UN Human Rights Council 41: Statement under Item 2
The UK welcomed the High Commissioner’s statement and highlighted concerns of human rights violations and abuses in several countries, including in Cameroon, Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia and Nicaragua.
The Human Rights Council takes place in Geneva.
Thank you Mr President
The United Kingdom welcomes the High Commissioner’s report.
We express our deep condolences for the many people killed in the appalling attacks in Sri Lanka over Easter. We stand in solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka and stress the need for an inclusive response that builds trust among all communities, including respect for freedom of religion or belief. We urge Sri Lanka to maintain its moratorium on the use of the death penalty
We remain deeply concerned by serious human rights violations and abuses in Cameroon’s North and South-West regions, and the further narrowing of political space. We note Cameroon’s openness to engaging with the UN on human rights, but this must now be matched by a credible political dialogue that addresses the root causes of conflict.
We urge the Philippines to conduct thorough investigations into all killings associated with the war on drugs, and to ensure the safety of human rights defenders and media professionals. We strongly urge against any re-instatement of the death penalty.
In Vietnam, we are concerned about restrictions on freedom of expression and on media freedom. We encourage the acceptance of our recent UPR recommendations. We welcome Vietnam’s commitment to use its UNSC seat to address the legacy of conflicts and to support women, peace and security issues.
Kem Sokha’s continuing detention without trial in Cambodia is of grave concern. We urge Cambodia to maintain open and constructive dialogue with the EU on Everything But Arms trade procedures, to prevent negative impacts on the most vulnerable.
In Nicaragua, we welcome the release of political prisoners, and call for any remaining in custody to be freed. We are concerned that the recent amnesty law suppresses free speech and provides impunity to perpetrators of violent repression.
I echo the High Commissioner’s comments about Hong Kong. We welcome the decision to suspend the extradition bill indefinitely, but events of the past week show that large sections of Hong Kong’s public remain concerned. We encourage dialogue between all sides.
Thank you.