Madam President,
FIDH welcomes the adoption by the Human Rights Council (HRC) of a resolution on [the human rights situation in] Belarus, as well as the support shown by the international community towards ensuring a peaceful outcome to the crisis.
We regret the decision taken by Mr. Lukashenko to go ahead with self-inaugurating the Presidential mandate at a time when peaceful protesters continue to gather in the thousands to denounce the electoral process. Such attitute only serves to fuel the crisis, and detroys any hope of a credible dialogue. We call for the end of human rights violations and abuses [1] against peaceful protesters, human rights defenders, journalists and media workers.
FIDH and its member organisations are also concerned over the political dynamics relating to situations in China, in the Philippines, in Egypt, and in Gaza: Member States of the HRC must show leadership and take action to protect human rights, as well as human rights international norms and standards.
Regarding China, we are appalled by the scale of ongoing systematic rights restrictions and abuses in Hong Kong [Special Administrative Region (HKSAR)], in [the] Inner Mongolia[n Autonomous Region (IMAR)], in Tibet [Autonomous Region (TAR)], and in Xinjiang [Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR)]. As a candidate for the HRC, China must ratify the [International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights] ICCPR and implement recommendations made in the UPR process, by Treaty Bodies and by Special Procedures, including the Independent Expert on rights of older persons.
[The ICCPR, along with the ICESCR, is also enshrined in the National Security Law for the HKSAR. As the law authorizes application of mainland law in certain cases, ICCPR ratification by China—long overdue—is critical to ensuring the effective protection of fundamental rights and freedoms.]
Moreover, we reiterate our call for an international independent mechanism to address the Chinese government’s human rights violations, and urge you to take decisive action to achieve this goal [2].
I thank you.