Archive for the 'Syria' Category

Urgent Debate on Syria at the Human Rights Council

Published by
unwatch
- at May 29, 2013 in Syria. Closed

Today, the UN Human Rights Council met to discuss the recent atrocities in Syria. The “Urgent debate on Human Rights in the Syrian Arab Republic” stood out as one of the first times that Hezbollah was condemned for the bloodshed in Syria. In fact, the United States specifically condemned Hezbollah’s role in the massacre, while Australia expressed concern for Hezbollah’s recent involvement, and Canada stated that Hezbollah plays a destructive role in a campaign of violence. Overwhelmingly, many states, including the European Union urged the Security Council to refer the case to the International Criminal Court, while virtually all states called for a political, rather than military, solution.

However, not all countries were so adamant about attributing Syria’s ongoing violence to Hezbollah, or the Assad regime. Syria itself resorted to finger pointing and denial when attempting to shift the blame away from themselves, while Russia, Cuba, Ecuador, China, Iran, and North Korea, among others, denounced the ongoing debate. Continue reading ‘Urgent Debate on Syria at the Human Rights Council’

Hypocrisy: Syria & UN Health Assembly Slam Israel

Published by
unwatch
- at May 22, 2013 in Syria and WHO. Closed

GENEVA, May 23 – The annual assembly of the UN’s World Health Organization adopted its only country-specific  resolution yesterday by condemning Israel, and ordering “health-related technical assistance” to “the Syrian population in the occupied Syrian Golan” — yet said nothing about the Syrian population being slaughtered in Syria. See the vote count at bottom.

In a written statement featured on yesterday’s WHO agenda, Syria demanded urgent action on “inhuman Israeli practices” that target “the health of Syrian citizens.” Click here for documents.

Observers of the world body in Geneva said the annual hypocrisy reached a new low this year.

“To see the Assad regime point the finger at Israel out of professed concern for the health of Syrians is, frankly, a sick joke,” said Hillel Neuer, exectuive director of the Geneva-based UN Watch, a non-governmental monitoring group accredited to the UN.

“They’ve slaughtered 80,000 of their own people, and are now busy destroying the lives of millions more. The real question is this: Why is the UN allowing mass murderers to deflect attention from their crimes by scapegoating democracies?”

“A world health assembly should be about Hippocrates, not hypocrisy,” said Neuer. Continue reading ‘Hypocrisy: Syria & UN Health Assembly Slam Israel’

UN Health Assembly: Israel a Virus, Syria Immune

Published by
unwatch
- at May 22, 2013 in Syria and WHO. Closed

GENEVA, May 22 – The annual assembly of the UN’s World Health Organization adopted its only country-specific resolution yesterday by condemning Israel, and ordering “health-related technical assistance” to “the Syrian population in the occupied Syrian Golan” — yet said nothing about the Syrian population being slaughtered in Syria. See the vote count at bottom.

The condemnation came after a special debate that criticized Israel for the health situation “in the occupied Palestinian territories and occupied Syrian Golan,” yet turned a blind eye to the bloodbath in Syria that has already killed 80,000 and afflicted the health situation of millions.

Of the 25 items on the agenda of the annual Geneva assembly of the World Health Organization, all but one address global themes such as diseases, health regulations, and pandemics.

The exception, Item No. 20, turns a spotlight on one specific country: Israel. No other country in the world — not Mexico, Russia, Sudan, or anywhere else — is treated this way. Continue reading ‘UN Health Assembly: Israel a Virus, Syria Immune’

Syria accuses Israel of treating its wounded victims, in UN Security Council debate

Published by
unwatch
- at April 18, 2013 in Syria. Closed

And now Israel is blamed for treating the injured:

We cannot also forget the Israeli partnership with the Salafi, Takfiri and terrorist groups, and allowing those groups to cross the separation line in occupied Syrian Golan, and treating their wounded in Israeli hospitals.

— Syrian Ambassador Bashar Ja’afari at the UN Security Council April 18 2013; video here at minute 53:40.

Rwandan genocide commemorated, Who is taking care of the Syrian people?

Published by
unwatch
- at April 9, 2013 in Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and Syria. Closed

This week the UN commemorates the horrific Rwandan Genocide. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s message is clear: “Collectively, we must go beyond words and effectively safeguard people at risk.”  Furthermore, he took the opportunity to commend the “all too few” who defended their fellow humans.  Which begs the question, who is defending the Syrian people?

Continue reading ‘Rwandan genocide commemorated, Who is taking care of the Syrian people?’

Syria Trumpets UN Election to Senior Post

Published by
unwatch
- at February 26, 2013 in Syria. 8 Comments

Ban Ki-moon was silent at meeting that named Assad Rapporteur of Decolonization Committee

GENEVA, February 26, 2013 – UN Watch today called on Ban Ki-moon, US Ambassador Susan Rice and EU representatives to condemn the world body’s “revolting and absurd” decision to unanimously re-elect the Assad regime to a senior post on a decolonization committee charged with upholding fundamental human rights in opposing the “subjugation, domination and exploitation” of peoples — a propaganda victory now being trumpeted by Syria’s state-funded SANA news agency.

“It is incomprehensible for the UN to say that Syria has killed at least 70,000 of its own people and to then hand this gift of false legitimacy to the mass murderer Bashar al-Assad,” said Hillel Neuer, director of the Geneva-based human rights group UN Watch.

“The UN is helping the Assad regime portray itself a U.N. human rights arbiter. That’s indefensible, and an insult to Syria’s victims,” said Neuer. Continue reading ‘Syria Trumpets UN Election to Senior Post’

UNESCO booklet still lists Assad’s Syria as human rights judge

Published by
Hillel Neuer
- at January 5, 2013 in Syria and UNESCO. 1 Comment

If a government has violated your freedom of speech, opinion, thought, conscience, assembly or association, you can file a complaint with the human rights committee of UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

There’s only one catch, as indicated in this recent UNESCO booklet: one of the judges deciding your case will be the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad. Continue reading ‘UNESCO booklet still lists Assad’s Syria as human rights judge’

Assad tells U.N. he cares about suffering of people in Golan, while killing thousands of Syrian civilians

Published by
unwatch
- at November 20, 2012 in Syria. 1 Comment

As more than 27,000 civilians have been killed in the conflict in Syria, the Human Rights Council has tasked the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to prepare a report on Israeli violations in the Golan.

In its submission to the OHCHR, the Assad regime claims that “in order to guarantee sustainable stability and security in the Middle East region, adequate measures must be taken to ensure the implementation of all relevant international resolutions, including Human Rights Council resolutions, without discrimination or selectivity.” But of course, the blame for the lack of stability and security has to be put on Israel and not on its own abuses and disrespect of human rights treaties.

According to the Assad regime, Israel is to blame for protecting its border, when Syria provocatively sent busloads of “protesters,” past Syrian and U.N. outposts, right to the front lines, undisturbed by the Syrian authorities present.

  • “Israeli occupation forces carried out a brutal massacre in which they fired live bullets at peaceful unarmed protesters (Syrians and Palestinians) on the Syrian side of the ceasefire line in the occupied Syrian Golan, resulting in 23 dead and 350 injured.”
  • “Israeli occupation forces committed a similar crime in which they used live ammunition to disperse peaceful protesters, leading to 15 deaths and scores of injuries.”
  • “The decision of the Israeli Government, in June 2011, to build an apartheid separation wall in the occupied Syrian Golan, east of Majdal al-Shams, on the pretext of preventing Palestinians and Syrians from crossing the ceasefire line and reaching the occupied town of Majdal al-Shams.”

 

Continue reading ‘Assad tells U.N. he cares about suffering of people in Golan, while killing thousands of Syrian civilians’

OIC suspension of Syria sparks renewed call to expel Assad from U.N. human rights committee

Published by
unwatch
- at August 16, 2012 in Human Rights Council (UNHRC), Syria and UNESCO. 1 Comment

U.S. & Britain must uphold pledge to demand UNESCO expulsion of Assad regime

Rights group: “Syria’s membership is a lingering stainupon the reputation of the U.N. as a whole”

GENEVA, Aug. 16 – Yesterday’s suspension of Syria from the 57-nation Organization of Islamic Cooperation creates a new window of opportunity for a top U.N. human rights committee to cancel its “shameful” November election of the Bashar al-Assad regime, said UN Watch, a Geneva-based human rights organization which heads a campaign of 55 parliamentarians, human rights and religious groups calling for Syria’s expulsion.

“Now that both the OIC and the Arab League have suspended Syria, there is no longer any excuse — neither morally or politically — for UNESCO to insist on keeping Bashar al-Assad’s regime on its human rights committee, which is mandated to help victims worldwide. It’s time for UNESCO to stop legitimizing a government that mercilessly murders its own people,” said Hillel Neuer, executive director of UN Watch. Continue reading ‘OIC suspension of Syria sparks renewed call to expel Assad from U.N. human rights committee’

Syrians slaughtered, but U.N. too busy condemning Israel 3 times

Published by
Hillel Neuer
- at July 30, 2012 in ECOSOC, Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and Syria. 59 Comments

As Syrians continue to be slaughtered, the U.N. is once again too busy condemning Israel to respond to those pleading for help in Aleppo and elsewhere.

The world body’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the principal organ under the U.N. Charter tasked with addressing human rights and fundamental freedoms, has just concluded its annual session by turning a blind eye to the ongoing massacres by the Assad regime. Instead,  a list of all its resolutions for the entire world shows that ECOSOC condemned only one single country: Israel. Two resolutions were adopted against Israel, and one report.

Continue reading ‘Syrians slaughtered, but U.N. too busy condemning Israel 3 times’

The Guardian’s Ian Williams Lobbied for Bashar al-Assad’s Syria to Join UN Security Council

Published by
unwatch
- at July 22, 2012 in Ian Williams and Syria. 5 Comments

How is it that the Assad regime, led by father and son, was able to retain the international legitimacy needed to retain power over 42 years, despite perpetrating systematic brutality, such as the killing of an estimated 20,000 citizens of Hama in February 1982, and being listed as a leading state sponsor of terrorism?

A key factor was that the world body mandated to hold such criminal regimes to account — the United Nations — turned a blind eye to Syrian murder, massacre and terror. Continue reading ‘The Guardian’s Ian Williams Lobbied for Bashar al-Assad’s Syria to Join UN Security Council’

Full text: Action Group for Syria – Final Communiqué

Published by
unwatch
- at July 1, 2012 in Syria. 0 Comments

Action Group for Syria – Final Communiqué
30 June 2012

1. On 30 June 2012, the Secretaries-General of the United Nations and the League of Arab States, the Foreign Ministers of China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, United States, Turkey, Iraq (Chair of the Summit of the League of Arab States), Kuwait (Chair of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the League of Arab States) and Qatar (Chair of the Arab Follow-up Committee on Syria of the League of Arab States), and the European Union High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy met at the United Nations Office at Geneva as the Action Group for Syria, chaired by the Joint Special Envoy of the United Nations and the League of Arab States for Syria.

2. Action Group members came together out of grave alarm at the situation in Syria. They strongly condemn the continued and escalating killing, destruction and human rights abuses. They are deeply concerned at the failure to protect civilians, the intensification of the violence, the potential for even deeper conflict in the country, and the regional dimensions of the problem. The unacceptable nature and magnitude of the crisis demands a common position and joint international action. Continue reading ‘Full text: Action Group for Syria – Final Communiqué’

Victim’s U.N. testimony: Dream of a better Syria became a nightmare

Published by
unwatch
- at June 27, 2012 in Syria. 2 Comments

UN Watch speech delivered by Syrian exile Ahed Alhendi
at U.N. Human Rights Council debate on Syria, June 27, 2012

Thank you, Madam President.

This chamber just heard from one Syrian—a representative of President Assad’s government—who said his country protects human rights.

I am here today, speaking on behalf of UN Watch, for the world to hear another Syrian—one who was arrested and tortured by this government.

My name is Ahed Alhendi, and I am a Syrian human rights activist and blogger. Continue reading ‘Victim’s U.N. testimony: Dream of a better Syria became a nightmare’

Why UN peacekeepers suspended Syria mission

Published by
unwatch
- at June 17, 2012 in Syria. 0 Comments

A day after this was posted, 36 have retweeted:

Final resolution on Syria as adopted at UN emergency session

Published by
unwatch
- at June 1, 2012 in Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and Syria. 0 Comments
Following is the final version of the UN Human Rights Council resolution on the massacre in Syria, adopted today at an emergency session. The vote was 41 in favor, 3 against (Russia, China, Cuba), 2 abstain (Ecuador, Uganda), and Philippines absent.
Human Rights Council
Nineteenth special session
1 June 2012
Djibouti, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey*, United States of America: draft resolution
S-19/… The deteriorating situation of human rights in the Syrian Arab Republic, and the recent killings in El-Houleh
The Human Rights Council,
Recalling General Assembly resolutions 66/176 of 19 December 2011 and 66/253 of 16 February 2012, Human Rights Council resolutions S-16/1 of 29 April 2011, S-17/1 of 22 August 2011, S-18/1 of 2 December 2011, 19/1 of 1 March 2012 and 19/22 of 23 March 2012, and Security Council resolutions 2042 (2012)  of 14 April 2012 and 2043 (2012) of 21 April 2012,
Condemning the killings, confirmed by United Nations observers, of dozens of men, women and children and the wounding of hundreds more in the village of El-Houleh, near Homs, in attacks that involved the wanton killing of civilians by shooting at close range and by severe physical abuse by pro-regime elements and a series of Government artillery and tank shellings of a residential neighbourhood, and reiterating that all violence in all its forms by all parties must cease,
Recalling that the statement made by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on 27 May 2012 that the atrocities in El-Houleh may amount to crimes against humanity and noting her repeated encouragement to the Security Council to refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court,
Reaffirming its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic and to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations,

55 NGOs & MPs: UN must expel Syria from human rights committee

Published by
unwatch
- at June 1, 2012 in Syria. 2 Comments

* French President Francois Hollande said Assad’s envoy would be expelled — but in fact Lamia Shakkour stays in Paris as rep to UNESCO human rights committee

* 20-year-old woman abused by Syrian forces, about to address today’s UN emergency session (full speech below)

GENEVA, June 1 – Today’s UN Human Rights Council emergency session on Syria should call for a reversal of the recent election of the Assad regime to a UN human rights committee, a Geneva-based human rights organization will tell the 47-nation body this afternoon on behalf of 55 NGOs and MPs, in a speech to be delivered by 20-year-old student Hadil Kouki, a Syrian torture victim and recent exile. (SEE HER UN SPEECH BELOW)

News reports this week cited French President Hollande announcing the expulsion of Syrian ambassador Lammia Shakkour — but in fact she will stay put as Assad’s representative to the Paris-based UNESCO’s human rights committee. Continue reading ’55 NGOs & MPs: UN must expel Syria from human rights committee’

Text of draft UN resolution for tomorrow’s emergency session on Syrian massacre

Published by
unwatch
- at May 31, 2012 in Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and Syria. 1 Comment

UN Watch has obtained a copy of the draft resolution being circulated for tomorrow’s UN Human Rights Council emergency session on the massacre in Syria:

Draft Resolution on the human rights situation in Syria and the recent killings in El-Houleh

30 May 2012

Recalling General Assembly resolutions 66/176 of 19 December 2011 and 66/253 of 16 February 2012, as well as Human Rights Council resolutions S-16/1 of 29 April 2011, S-17/1 of 22 August 2011, S-18/1 of 2 December 2011, 19/1 of 1 March 2012 and 19/22 of … and Security Council resolutions 2042 (2012) and 2043 (2012),

Deploring the killings, confirmed by United Nations observers, of dozens of men, women and children and the wounding of hundreds more in the village of El-Houleh, near Homs, in attacks that involved a series of Government artillery and tank shellings of a residential neighborhood,

1. Condemns in the strongest possible terms such an outrageous use of force against the civilian population which constitutes a violation of applicable international law and of the commitment of the Syrian Government under the United Nations Security Council Resolutions 2042 (2012)  and 2043 (2012) to cease violence in all its forms, including the cessation of use of heavy weapons in population centres; Continue reading ‘Text of draft UN resolution for tomorrow’s emergency session on Syrian massacre’

UN health body ignores Syrians, unless they live in the Golan

Published by
unwatch
- at May 30, 2012 in Syria. 1 Comment

The annual World Health Assemby met in Geneva last week to assess the world’s health situation, adopt measures and exchange best practices. As is customary with all UN bodies, only one resolution was adopted against a particular country and that country was Israel.

With a vote of 56 in favor, 6 against (Israel, United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Micronesia) and 48 abstantions (including all of the EU), the WHA adopted a resolution on “the  health conditions in the occupied Palestinian territory including east Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan.”

Of course, there was no resolution on any other health emergency around the world, let alone in Syria, where dozens of innocent civilians are brutally murdered and denied basic healthcare every day for many months now. Unless of course, they live in the Golan, where Israel can be blamed.

Committee Against Torture Convenes Extraordinary Meeting on Situation in Syria

Published by
unwatch
- at May 16, 2012 in Syria. 0 Comments

During its 48th session, which is currently meeting in Geneva, the Committee Against Torture convened an extraordinary meeting on the situation in the Syrian Arab Republic.  Syria did not send a delegation to the session.

The Chairman of the Committee acting as Co-Rapporteur for Syria, Mr. Claudio Grossman, explained the reasons for this meeting: the severe situation in Syria with widespread violations of the Convention against Torture; Syria’s failure to provide sufficient information in its previous reports; and realizing the committee’s responsibility of achieving greater compliance of State parties with the obligations of the Convention. Pursuant to article 19 of the Convention, the Committee had requested Syria, “to provide additional information in a special report which will indicate the measures it had taken to ensure its obligations under the Convention are effectively implemented; the measures it has taken to implement the recommendations of the Committee’s concluding observations from Syria’s previous review on May 2010; and information about the current situation.”

To the regret of the Committee members, though Syria declared that it is prepared to fully cooperate with the Committee, it failed once again to provide substantial responses to the committee’s requests and it did not send a delegation. Instead, Syria denied the allegations of widespread use of torture and violations of the convention, noting that they are merely unfounded allegations, and focused on a procedural claim pursuant to which Article 19 of the Convention does not allow for such inquiries by the Committee. Continue reading ‘Committee Against Torture Convenes Extraordinary Meeting on Situation in Syria’

As much of the world starves, UN sends hunger probe to… Canada

Published by
unwatch
- at May 6, 2012 in Canada, Jean Ziegler, Muammar Qaddafi Human Rights Prize, Olivier De Schutter, Rights and Democracy and Syria. 4 Comments

The National Post (Canada)
May 5, 2012, p. A20
EDITORIALS

By Hillel Neuer

Olivier De Schutter is the UN Human Rights Council’s “Special Rapporteur on the right to food,” a post initiated by Cuba. Tomorrow he begins an 11-day investigation of Canada.
De Schutter’s senior adviser, Priscilla Claeys, previously worked with Oxfam Canada, part of the group that is unofficially coordinating his visit, and with Rights and Democracy—a Canadian agency soon to be shut down—where she collaborated with the UN office of Jean Ziegler, co-founder of the “Muammar Qaddafi Human RIghts Prize” and De Schutter’s predecessor.

“There is no food and no clean water, nothing,” Mahmoud, a 12-year-old boy from Homs, Syria, told Reuters Thursday. “There is no shop open and we only have one meal a day. How can we live like that and survive?”

According to the World Food Program, half a million people don’t have enough to eat in Syria. Fears are growing that the regime is using hunger as a weapon.

This is the kind of emergency which should attract the attention of the UN Human Rights Council’s hunger monitor, who has the ability to spotlight situations and place them on the world agenda. Yet Olivier de Schutter of Belgium, the “Special Rapporteur on the right to food,” is not going to Syria.

Instead, the UN’s food monitor is coming to investigate Canada. Continue reading ‘As much of the world starves, UN sends hunger probe to… Canada’

UN Syria investigator Erturk gives conflicting accounts for resignation

Published by
unwatch
- at March 27, 2012 in Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and Syria. 0 Comments

According to Reuters,  Yakin Erturk  has just resigned from the UN’s Commission of Inquiry on Syria “in protest at the Syrian government’s refusal to allow them into the country.” The Turkish sociologist and long-time UN official said that “the commission cannot do comprehensive work and investigate (certain) areas because of no access, so I decided not to continue.”

The odd thing, however, is that only two weeks ago, Erturk gave a very different story. In a letter to the president of the UN Human Rights Council, which oversees the recently-renewed inquiry, Erturk gave notice that “should the mandate of the Commission be extended beyond 23 March 2012, I will not be able to continue my functions due to previous professional commitments.” (Emphasis added.)

Scandal: UNESCO vote keeps Assad regime on human rights committee

Published by
unwatch
- at March 8, 2012 in Human Rights Council (UNHRC), Syria and UNESCO. 5 Comments

Despite US-led bid to expel Syria, UNESCO voted 35-8 for watered-down resolution, allowing Syria to stay on human rights panel

GENEVA, March 8, 2012 – The UN’s education, science and culture organization has just voted 35 to 8 for a resolution that condemns Assad for abuses, yet — despite vigorous efforts led by the U.S. — keeps the regime on its human rights committee. Click here for resolution; here for U.S. statement.

“For UNESCO to keep President Bashar al-Assad on a human rights committee while his regime mercilessly murders its own people is immoral, indefensible and an insult to Syria’s victims,” said Hillel Neuer, executive director of UN Watch, the Geneva human rights group that heads a campaign of 55 parliamentarians, human rights and religious groups demanding Syria’s expulsion. Continue reading ‘Scandal: UNESCO vote keeps Assad regime on human rights committee’

U.S. Explanation of Vote: Response of UNESCO to the Situation in the Syrian Arab Republic

Published by
unwatch
- at March 8, 2012 in Syria. 0 Comments

Source: US Mission to UNESCO

Explanation of Vote for Agenda Item 24, Response of UNESCO to the Situation in the Syrian Arab Republic

Statement as delivered by U.S. Permanent Representative to UNESCO, Ambassador David Killion, on 8 March 2012

“Thank you Mr. Chairman,

The United States is profoundly disappointed that this resolution does not call for the outright removal of Syria from the Committee on Conventions and Recommendations – something for which we have repeatedly called for. We agree with Director-General Bokova that, given the actions of the Assad regime, it is not clear how Syria can contribute to the work of the committee. We hope that UNESCO will revisit Syria’s membership following the UNESCO’s Director General’s report on Syria. Continue reading ‘U.S. Explanation of Vote: Response of UNESCO to the Situation in the Syrian Arab Republic’

Ros-Lehtinen: UNESCO Fails to Kick Syria Off Human Rights Panel and Backs Anti-Israel Measures; Ros-Lehtinen Reaffirms Opposition to Funding

Published by
unwatch
- at March 8, 2012 in Syria and UNESCO. 0 Comments

WASHINGTON) – U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, commented today after UNESCO’s Executive Board voted to adopt a resolution on Syria that, contrary to initial U.S. efforts, failed to expel Syria from the UNESCO committee dealing with human rights. Earlier this week, the Executive Board reportedly adopted multiple anti-Israel resolutions. Continue reading ‘Ros-Lehtinen: UNESCO Fails to Kick Syria Off Human Rights Panel and Backs Anti-Israel Measures; Ros-Lehtinen Reaffirms Opposition to Funding’

Exclusive: UNESCO vote today will keep Syria on human rights committee

Published by
unwatch
- at March 7, 2012 in Syria and UNESCO. 3 Comments
Despite bid by US & UK to expel Assad regime, UNESCO waters down draft resolution; Syria to keep seat on UNESCO board and rights panel

GENEVA, March 7 – Despite vigorous efforts led by the US and Britain, a resolution on Syria to be adopted today by the UN’s education, science and culture agency will keep the Assad regime on its human rights committee, revealed UN Watch, a Geneva-based human rights monitoring organization, which exclusively obtained a copy of the draft. Click here for draft resolution.

“That UNESCO will keep President Bashar al-Assad on its human rights committee — at the same time as the regime mercilessly murders its own people — is a moral outrage,” said Hillel Neuer, executive director of UN Watch, a Geneva-based human rights group.

“Today’s appalling decision calls into question the credibility of UNESCO as an agency dedicated to human rights, and casts a shadow upon the reputation of the UN as a whole.”

After UNESCO elected Syria to its human rights committee in November, UN Watch led a campaign of 55 parliamentarians, human rights and religious groups calling on the agency to reverse its decision. In response, the US and Britain initiated today’s debate at UNESCO.

“While today’s text rightly condemns Syria, the promised call to oust the regime from UNESCO’s human rights panel has been completely excised. We’re left with words, but no teeth. By maintaining Assad in a position of global influence on human rights, UNESCO today is sending absolutely the wrong message. It an unconscionable insult to the suffering people of Syria,” said Neuer.

Today’s vote is expected around 4:30 pm Paris time. The weakened resolution is expected to pass with numbers similar to last week’s vote, when Russia tried but failed to remove the Syria discussion from the agenda.

UN Watch predicts that some 34 nations, headed by the US and Britain, will vote in favour of today’s watered-down resolution, including Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Egypt, Italy, Japan, Slovakia, Spain, and the United Arab Emirates.

Some seventeen are expected to oppose, including Syria itself (it is also a member of the Executive Board), Russia, Cuba, China, Brazil, Angola, Namibia, India, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam and Zimbabwe.

Several weeks ago, UN Watch had received notice from the British Foreign Office that it would seek to cancel Syria’s “abhorrent” membership. In an email to UN Watch, the UK said it “deplores the continuing membership of Syria on this committee and does not believe that Syria’s presence is conducive to the work of the body or UNESCO’s reputation. We have therefore joined with other countries in putting forward an item for the first meeting of the Executive Board at which we will seek to explicitly address Syria’s membership of the body.” The UK also expressed hope that other members of the executive board will join London in ending what it called “this abhorrent [and] anomalous situation.”

“We applaud the efforts of the US and Britain, but it’s sad that a moral majority at UNESCO could simply not be found today,” said Neuer.

Is Syrian ambassador to UN rights council planning to defect?

Published by
Hillel Neuer
- at February 26, 2012 in Gay rights, Iran, Libya, Sri Lanka and Syria. 0 Comments

Tomorrow will see Foreign Ministers descend on Geneva for the opening of the first 2012 session of the UN Human Rights Council.

At a recent UN press conference, U.S. Ambassador Eileen Chamberlain Donahoe offered a good review of what’s ahead. Click here for the transcript, and here for the audio. Reuters asked about UN Watch’s protest over Libya’s vehement attack against gays (minute 16:00).

Of note:

  • The Syrian envoy to the UN rights council,  Faysal Hamoui, hasn’t been seen in a while, and, alluding to the Libyans’ defection last year, Ambassador Donahoe hinted that he may be planning the same:

Continue reading ‘Is Syrian ambassador to UN rights council planning to defect?’

UNESCO praised participation of Syria

Published by
unwatch
- at January 26, 2012 in Human Rights Council (UNHRC), Syria and UNESCO. 2 Comments

On Nov. 22, UNESCO director-general Irina Bokova distanced herself from UNESCO’s election of Syria to two human rights committees, with her spokesperson telling UN Watch, “given the developments in Syria, the Director-General does not see how this country can contribute to the work of the Committees.”

However, only three weeks earlier, her approach toward Syria’s role at UNESCO appeared very different. This is from the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), November 1, 2011: Continue reading ‘UNESCO praised participation of Syria’

Syria may be kicked off UNESCO rights panel thanks to UN Watch campaign

Published by
unwatch
- at January 25, 2012 in Syria and UNESCO. 2 Comments

GENEVA, Jan. 25 – For the first time in its history, the UN’s culture and education agency is preparing to condemn Syria and expel it from a human rights committee, revealed a Geneva-based human rights organization today, releasing a motion filed by the U.S., Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Qatar, Kuwait and six other countries, now backed also by Japan and South Korea.

After UNESCO in November elected Syria, which already sits on its 58-member executive board, to a committee that judges human rights complaints, the independent UN Watch monitoring group launched a campaign of 55 parliamentarians, religious groups and human rights activists urging member states to reverse the decision.

In response, according to diplomatic documents obtained exclusively by UN Watch, the U.S., its EU allies, Canada, Japan and a handful of Arab states are now among a growing coalition of countries that is formally requesting an agenda item for next month’s UNESCO board meeting to “review” Syria’s controversial membership.

Continue reading…

Iran, Syria, N. Korea Condemned, But Not By All

Published by
HQ Insider
- at December 20, 2011 in General Assembly, Human Rights Council (UNHRC), Iran, North Korea (DPRK) and Syria. 0 Comments

Roll calls detailed below reveal which countries voted with Iran, Syria and North Korea as the UN General Assembly passed resolutions Dec. 19 denouncing the human rights records of those three regimes. As in past years, Afghanistan, where NATO-led forces continue to battle on behalf of the country, split with the alliance’s members for the vote on Iran, and voted with the Islamic republic.

1. Situation of Human Rights in Iran: 89 in favour, 30 against, 64 abstentions.

Against:  Afghanistan, Algeria, Armenia, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bolivia, Brunei Darussalam, China, Cuba, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Ecuador, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Russian Federation, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Zimbabwe. Continue reading ‘Iran, Syria, N. Korea Condemned, But Not By All’

Rights Groups Welcome UN Draft on Syria, Urge Creation of Investigator

Published by
unwatch
- at November 17, 2011 in Syria and Third Committee. 0 Comments

GENEVA, Nov. 17– In an attempt to influence a UN resolution on Syrian abuses now being debated by member states, a coalition of 20 famous dissidents and rights groups today circulated their own draft which specifically calls for the post of an independent UN expert to investigate gross violations in that country. Click here for proposed UNGA Resolution on Situation of Human Rights in Syria.

“We welcome the draft UN General Assembly resolution on Syria, and congratulate Britain, France and Germany for their initiative,” said Hillel Neuer, director of the non-governmental UN Watch monitoring group in Geneva, which sent the draft to 193 UN member states on behalf of a coalition of human rights groups and dissidents. “We strongly hope that Arab states including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar, Morocco and Kuwait will stand up and be counted as co-sponsors.”

Sponsors of the NGO draft resolution include well-known former political prisoners Yang Jianli of China, Ahmad Batebi of Iran, Fidel Suarez Cruz and Berta Antunez of Cuba, Rebiya Kadeer of the Uyghur people and Grace Kwinjeh of Zimbabwe, as well as UN Watch, the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights, Human Rights Foundation and Viet Tan.

The text was drafted at a recent summit of dissidents held in New York during the UN General Assembly, which included an opening address by Syrian rights activist Rami Nakhleh.

The dissidents’ draft calls upon the Human Rights Council to “urgently establish the mandate of a Special Rapporteur for human rights in the Syrian Arab Republic, to monitor the situation in the country, collect information and recommend to the UN system actions to be taken.”

The NGO text also asks the Secretary-General to report on Syria to the General Assembly and the Human Rights Council at its next sessions, and would ensure discussion of the Syrian human rights situation at future sessions.

The debate on the official UN text is expected within the next week at the world body’s Third Committee on human rights, which meets this month in New York.