The 31st session of the Human Rights Council starts today 29 February 2016 and will continue till 24 March 2016. The HRC session provide a space for civil society and human right organizations like International Council Supporting Fair Trial and Human Rights (ICSFT) to bring their advocacy and address the root causes for human rights violations with the aim of elevating the protection and promotion of human rights according to international standards. It is also a chance to bridge the gap between the international and local levels, by providing information about human rights and human rights violations on the ground.

ICSFT along with its partner organizations including Khiam Rehabilitation Center for Victims of Torture and Salam for Democracy and Human rights will actively engage with relevant stakeholders, delegations and UN organs to make sure that the current human rights situation in the Middle East is not forgotten and on the agenda.

During the 31st session, ICSFT along with partner organizations will organize over six side events, inter Alia, human rights situation in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and UPR outcomes of Lebanon, and deliver several oral and written statements. Our focus during the Human Rights Council sessions is to bring more visibility to the human rights situation in the Middle East in particular Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Bahrain and raise the level of accountability of respective governments within the frame work of the Human Rights Council. Most importantly, in doing so, we will remind countries of their human rights obligations, whether they are directly implicated in an armed conflict, or indirectly contributing to it

For more information, have a look at our calendar

We will publish our statements as they are published in our advocacy document archive. More updates coming soon