UN rights chief slams 'strangulation of civil society'

The UN rights chief voiced alarm Monday at attempts by several countries to silence human rights defenders and other civil society members, including those who cooperate with his office.

"I am profoundly concerned about this strangulation of civil society in several countries," Volker Turk told the United Nations Human Rights Council.

In his opening address to the new session of the council, he voiced particular concern about attacks against people who cooperate with the UN and try to sound the alarm about rights abuses in their countries.

Turk did not name specific countries, but did say his concerns included actions by a number of members of the 47-member council.

Council-member China is among countries repeatedly accused of intimidation and reprisals by rights groups and non-governmental organizations.

"Attacks on people for their cooperation with the UN are a particularly insidious form of non-cooperation, and can have a chilling effect across the civic space," Turk said.

He pointed out that the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had issued 13 reports in as many years about such intimidation and reprisals, with information about more than 700 cases or incidents in 77 countries.

The 2022 report, he said, "includes allegations of incidents in 42 countries."

"Twelve of those states are current members of this council."

Turk warned though that the annual report on reprisals "does not provide a complete picture".

"When intimidation and repression of civil society is so intense that people simply refrain from taking the risk of cooperating with international bodies, we will receive no reports of reprisals, because nobody dares to interact with us."

Council president Vaclav Balek told reporters last week that he had recently dealt with two cases of alleged reprisals, without providing further details.

Earlier Monday, Balek told the council members he would not stand for such actions during the four-week session.

"The active participation of representatives of civil society national human rights institutions is part of the foundation of the Human Rights Council," he said.

"As president, I will follow up on all reported allegations of acts of reprisal and intimidation, committed against individuals or groups who have cooperated with the council, its mechanisms and procedures."

 

AFP