Advocacy/Appeals

UN Human Rights Council

The Democracy Coalition Project has been continuously engaged in efforts to create and maintain a strong human rights body at the United Nations. Since early 2005, DCP has worked in broad coalitions of US-based and international human rights and democracy organizations to advocate for meaningful reform of the human rights machinery at the United Nations.

Throughout 2006 and 2007, DCP worked to develop a cross-regional network of human rights organizations from around the world to share information and advocate at the Council. In late 2007, this group formed HRCNet.

Member organizations of the HRCNet include:

HRC struggles to challenge governments on rights violations

The Fourteenth Session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) concluded last Friday with limited action on human rights situations requiring its attention. While the Council took positive steps toward addressing the urgent human rights crisis in Kyrgyzstan, as well as an Israeli attack of a humanitarian flotilla in international waters, it failed to adequately address the situations in Iran, Sudan, Somalia, Burundi, and Afghanistan among others.

"If the Council reacted to urgent crises around the world the way it does to every new incident relating to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, we may actually have an effective body," said Dokhi Fassihian, executive director of the Democracy Coalition Project. "So it is clear the tools are there and states know how to use them. What's missing is principled leadership."

Shortly following the end of the session the HRC elected Ambassador Sihasak Phuangketkeow, the Permanent Representative of Thailand, as the President of the Council for a period of one year. In response, 55 Asian NGOs urged the government of Thailand to demonstrate a renewed commitment to human rights and to provide accountability for the human rights violations committed during the recent unrest in its capital.

To learn more about the resolutions and events surrounding the Fourteenth Session of the HRC please read DCP’s full report by clicking here.

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Iran’s deepening human rights crisis spotlighted at the UN

At the urging of the international human rights community, a cross-regional group of more than 50 states called for improvement of the human rights situation in Iran at the 14th Session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC). In a joint statement read by Norway, the states expressed concern over a lack of progress in protection of human rights in Iran citing the violent government crackdown on peaceful protestors that began after Iran's disputed June 2009 presidential elections.

The statement was one of several initiatives undertaken at the June HRC session to address the human rights situation in Iran. On June 11, the Democracy Coalition Project organized a special side event at the UN's Geneva headquarters to address the deteriorating human rights situation in the country. Several leading Iranian human rights defenders shared their personal stories of repression, rape, torture and detainment.

Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, the International Federation for Human Rights, the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies and the Bahá'í International Community co-sponsored the event. The event concluded with the groups calling on UN member states to establish a UN monitoring mechanism.

To read more about the event and the joint statement, please click here.

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DCP urges for free and fair elections in Burma

The Democracy Coalition Project has joined the Global Campaign Against Burma’s 2010 Military Elections in response to the upcoming military led elections in Burma. The Campaign, consisting of more than 150 world wide organizations, calls upon the junta to change its course towards fraudulent elections by meeting the following minimum benchmarks:

1) The unconditional release of all political prisoners, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi;
2) Cessation of attacks against ethnic communities and democracy activists; and
3) Inclusive dialogue with key stakeholders from democracy groups and ethnic nationalities, including a review of the 2008 Constitution.

Without meeting these benchmarks, members of the Campaign believe the elections will only serve to solidify the junta’s rule and sow the seeds for further instability and conflict.

For more information on the Campaign, please click here.

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HRC elections: clean slates mar election process

Maldives tallies highest vote count; major rights violators draw least amount of support

On May 13, 2010, the UN General Assembly elected fourteen states to a three-year term on the UN Human Rights Council, despite the poor rights records of many of the candidates. This was the first time since the Council's founding that all five UN regions presented non-competitive "clean slates" of the same number of candidates as seats available.

African group candidates - Libya, Angola, Mauritania and Uganda - drew the least amount of votes across all regional slates, reflecting concerns that Africa had failed to put forward the region's strongest rights performers. The Maldives, a country demonstrating major strides on human rights in recent years, drew the highest number of votes in Asia and in the election as a whole; outstripping Thailand, Malaysia, and Qatar.

Other countries elected included Ecuador and Guatemala from the Latin American Group, Moldova and Poland from the Eastern European Group, and Spain and Switzerland from the Western European and Others Group. Human rights organizations have criticized these regional groups for abandoning the spirit of contest.

To learn more about the HRC elections please read DCP's elections newsletter by clicking here.

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NGOs propose structure for HRC 2011 Review

In 2011, the UN General Assembly is scheduled to review the Human Rights Council’s work and functioning. In preparation for the review, a global coalition of civil society members, including the Democracy Coalition Project, has submitted a proposal to member states on the structure of the review.

The proposal came in response to the emerging consensus among member states that renegotiating the Council’s institutional framework should not be the basis of the review process. Instead, the coalition argued, the review process should only supplement this framework where necessary to ensure that the Council fulfils its mandate to promote and protect human rights. The NGOs’ proposal would enable member states to identify the challenges and areas of improvement of the Council.

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NGO coalition demands improvements by HRC candidates

The Democracy Coalition Project has joined the global NGO Coalition for an Effective Human Rights Council in calling upon candidates for the upcoming UN Human Council elections to take concrete steps to meet membership standards for the Council.

On May 13, 2010, member nations of the UN General Assembly in New York will elect 14 new members to the 47-member Human Rights Council. For the first time, each UN geographical region has put forward "clean slates" with only as many candidates as vacancies; thus depriving states the chance to select the candidates best suited to serve on the council. However, a member can only be elected by an affirmative vote of more than half of the overall UN membership.

In letters to UN member states, the coalition expressed concern that the human rights records of Angola, Libya, Malaysia, Thailand, and Uganda currently fall short of the standards set for council membership, including the obligation that they uphold the "highest standards" of human rights and that they "fully cooperate" with the council. Signatories to the letters urged member states to withhold their votes from countries that do not take concrete steps to address human rights concerns.

To learn more about the appeals outlined in each letter please read DCP’s latest newsletter on the elections by clicking here.

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African NGOs call for a transparent and competitive election process for the HRC

As diverse group of African NGOs have addressed a letter to African governments urging them to support competitive and principled elections in preparation for the May 2010 Human Rights Council elections.

Signatories to the letter expressed their concern regarding the African Union’s (AU) process of nominating candidates to the Council. They argued that the process often discourages countries from seeking a seat as a result of political considerations and not from an assessment of the states’ human rights record. Consequently, the organizations were particularly troubled that the AU only officially endorsed two candidates with poor human rights records, namely Libya and Mauritania, for the four open African seats at the upcoming Council elections.

The letter calls upon the African group to select in a fair and transparent manner at least five qualified candidates for the forthcoming May 2010 elections. “Commitment by the African group to the Council election process can not only help to enhance the effectiveness and credibility of the Council, but it can also shape the future of human rights in Africa,” the letter concludes.

To view the press release on the letter, please click here.

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Thirteenth session of the Human Rights Council concludes

Resolutions adopted on Burma, North Korea, Guinea and DRC; Iranian victims neglected

The UN Human Rights Council concluded its Thirteenth Session on March 26th with marked improvements in how the Council addresses serious human rights situations around the world. The Council took action on North Korea, Myanmar (Burma), Guinea and the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as adopted a follow-up resolution to monitor Israeli and Palestinian investigations into violations during the Gaza conflict of 2009.

While yet another resolution on the controversial concept of "defamation of religion" was adopted, several states withdrew their previous support for the resolution, resulting in its lowest margin of adoption to date. Also, efforts by several states to restrict the activities of human rights defenders in the resolution on the protection of human rights defenders were also defeated.

Despite this progress, the Council failed to confront the serious and ongoing human rights violations in the Islamic Republic of Iran despite continued calls from the international community to address grave abuses against Iranian citizens. Finally, despite resistance from the human rights community, a UN expert report on "secret detention" was successfully blocked by several states from being considered at this session and deferred to the June session.

To learn more about the resolutions and events surrounding the Thirteenth session of the HRC please read DCP’s full report by clicking here.

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Support for ‘defamation of religion’ declines at the HRC Thirteenth session

The problematic resolution on 'combating defamation of religion,' sponsored by the OIC, was once again adopted by the HRC during the Thirteenth session, but by the lowest margin yet. In anticipation of the debate, forty-seven NGOs from around the world urged members of the HRC to reject the adoption of any text that undermines the right to freedom of expression. The vote of 20 states in favor, 17 against and 8 abstentions marked the lowest state support for the resolution since its inception. Following the vote, the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS) released a statement on the resolution's waning support. "Today the Human Rights Council moved a little closer to confirming the universality and inviolability of freedom of expression," said Jeremie Smith, Geneva director of CIHRS.

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Report on Secret Detention removed from Council agenda

The removal of a joint special procedures' report on the use of secret detention around the world from the Council's Thirteenth session agenda was met with resistance by many quarters. Prior to the start of the session the African group, led by Nigeria, and the OIC successfully blocked the reading of the report, arguing that the report was not explicitly requested or authorized by the Council. Regretting its government's role in the removal of the report, Partnership for Justice released a statement calling upon Nigeria to "show its support for the Human Rights Council and the important work of the Special Procedures who are working to promote and protect human rights worldwide."

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Iranian women’s rights activist receives Human Rights Defenders Tulip Award

In August, DCP and Justice and Peace Netherlands jointly nominated Iranian lawyer and human rights defender Ms. Shadi Sadr for the 2009 Human Rights Defenders Tulip Award. The Dutch Government created the Tulip Award to emphasise the achievements and importance of the work of outstanding human rights defenders worldwide. In November, the Dutch government bestowed the award to Sadr "as a tribute to her moral courage and perseverance in protecting and promoting the rights of her fellow citizens." As a lawyer, journalist, and researcher, Sadr dedicates herself to defending the rights of Iranian women. In addition, Sadr is campaigning to abolish the practice of stoning in Iran. To this end, she co-founded the campaign ‘Stop Stoning Forever’. In March 2007 she was arrested and imprisoned. During the unrest surrounding the Iranian presidential election on 12 June, Sadr was again violently arrested and jailed for 11 days in detention. Sadr accepted the Tulip award valuing $250,000 to continue her work.

To view Sadr’s acceptance speech, please click here.

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109 NGOs across the globe call on UN to condemn human rights violations in Iran

Over one hundred human rights and civil society organizations from across the globe, including the Democracy Coalition Project, have addressed a letter to member states of the UN General Assembly (GA) calling upon them to support a resolution condemning human rights violations in the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and directing the IRI to fulfill its international human rights responsibilities.

Local groups from Egypt, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Russia, Malaysia, India and other non-western societies, as well as international organizations, called on states to condemn the targeting of peaceful demonstrators, human rights defenders, and political activists who have been attacked simply for questioning the legitimacy of the results of the June 12 Iranian presidential elections. The letter also describes the repression of women’s rights advocates and discrimination against minorities in Iran.

The letter concludes by addressing the moral obligation of the GA to refocus its attention on the citizens of Iran, stating that “it must make clear that it will not forget the Iranian people who continue to be denied their fundamental human rights.”

To view the press release on the letter, please click here.

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Global civil society rejects “defamation of religion”

Over 100 civil society organizations, including DCP, have joined together in a Common Statement to oppose the inclusion of the controversial concept of “defamation of religions” in international human rights instruments. The statement responds to recent efforts by the Organization of the Islamic Conference and African states to propose binding treaty amendments to the International Covenant on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) that includes the concept of “defamation of religion.” Syria, Belarus and Venezuela have also made their own attempt to advance such language in a General Assembly resolution entitled “combating defamation of religions.” A final plenary vote on the resolution is expected in early to mid-December.

“United Nations resolutions on the `defamation of religions' are incompatible with the fundamental freedoms of individuals to freely exercise and peacefully express their thoughts, ideas, and beliefs,” affirm the signatories of the statement. They also assert that the notion of “defamation of religion” has often been abused by governments to punish the peaceful expression of religious or political ideologies that run contrary to the dominant state belief system.

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UNGA adopts resolution on the Goldstone Report

On November 5th, 2009 the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution that seeks accountability for the war crimes committed during the Gaza conflict by a vote of 114 states in favor, 18 against and 44 abstentions. Specifically, the resolution endorses the recommendations made by Justice Richard Goldstone in the report of the UN Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict by calling upon both Israel and the relevant Palestinian authorities to undertake independent investigations of the violations of human rights and humanitarian law during the conflict.

The United States was among the states that voted against the resolution arguing that the appropriate discussion forum for the Report was the Human Rights Council and not, as the text suggests, the Security Council. There was also dissent over the failure to mention Hamas by name within the resolution, an omission that was cited as an example of the unbalanced handling of Israeli-Palestinian issues.

Despite the these complaints, the passage of the resolution marked an important step in combating impunity and was a welcomed follow-up to the call made by 57 NGOs in a letter urging all member states of the General Assembly to protect the rights of Israeli and Palestinian civilians.

To view the final resolution, please click here.

To view a description of state responses to the resolution and the final vote count, please click here.

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Zimbabwe denies access to UN special rapporteur on torture

DCP joined a world wide coalition of NGOs to denounce the Government of Zimbabwe’s recent attempt to impede UN Special Rapporteur on torture, Mr. Manfred Nowak, from exercising his mandate. While in transit to Zimbabwe to conduct a fact-finding mission to the country from October 28 to November 4, 2009, Nowak was informed that his entry was not cleared by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and was subsequently denied access.

In a letter addressed to President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai of Zimbabwe, the NGOs expressed their disappointment over the cancellation of Nowak’s visit, particularly in light of “ongoing and widespread violence; and recent arbitrary arrests of senior civic leaders, political activists and human rights defenders” currently unfolding in Zimbabwe. The letter concluded by affirming the urgent need for the Government of Zimbabwe to remedy the incident by cooperating with all UN human rights mechanisms.

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NGOs urge the United States to support Goldstone Report

DCP has joined together with other prominent US NGOs to call upon the US Administration to support Justice Richard Goldstone’s report on the United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict at the 64th UN General Assembly currently being held in New York City.

In a letter to the administration, the signatories, including Amnesty International USA, Arab American Institute, The Carter Center, The Open Society Institute, Rabbis for Human Rights-North America and DCP, urged the US to work with others in the General Assembly to adopt a resolution which follows up on the recommendations of the report for both Israeli and Palestinian authorities to launch credible and independent investigations into the conduct of both sides of the conflict. “We believe strong U.S. leadership on this issue can generate international support for your Administration's efforts in the region and demonstrate to Israelis and Palestinians that respect for human rights is a fundamental objective of U.S. policy in the region,” the letter states.

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Global Civil Society Coalition Urges Un General Assembly To Support Goldstone Recommendations On Gaza

The Democracy Coalition Project has joined a global coalition of 57 civil society organizations from every corner of the world, ranging from Human Rights Now in Japan to the South African Council of Churches, urging members of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to support the recommendations of the Goldstone Report and work collectively to adopt a resolution which will ensure accountability for victims of the Gaza conflict earlier this year.

In the letter from the groups, which include Physicians for Human Rights in Israel, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights in Gaza, Open Society Institute, and the Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales in Argentina, the NGOs urge the adoption of a resolution by the 64th UNGA which calls upon the Israeli Government and relevant Palestinian authorities to launch “credible, independent investigations of the findings of the Goldstone Report…[that] will promote accountability among all parties to the conflict and put an end to the culture of impunity.”

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DCP calls on the United Nations to uphold freedom of expression and equality

The Democracy Coalition Project joined 24 NGOS from around the world in calling upon members of the United Nations to support proposals that protect and promote, rather than strip, the right to freedom of expression and equality.

In the letter, the NGOs conveyed their principle concern about state proposals to the Ad Hoc Committee for the Elaboration of Complementary Standards which encourage the protection of religious ideas, rather than individuals and groups, in a new convention or additional protocol to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. The NGOs argued that such measures could potentially stifle religious dissent and criticism of religious adherents and non-believers and urged the Committee to reject the concepts of “defamation of religion”; protection from offensive speech to religion; and religion-phobias. The NGOs countered that “tolerance and understanding can only be properly addressed through open debate and intercultural dialogue involving state actors, politicians and public figures, the media and civil society organizations.”

Signatories of the letter encouraged Committee members to uphold existing international human rights protection of both the right to freedom of expression and equality by focusing “on measures that promote diversity and pluralism, promote equitable access to the means of communication, and guarantee the right of access to information.”

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NGOs urge Human Rights Council to uphold Golstone report recommendations on Gaza conflict

The Democracy Coalition Project (DCP) and the Cairo Institute of Human Rights Studies (CIHRS) have issued a letter calling upon members of the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) to ensure that innocent victims of the Gaza conflict receive justice.

The letter came in response to the sudden convening of a UN HRC “Special Session on the Human Rights Situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory including East Jerusalem” being held today, October 15 and tomorrow, October 16. The Permanent Mission of Palestine requested the session in the hope of adopting a follow-up resolution to the Goldstone report on the UN fact-finding mission on the Gaza conflict.

During the Twelfth Session of the HRC held in September of 2009, Justice Richard Goldstone presented a report that called for impartial and thorough investigations of the conduct of the armed forces of both Israeli and Hamas to prevent impunity of the grave human rights violations that were committed during the Gaza conflict in early 2009. In spite of Goldstone’s findings, the Council deferred a vote on the report until March 2010.

DCP also addressed a separate letter to the United States who, along with members of the European Union, was largely responsible for the report’s initial deferral. The letter urges the US government to take a principled stance and uphold Justice Goldstone's recommendations at the Special Session. “This longstanding conflict demands that the United States take a balanced, yet principled position to ensure accountability for victims, and that it begins advancing a vision that is objective, and aimed at upholding the rights of all parties,” said Fassihian.

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Human Rights Council concludes Twelfth session

United States leads on Freedom of Expression but fails to ensure accountability for victims of Gaza conflict

The Twelfth session of the Human Rights Council concluded last Friday with a mixed outcome. The Council took positive steps towards addressing serious country situations and saw the unanimous adoption of a breakthrough resolution on Freedom of Expression.

While these resolutions reflect significant achievements, other outcomes marred this progress. Notably, a deeply flawed resolution on "promoting human rights and fundamental freedoms through a better understanding of traditional values of humankind" was adopted by a divided Council. While this resolution was pushed through by a vote, the creation of a mandate on the elimination of discrimination against women was delayed by state supporters in order to reach consensus on the subject.

Perhaps most worrisome, the Council failed to uphold the report of Justice Richard Goldstone on the United Nations fact-finding mission on the Gaza conflict of early 2009. The report found evidence of serious violations of the laws of war during the conflict by both Israeli forces and Hamas fighters and calls for international mechanisms to ensure accountability. However, in response to pressure from the United States and the European Union (EU), a vote on the report has been deferred until the March 2010 HRC session.

To learn more about the resolutions and events surrounding the Twelfth session of the HRC please read DCP’s full report by clicking here.

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NGOs around the world call for competitive HRC elections and an end to vote trading

The Democracy Coalition Project joined 73 NGOs and human rights organizations from 37 countries in each region of the world to urge members of the United Nations to publicly commit to a competitive, genuinely-contested and principled electoral process for future Human Rights Council elections.

In the letter the NGOs expressed concern over the practice of uncompetitive “clean slates” (where the same number of candidates is presented as seats available for the region), which result in the inability of UN Member States to have a real choice in electing countries who have demonstrated a real commitment to human rights both domestically and internationally. The lack of competition, the NGOs argued, make it futile for member states to evaluate candidates based on their election pledges, which are meant to encourage states to address pressing domestic human rights issues.

Vote trading by member states was also highlighted as damaging to the elections process. “Vote trading effectively means that countries are elected based on their ability to provide a swing vote in other elections, rather than their rights records,” the letter stated. “We call on all UN member states to bring vote trading arrangements and uncompetitive elections for the Council to an end.”

To view the letter in its entirety, please click here.

To read an article from Reuters regarding the letter, please click here.

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DCP Granted Consultative Status by the UN Economic and Social Council by a Vote of 30-9-9

On July 27, after a three-year process, the Democracy Coalition Project’s request for consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) was granted by a large margin of 30-9-9 during a vote at the general segment of ECOSOC held in Geneva, Switzerland.

The vote by ECOSOC effectively overruled the recommendation of the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO Committee) in May to deny DCP’s request; a decision that ran counter to Resolution 1996/31 establishing the guiding principles of NGO relations with the United Nations.

“ECOSOC sent a powerful message to the NGO Committee that it should not overstep its mandate,” Fassihian said. “It is our hope that this may positively impact the accreditation process in the Committee and relieve pressure on NGOs that face undue scrutiny, rejection, and delays.”

To view the full statement on DCP’s victory, as well as the results of the two ECOSOC votes on DCP, please click here.

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28 NGOs Call for Independent NGO Advocacy at the UN

Twenty-eight NGOs from across the world, including the Democracy Coalition Project, have joined in on a sign-on letter urging for the protection and promotion of independent NGO advocacy at the United Nations.

Their call stems from their concerns of the increasing difficulties NGOs face in gaining and maintaining UN accreditation within the UN NGO Committee. According to Article 71 of the UN Charter, consultative relationships should “enable organizations that represent important elements of public opinion to express their views.” However, in recent years, some NGO Committee member states have chosen to exert political control over the accreditation process by instituting a set of disturbing practices that ensure NGOs critical of their positions and policies are denied or stripped of their accreditation.

Signatories of the letter are therefore urging member states to work within ECOSOC and the UN General Assembly to uphold the rights of NGOs to form and express independent viewpoints freely and prevent retribution based on those freely expressed opinions.

To view the letter in its entirety, please click here.

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Forty-Two Arab NGOs Condemn Rights Violations in Iran

Forty-two Arab NGOs issued a strongly-worded statement condemning the abuses committed by Iranian authorities against Iranian citizens conducting peaceful protests against the controversial results of the June 12 Iranian presidential elections.

Thousands of Iranians have been arbitrarily detained, dozens have been killed, and hundreds are facing maltreatment and torture in prison. Members of the political opposition, journalists, civil society members, as well as human rights defenders, have been targeted by Iranian authorities who have refused to respect the rights of citizens to freely express their opinions and assemble peacefully.

Specifically, the statement urges the Iranian government to:

Release all detainees arrested since the post-election crisis began and to prosecute human rights violators;
Begin independent investigations into extra-judicial murders and claims of torture and mistreatment of detainees;
Dissolve the Basij militia, the plainclothes militia used to terrorize dissidents;
Permit journalists and human rights defenders to carry out their work unhindered by halting government government-ordered interruptions and surveillance of phone and internet communications;
Allow international human rights missions into the country as a first step to combat impunity.

To the view the statement in its entirety, please click here.

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DCP’s Consultative Status Denied by the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations

On May 26th, the Resumed 2009 Session of the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations reviewed the Democracy Coalition Project’s application for consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations. After a three-year struggle, DCP lost a vote in the NGO Committee by 6-8-5.

“We are deeply disappointed in the decision of the Committee and fear political considerations rather than implementation of Resolution 1996/31 has informed the judgment of some Committee members,” says Dokhi Fassihian, executive director of the Democracy Coalition Project.

No official reason has yet been given for the Committee’s decision. Decisions of the NGO Committee can be overturned by ECOSOC and decisions have been overturned many times in the past. DCP will seek to ensure that the guidelines of Resolution 1996/31 will be upheld by ECOSOC at the upcoming session in July.

To read the statement in its entirety, please click here.

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UN: Lack of Competition Mars Vote on Human Rights Council

The NGO Coalition for an Effective Human Rights Council, formed by 13 NGOs from around the world, welcomed U.S. reengagement with the Human Rights Council symbolized through its election today and applauded the defeat of Azerbaijan's candidacy in the Eastern European race. The NGOs however said that the election outcome was largely marred by a lack of competition in three of the five UN regional groups.

This year, DCP and other international human rights organizations opposed the election of Azerbaijan, China, Cuba, Russia, and Saudi Arabia to the Human Rights Council because of serious and systematic human rights violations. With the exception of Azerbaijan, all were elected to the council. But Saudi Arabia, China, and Cuba came in at the very bottom of their regional slates.

The coalition noted that the US decision to run for the council for the first time was a positive step, even though the lack of competition among Western countries sent the wrong message. Having secured 167 votes, the United States will join the Human Rights Council.

To read the press release in its entirety, please click here.

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UN Democracy Caucus Releases Statement on the HRC Elections

Members of the Community of Democracies, a community of more than 100 participating governments formed in 2000 to advance democratic governance, have gathered as the UN Democracy Caucus to release a statement on the Human Rights Council elections. The statement urges member states to support the candidacy of countries who have demonstrated a “genuine commitment to human rights, both in practice and in their pledges” worldwide in the up coming May 12th elections.

This coming July, members of the Community of Democracies will meet for their Fifth Ministerial Meeting in Lisbon, Portugal.

To read the UN Democracy Caucus Statement, click here.

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Ninety NGOs call for a Special Session on Sri Lanka at the HRC

DCP has joined the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development and 88 other human rights and civil society organization in urgently calling upon the UN Human Rights Council to hold a Special Session in response to the human rights and humanitarian catastrophe in Sri Lanka.

Fighting between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has already killed more than 6,400 people, along with many thousands severely injured, this year alone. In addition, over 50,000 people remain in danger from the ongoing fighting. They are also suffering from a desperate shortage of medical supplies, food and water.

To read the appeal letter to the Human Rights Council, click here.

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DCP Calls for Strong U.S. Pledges for Council Run

DCP has joined Human Rights Watch, the Carter Center and the Open Society Policy Center in calling upon Secretary Hillary Clinton and the U.S. Department of State to make more substantive voluntary pledges and commitments in their campaign for a seat in the UN Human Rights Council in the upcoming May Council election. Specific pledges, such as endorsement for the competitive elections process and an open invitation to all UN special procedure holders to visit all U.S. detention facilities, including Guantanamo Bay, without restrictions or preconditions, would demonstrate a commitment to full engagement and cooperation with the Council.

To see the letter to Secretary Clinton, click here.

To see the subsequent follow-up letter, click here.

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Local NGOs from Azerbaijan, Cuba, and the Arab region Oppose Candidacies for the Human Rights Council

Human rights defenders and NGOs from Azerbaijan, Cuba, and the Arab region have written letters to UN member states opposing their government's candidacy to the UN Human Rights Council, scheduled for May 12 in New York. In three separate letters signed by members of civil society, the NGOs have called on member states to recognize the record of human rights abuses in their respective societies, and urged them to withhold support for their membership to the Council.

“Your support for the reelection of Saudi Arabia, despite its total disregard and failure to live up to the obligations and commitments required of it as a HRC [Human Rights Council] member, would set a highly alarming and dangerous precedent for HRC membership, and greatly undermine the legitimacy of both the HRC and the GA [General Assembly],” write 26 Arab human rights organizations.

To read the letter from Azerbaijani civil society members, please click here.

To read the letter from Saudi Arabian civil society members, please click here.

To read the letter from Cuban civil society members, please click here. Or for the letter in Spanish, please click here.

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DCP Joins the NGO Coalition for an Effective Human Rights Counicl to Ensure Accountability in Council Elections

The United Nations General Assembly will hold elections for 18 of the 47 seats on the Human Rights Council on May 12 in New York. In anticipation of this event, DCP has once again partnered with NGOs from all regions of the world to campaign for an effective Human Rights Council. The NGO Coalition works to ensure that UN member states enforce the requirements set in UN General Assembly Resolution 60/251 that members of the Council “uphold the highest standards of human rights” and “cooperate with the Council.”

In a letter to UN member states, the NGO Coalition for an Effective Human Rights Council expressed concern that the human rights records of Azerbaijan, China, Cuba, Russia and Saudi Arabia, all of which are running for re-election, fall far short of the required “highest” standards of human rights. The coalition has expressed concern this year about the lack of competitive elections in several regions, including for the first time in the Western and Asian groups.

Members of the coalition include Human Rights Watch, the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development, International Federation for Human Rights, the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Network, People In Need, and Centro de Derechos Humanos - Miguel Augustin Pro Juarez.

For more information, visit the NGO Coalition’s website.

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DCP Urges Obama to Reestablish the United States as a Leader on Human Rights

DCP joined a coalition of seven organizations, including the United Nations Foundation, Human Rights Watch, and Human Rights First, in sending President-Elect Obama a letter encouraging him to begin his Administration with a strong commitment to international leadership on human rights issues. In order to reestablish the United States as a leader on human rights in the international community, the coalition recommended that the new Administration:

Send strong and immediate signals of U.S. reengagement.
Mount a campaign to win a seat for the United States on the United Nations Human Rights Council and build a strategy to improve the Human Rights Council’s performance.
Engage in preparations for the Durban Review conference in order to turn the conference into a real contribution to the international fight against racism and other forms of discrimination, and to defeat the efforts of those who would seek to spoil this important conference.

The coalition further urged that the new Administration upgrade the U.S. presence at the Council by appointing a fulltime Geneva-based ambassador for human rights.

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A Call to the New President for Responsible U.S. Global Engagement

The Connect U.S. Fund released A Call to the New President for Responsible U.S. Global Engagement, signed by over 145 individuals, including DCP Executive Director Dokhi Fassihian and others from the foreign policy community – including former President Jimmy Carter, Assistant Secretary of State John Shattuck, and former USAID Administrator J. Brian Atwood – calling on President-Elect Obama to take swift action to restore responsible U.S. global engagement. The letter urges the President-Elect to:

Issue an executive order that reaffirms an absolute prohibition on torture and ensures that all detainees within the custody of the United States are treated consistent with standards articulated in the U.S. Army Field Manual and international legal instruments; that halts the practice of secret detention; that ends rendition to torture and that directs a review of all legal opinions and policy guidance relating to treatment of detainees.
Announce your intention to close the Guantanamo Bay detention center promptly and to treat all detainees in U.S. custody in a manner consistent with international obligations and domestic law.
Re-engage in a positive way with international human rights institutions, such as by supporting the work of the ICC to investigate and prosecute individuals for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Appeal from Arab Intellectuals on Religion and Freedom of Expression in the Arab World

On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS) held a workshop on November 21, 2008, titled “Religion and Freedom of Expression in the Arab World,” in which participants discussed several papers that addressed the issue from different perspectives. Several participants issued an appeal on Religion and Freedom of Expression in the Arab World, calling on "official and non-official religious institutions and movements in the Arab world to set aside the religious perspective when considering intellectual, academic, literary, and artistic expression, noting that religious guardianship over freedom of thought and literature harms both freedom and religion." The appeal goes on to urge "Arab regimes to purge constitutions, legislation, and laws in Arab countries of all content that curbs freedom of opinion, belief, and creativity..."

DCP calls for special session of the Human Rights Council on the Democratic Republic of the Congo

DCP joined forty-four other human rights organizations in appealing to H.E. Mr. Martin Uhomoibhi, President of the Human Rights Council, to urgently convene a Special Session on the “human rights situation in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo”. The organizations expressed their serious concern about the escalation of killings, sexual violence and looting in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as the more than 250,000 new internally displaced persons since heavy fighting resumed in late August. They urged the Human Rights Council to use the Special Session to foster concrete measures to prevent further violations of human rights and protect those already suffering from violations of international human rights and humanitarian law.

DCP Works to Strengthen Cross-Regional Advocacy with Nigerian and West African Civil Society

DCP Acting Executive Director Dokhi Fassihian recently traveled to Nigeria and Togo to meet with representatives of civil society. At the invitation of the Open Society Initiative for West Africa, Dokhi Fassihian met with Nigerian civil society representatives in Lagos and Abuja from August 3-6 to brief them on the work of the UN Human Rights Council and the important role for Nigerian civil society at the Council given the current Nigerian presidency.

The West African Human Rights Defenders Network General Assembly was held from August 22-August 25 in Lome, Togo and brought together 25 prominent human rights defeders and organizations representing 16 countries from the subregion. Dokhi Fassihian spoke to participants regarding developments at the UN Human Rights Council and cross-regional advocacy efforts to strengthen its work. She emphasized the importance of the Nigerian presidency of the Council, and West Africa's important role within the African Group. Other speakers included Hassan Shire from the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project and Arjan van der Wall from Amnesty International. Participants discussed national and regional plans of action for the coming year and agreed to include international advocacy, including the Universal Periodic Review, in their program of work.

Nigeria Elected President of Human Rights Council

On June 19, the Human Rights Council began its third annual cycle by electing a new President and officers. Ambassador Martin Ihoeghian Uhomoibhi of Nigeria was elected by acclamation as the new President of the Council. The election of the Nigerian Ambassador to head the 2008-2009 Council - a position which rotates by region - followed intensive lobbying efforts by African human rights and civil society organizations. In February, fourty-four African NGOs wrote in a letter to African heads of states urging them "to promote the selection of an African state which could serve as a human rights leader...and to oppose the selection of any state which does not uphold the highest standards of human rights." The letter further called on African states to to reject any possible candidates for the Presidency who have failed to cooperate with the Council or prevented the passing of positive, pro-human rights measures within the Council.

In addition to the election of the Presidency, four Vice Presidents were also elected: Elchin Amirbayov of Azerbaijan, Erlinda F. Basilio of the Philippines, Alberto J. Dumont of Argentina and Marius Grinius of Canada

Democracy Coalition Project co-sponsors global petition to demand the independence of the "Special Procedures"

The Democracy Coalition Project has joined 16 other international and regional human rights organizations from around the world to sponsor a Global Petition calling on the United Nations to maintain the independence of the Special Procedures. On May 9, 2007, the petition, signed by over 12,000 citizens from 147 countries, was handed over to President Luis Alfonso de Alba of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva by the Secretary General of Amnesty International’s Canadian Section, Alex Neve. The petition was delivered while negotiations are still underway in the Human Rights Council to review – and potentially reduce the effectiveness of - the system of “Special Procedures”, the term used to refer to the UN’s independent human rights experts that monitor human rights situations around the world. Among the supporters of the initiative are Nobel Laureate Shirin Ebadi; Senator Dick Marty (member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe); Thomas Hammarberg (Commissioner for Human Rights, Council of Europe), Anders Johnsson (Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union); Sonia Picado (President, Inter-American Institute of Human Rights) and several former Special Procedure mandate-holders, including Diego Garcia Sayan, Sir Nigel Rodley, Peter Leuprecht and Theo van Boven. The review is due to be completed by 18 June 2007.

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DCP joins major human rights organizations from around the world calling on the Democracy Caucus to support strong reforms at the UN Human Rights Council in June

On May 1, 2007, the Democracy Coalition Project, in a joint statement with other human rights organizations around the world, called on the members of the UN Democracy Caucus to support strong reforms at the UN Human Rights Council in its Fifth and final session of its inaugural year from June 11-18. The statement urges democratic countries to work together in the next two months to ensure the UN Human Rights Council adopts mechanisms that will strengthen its ability to address human rights violations around the world. The groups write "Specifically, the Council must preserve the independence and flexibility of the system of 'special procedures' that monitor human rights worldwide" and "establish a universal periodic review that involves independent experts and non-governmental stakeholders at all stages." Finally, the groups urge the Council to "demonstrate an increased willingness to act on urgent human rights situations in a balanced and proactive way." The statement was joined by the Open Society Institute, the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights, Conectas Direitos Humanos, and the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies.

Read joint statement on reforms at the UN Human Rights Council.

Democracy Coalition Project helps organize an intervention at the UN Human Rights Council on the situation in Darfur

On March 22, 2007, The Democracy Coalition Project, the Open Society Institute, and the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies organized an intervention at the UN Human Rights Council signed by 26 human rights organizations representing every region of the world calling on the Council to take strong action on the human rights situation in Darfur. The intervention was delivered in Geneva during the Fourth Session of the Council held from March 12-March 30, 2007. At the session, the Council heard from the High-level Mission mandated by a Special Session of the Council in December to go to Darfur and investigate the human rights situation there. The mission, led by U.S. Nobel Laureate Jody Williams, was prohibited from visiting Darfur, and conducted the investigation from neighboring Chad. A resolution introduced by the EU and the African Group was adopted by the Council that takes note of the High-level mission report and forms a group headed by the UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights Situation in Darfur to continue monitoring the situation and working to implement UN recommendations.

Read intervention on Darfur signed by 26 human rights organizations.

Democracy Coalition Project joins Amnesty International to sponsor a Global Petition in support of an independent and expert system of Special Procedures at the Human Rights Council

In March 2007 Democracy Coalition Project joined a petition to reiterate the need to keep the system of expert Special Procedures at the Human Rights Council independent and strong. Over the forty years of their existence, the Special Procedures have made urgent interventions and are crucial for an effective human rights system. The current review of the Special Procedures undertaken by the new Human Rights Council is being used by some states to weaken the Special Procedures by curtailing their independence. Support this valuable petition by clicking here.

Former US Ambassadors to the UN Commission of Human Rights urge Secretary Rice to appoint a US Ambassador to the UN Human Rights Council

On January 26th 2007, three former US Ambassadors to the UN Commission on Human Rights sent a letter to US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urging her to appoint a US Ambassador to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. In the letter, Ambassadors Geraldine A. Ferraro, Nancy Rubin and Richard S. Williamson express their belief that appointing an ambassador would be crucial to ensure the necessary level of US engagement in the newly established UN body, as the Human Rights Council works to strengthen international human rights standards.

Campaign for a UN Democracy Caucus calls on democratic states to seize the initiative as new Human Rights Council begins sessions

On 25th May, coordinators of the Campaign for a UN Democracy Caucus (Freedom House, Democracy Coalition Project and Transnational Radical Party) issued a statement calling on democratic states to fulfill their promise to actively work to make the new UN Human Rights Council a credible body. The statement reminds democratic states that the new Human Rights Council has the potential to strengthening the international human rights regime only if democratic governments seize the initiative in this inaugural year.

DCP endorses statement by Global Rights calling for NGOs to become full partners in the new Human Rights Council

DCP has joined other 31 organizations and individuals from more than 20 different countries in signing a statement issued by Global Rights calling for non-governmental organizations to be granted full participation in the new Human Rights Council. The statement highlights the unique position enjoyed by NGOs to provide the council information on country situations, urgent issues, and violations of human rights. According to the signatory organizations, the Council should view the arrangements for NGO participation in the UN Economic and Social Council and in the previous Human Rights Commission as the minimum standard form which to further develop NGO participation in the new Council.

Human Rights organizations urge Secretary Rice to support latest proposal for new UN Human Rights Council

A group of prominent U.S. human rights and democracy organizations, including the Democracy Coalition Project, urged Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to support a new proposal to establish an effective and credible UN Human Rights Council in a joint letter issued on February 23. The letter points out that the new proposal released by the President of the UN General Assembly, Jan Eliasson, includes criteria that would potentially improve the body's membership and effectiveness, representing a concrete step in the right direction to creative an effective Council."

To view the complete Press Release, click here
To view the Letter to Secretary Rice, click here
To view an Associated Press Article, click here
To view a Boston Globe Article, click here

Campaign for a UN Democracy Caucus urges Convening Group of the Community of Democracies to lead final stage of negotitations on new Human Rights Council

On 14th February, coordinators of the Campaign for a UN Democracy Caucus (Freedom House, Democracy Coalition Project and Transnational Radical Party) sent a joint letter to the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and UN Permanent Representatives of members of the Convening Group of the Community of Democracies urging them to play a more active role in the final stage of the negotiations to establish the new Human Rights Council. The letter emphasized that the final resolution establishing the new Council should include the following essential elements: improved membership mechanism, including election by two-thirds of the General Assembly and preventing human rights violator from becoming members of the Council; procedures to suspend the privileges of countries that are found to be involved in human rights violations; and annual sessions of no fewer than six meetings per year for a total duration of no less than twelve weeks.

To view the Press Release issued by Freedom House, Democracy Coalition Project and Transnational Radical Party, click here.

Members of the Campaign for a UN Democracy Caucus sign a letter urging the Convening Group of the Community of Democracies to lead the Democracy Caucus to work actively in the negotiations for a strong and effective Human Rights Council

On 24th January, members of the Campaign for a UN Democracy Caucus sent a joint letter to the UN Permanent Representatives of members of the Convening Group of the Community of Democracies. As negotiations on the new Human Rights Council entered into a final phase, the letter urged members of the Convening Group to fulfill the pledge made at the Santiago Ministerial Meeting of the Community of Democracies to strengthening the UN's capacity to implement the principles and practices of democracy. The letter encouraged Convening Group members to create a strong and effective Human Rights Council by promoting the objectives set in a previous letter sent to all UN permanent Representatives in early January.

Members of the Campaign for a UN Democracy Caucus sign a letter to UN member states underscoring essential elements to create a new Human Rights Council

On 6th January, members of the Campaign for a UN Democracy Caucus sent a joint letter to Foreign Ministers and Permanent Representatives of UN member states. As negotiations on the new Human Rights Council resume between 11-16 January, the letter welcomes some of the provisions reflected in the draft resolution dated 19 December 2005, but also outlines certain elements still missing from the text that NGOs believe are absolutely essential to create a new credible Council.

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Members of the Campaign for a UN Democracy Caucus sign a letter to the Permanent Representatives of UN Member States expressing the urgency of completing negotiations for a new Human Rights Council before the end of the year

On 6th December, members of the Campaign for a UN Democracy Caucus sent a new letter to the Permament Representatives of UN member states urging them to complete before the end of 2005 negotiations on a resolution creating a new Human Rights Council. The letter asks UN Representatives to increase their efforts within the next two weeks of final negotiations, in order to create an effective, credible body consistent with the principles outlined in the November 1st letter sent to the President of the UN General Assembly.

Members of the Campaign for a UN Democracy Caucus sign a letter to the President of the UN General Assembly urging the establishment of an effective, credible and authoritative Human Rights Council

On 1st November, members of the Campaign for a UN Democracy Caucus signed a letter addressed to the President of the UN General Assembly, Mr. Jan Eliasson, encouraging him to support the establishment of a strong Human Rights Council. The letter, endorsed by more than forty leaders of NGOs and civic groups, detailed a series of recommendations regarding the status, mandate, composition, voting, working methods, special procedures and NGO participation that could help make the Human Rights Council an effective and credible body, fulfilling the reform promises made at the UN World Summit.

DCP Executive Director urges Community of Democracies to make the new UN Human Rights Council a credible body

On 19th September, the Executive Director of the Democracy Coalition Project, Ted Piccone, addressed the Ministerial Meeting of the Community of Democracies in New York. Representing the Campagin for a UN Democracy Caucus, Mr. Piccone's statement urged CD members to play a central role at creating the new UN Human Rights Council and making it a more credible body than its predecessor, the Human Rights Committee.

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