a safe and enabling environment for engagement with the United Nations on human rights and to effectively protect those who seek to cooperate, cooperate or have cooperated with the United Nations, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights from any act of intimidation or reprisal.
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 forty-eighth regular session can be found here.
The Council will next meet on Monday, 11 October at 10 a.m. to resume its action on draft resolutions and decisions.
Action on Resolution under the Agenda Item 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/48/L.27) on the Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of climate change, adopted by a vote of 42 in favour, 1 against and 4 abstentions, the Council decides to appoint, for a period of three years, a Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of climate change, whose mandate, inter alia, includes to report annually to the Human Rights Council, starting from its fiftieth session, and to the General Assembly at its seventy-seventh session. The Council also requests the Advisory Committee of the Human Rights Council to conduct a study and to prepare a report, in close cooperation with the Special Rapporteur, on the impact of new technologies for climate protection on the enjoyment of human rights, and to submit the report to the Council at its fifty-fourth session.
The results of the vote were as follows:
In favour (42): Argentina, Austria, Armenia, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Fiji, France, Gabon, Germany; Indonesia, Italy, Libya, Malawi, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mexico, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Republic of Korea, Senegal, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Uzbekistan and Venezuela.
Against (1): Russian Federation.
Abstentions (4): China, Eritrea, India and Japan.
Action on Resolutions under the Agenda Item on Human Rights Situations that Require the Council’s Attention
In a resolution (A/HRC/48/L.10) on the Situation of human rights in the Syrian Arab Republic, adopted by a vote of 23 in favour, 7 against and 17 abstentions, the Council expresses grave concern that the crisis in the Syrian Arab Republic continues and that the conflict has been marked by consistent patterns of gross violations and abuses of international human rights law and violations of international humanitarian law, strongly condemns all violations and abuses and the ongoing human rights situation, demands that all parties immediately comply with their respective obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law, emphasizes the need to ensure that all those responsible for such violations and abuses are held to account; and decides to remain seized of the matter.
The results of the vote were as follows:
In favour (23): Argentina, Austria, Bahamas, Bulgaria, Cote d’Ivoire, Czech Republic, Denmark, Fiji, France, Gabon, Germany, Italy, Japan, Malawi, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Netherlands, Poland, Republic of Korea, Togo, Ukraine, United Kingdom and Uruguay.
Against (7): Armenia, Bolivia, China, Cuba, Eritrea, Russian Federation and Venezuela.
Abstentions (17): Bahrain, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, India, Indonesia, Libya, Mauritania, Namibia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Senegal, Somalia, Sudan and Uzbekistan.
In a resolution (A/HRC/48/L.19/Rev.1) on the Situation of human rights in Burundi, adopted by a vote of 21 in favour, 15 against and 11 abstentions, , the Council decides to appoint a Special Rapporteur mandated to monitor the situation of human rights in Burundi, to make recommendations for its improvement, to collect, examine and assess information from all relevant stakeholders pertaining to the human rights in Burundi, building upon the work of the Commission of Inquiry, to advise the Government of Burundi in fulfilling its human rights obligations emanating from international treaties, and to offer support and advice to civil society and to the National Independent Human Rights Commission in executing its independent mandate of promoting and protecting human rights as well as in raising awareness on human rights issues. The Council further requests the Special Rapporteur to present to the Human Rights Council, at its fiftieth session, an oral update on the situation of human rights in Burundi and also to submit to the Council, at its fifty-first session, and to the General Assembly, at its seventy-seventh session, a comprehensive written report.
The results of the vote were as follows:
In favour (21): Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Bahamas, Brazil, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Fiji, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Netherlands, Poland, Republic of Korea, Ukraine, United Kingdom and Uruguay.
Against (15): Bolivia, Cameroon, China, Cuba, Eritrea, Gabon, Libya, Malawi, Mauritania, Pakistan, Philippines, Russian Federation, Somalia, Togo and Venezuela.
Abstentions (11): Bahrain, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, India, Indonesia, Namibia, Nepal, Senegal, Sudan and Uzbekistan.
Action on Resolution under the Agenda Item on Human Rights Bodies and Mechanisms
In a resolution (A/HRC/48/L.21/Rev.1) on Cooperation with the United Nations, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights, adopted without a vote as orally revised, the Council condemns all acts of intimidation or reprisal, both online and offline, by State and non-State actors against individuals and groups who seek to cooperate, cooperate or have cooperated with the United Nations, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights. The Council urges States to take all appropriate measures to prevent the occurrence of acts of intimidation or reprisal, whether online or offline, including, where necessary, by adopting and implementing specific legislation and policies to promote a safe and enabling environment for engagement with the United Nations on human rights and to effectively protect those who seek to cooperate, cooperate or have cooperated with the United Nations, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights from any act of intimidation or reprisal. The Council invites the Secretary-General to continue to provide the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights with adequate resources to prevent and address allegations of acts of intimidation or reprisal in the most effective and gender-responsive manner, and invites the Secretary-General to submit the report he or she presents annually to the Human Rights Council on cooperation with the United Nations, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights also to the General Assembly, starting from its seventy-seventh session.
Before adopting the resolution, the Council voted on and rejected amendments L.50 and L.52-57.