The Human Rights Council opened its 35th regular session yesterday, 6th of June and will continue until the 23th of June 2017.

President of the Human Rights Council Mr. Joaquín Alexander Maza Martelli opened the session by giving the floor to H.E. Mr. Tabaré Vázquez, President of Uruguay.  He urged all countries to respect the dignity of every person as it is a basic human right and called for freedom of democracy. Followed an oral update by the High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, who raised several concerns on the situation of human rights worldwide and the work of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). He called for the freedom of all Palestinians and condemned all acts of terrorism, reminding that counter terrorism must be smart and with a human rights focus always in mind. He continued by mentioning the absence of shame among the most powerful politicians.

“When thug-like leaders ride to power, democratically or otherwise, and openly defy, not only their own laws and constitutions, but also their obligations under international law, where is their shame? Do they not feel disgusted with themselves when they incite or condone acts of violence and bigotry?[...] Jailing principled judges and advocates, journalists, human rights defenders, university professors and teachers, and closing universities. Trading in malice, cruelty, insults and lies. What of their shame?”, asked High Commissioner Zeid.

High Commissioner Zeid stressed the importance to allow Special Procedures to visit countries of concern. Bahrain, who perpetually challenges the question of the universality of human rights and the international order, has denied access to UN Special Procedures visits for the last five years. Bahrain, as other Gulf States, has been guilty of several human rights violations. Just recently, the government’s crackdown on peaceful protesters in Duraz is proof of the constant injustice and denial of fundamental rights such as freedom of assembly and association.

Bahrain is one of the biggest human rights violators, revoking citizenships, preventing human rights defenders from traveling and speaking about the atrocities innocents are facing in the country, arresting human rights activists for freely expressing their opinion and targeting religious minorities.

After the oral update, the HRC held interactive dialogues with several Special Rapporteurs, such as Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, arbitrary or summary executions and Special Rapporteur on peaceful assembly and association.

The human rights situation in the GCC countries, especially in Saudi Arabia, is expected to take an important role at this session as Saudis are continuously violating human rights in the country and outside. Reports of torture and ill-treatment by security forces and severe restrictions on the rights to freedom of expression, assembly and association, unlawful executions and lack of investigation and independent judiciary must be exposed during this session. 

The Human Rights Council provides a space for civil society and Non-Governmental Organizations like International Council Supporting Fair Trial and Human Rights (ICSFT) to bring their advocated speeches and address the deep causes for human rights violations with the purpose to elevate the protection and promotion of human rights according to international law.

Follow #ICSFT for live tweets from #HRC35!