By Trend News Line 2024-06-20 23:38:00.
to continue to support the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Eritrea and to work towards holding the Government of Eritrea accountable for its human rights violations.
Some speakers welcomed the Eritrean Government\’s efforts to promote human rights and improve the socio-economic wellbeing of its people. They acknowledged the State\’s progress, including steps to reduce the use of the death penalty and increase access to health and education rights and social insurance, protect persons with disabilities, and reduce maternal and child mortality.
In concluding remarks, Mohamed Abdelsalam Babiker, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea, emphasized the urgent need for reform of the national military service in Eritrea. He highlighted the negative impact of the service on students\’ education and called for a mechanism to combat cases of disappearance and detention. Babiker stressed the importance of supporting civil society organizations in Eritrea and urged the Human Rights Council to ensure the survival of his mandate to help the Eritrean people.
The Human Rights Council also heard presentations on Iran and Nicaragua during the meeting.
Nada Al-Nashif, United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, presented the report of the Secretary-General of the United Nations on the Islamic Republic of Iran. The report expressed serious concern about the high number of executions in Iran during the reporting period, with at least 834 individuals executed in 2023, a 43% increase from the previous year. Of particular concern was the 84% increase in executions for drug-related offenses, the highest figure in nearly a decade.
Iran, speaking as a country concerned, defended its use of the death penalty, stating that it was only implemented for the most serious crimes. The country claimed that efforts had been made to reduce the number of crimes punishable by death.
Ms. Al-Nashif also provided an oral update on the situation of human rights in Nicaragua. She highlighted the Government\’s continued expansion of restrictions on civic and democratic spaces, control over the judiciary, and systematic repression through unlawful and arbitrary arrests followed by trials that lacked due process guarantees.
Nicaragua, speaking as a concerned country, asserted that it was working to secure the human rights of its citizens by improving health, education, work, living conditions, and peace and security within the State, despite facing aggression and sanctions from external forces.
The Human Rights Council meeting included discussions on Eritrea, Iran, and Nicaragua, with various countries expressing concerns and making recommendations to address human rights violations in those countries. The Council will reconvene to continue its interactive dialogue with the Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, followed by an interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons..
– LGBTQ+ rights restrictions globally
– Growing LGBTQ+ rights restrictions.