WUNRN
INTIMIDATION & REPRISAL FOR THOSE WHO COOPERATE WITH INFORMATION FOR THE UN AS IN INVESTIGATIONS – RISKS AS FOR WOMEN INFORMANTS
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United Nations |
A/HRC/30/29 |
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General Assembly |
Distr.: General 17
August 2015 Original: English |
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Human Rights Council
Thirtieth session
Annual report of the United
Nations High Commissioner
for Human Rights and reports
of the Office of the
High
Commissioner and the Secretary-General
Human rights
bodies and mechanisms
Cooperation with the United Nations, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights*
Report of
the Secretary-General
Summary |
The present report is submitted pursuant to Human Rights Council
resolution 12/2. In the report, the Secretary-General highlights relevant
initiatives and efforts made by the United Nations system and other
stakeholders in tackling the issue of reprisals. It contains information on
alleged acts of intimidation and reprisal against individuals and groups for
seeking to cooperate, cooperating or having cooperated with the United
Nations, its representative and mechanisms in the field of human rights
gathered from 1 June 2014 to 31 May 2015, including follow-up information on
cases discussed in the previous two reports. |
IV. Conclusions and Recommendations
44. The present
report shows that acts of intimidation and reprisal against individuals and
groups seeking to cooperate, cooperating or having cooperated with the United
Nations in the field of human rights continue. The types of acts reported seem
to have become more varied and severe over time, targeting not only the
individuals or groups concerned but also their families, legal representatives,
non-governmental organizations and anyone linked to them. This is a matter of
grave concern to me and to the United Nations system as a whole.
45. Looking at
the cases included in the present and in previous reports, a number of
recurring, though non-exhaustive, types of act may be identified. They
encompass threats and harassment by government officials, including through
public statements, media smear campaigns and police surveillance, but also
forced closure of organizations, including through the introduction of new
legislation, physical attacks, travel bans, arbitrary arrest, detention,
including incommunicado and solitary confinement, charges and sentencing,
sometimes to lengthy prison terms, torture and other cruel, inhuman or
degrading treatment or punishment, including sexual violence, denial of access
to medical attention and, sadly, even death. Such acts not only show a complete
disregard for the functioning of the United Nations as a whole but also highlight
the fact that, despite repeated calls for action by States to end all such
violations, impunity continues to surround them.
46. While it is
the primary obligation of the State to protect those who cooperate with the
United Nations in the field of human rights and to ensure that they may do so
safely and without hindrance, the cases described in the present report
suggest, worryingly, that acts of intimidation and reprisal are often
perpetrated by government officials or representatives of the State.
47. I reiterate
that any act of intimidation or reprisal against individuals or groups for
their engagement with the United Nations, its mechanisms and representatives in
the field of human rights is completely unacceptable and must be halted,
immediately and unconditionally. Civil society representatives are
indispensable partners for the United Nations. Any act of intimidation or
reprisal against them undermines the effective functioning of the United
Nations as a whole. We must therefore step up efforts and collectively condemn
such acts and take all measures necessary to ensure that all individuals and
groups, without exception, may cooperate freely and safely with the United
Nations, its mechanisms and representatives in the field of human rights.
48. I welcome
the steps taken by the different parts of the United Nations, in particular the
President of the Human Rights Council, the special procedures and the human
rights treaty bodies, in developing ways of addressing the issue of reprisals
in a more coherent and systematic manner, and encourage them to continue to
coordinate their efforts in resolving this system-wide issue. I also welcome
the efforts made by a number of States to provide protection to those
individuals and groups engaging with the United Nations in the field of human
rights, including during the sessions of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Nonetheless, more concerted action is still urgently needed to address this
issue at all levels. I urge all concerned to work cooperatively together to
ensure that the current deadlock facing Council resolution 24/24 is overcome
without further delay. In the meantime, I emphasize that the United Nations
will continue to work for a solid and coordinated response to reprisals
throughout the United Nations system as a whole.
49. In 2014 I
also called upon States to take action at the national level and to refrain
from, to take all appropriate measures to prevent the occurrence of, to ensure
accountability for and to consider the establishment of a national focal point
to address all acts of intimidation or reprisal against individuals and groups
who seek to cooperate, are cooperating or have cooperated with the United
Nations, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights. I
urge all States to follow up and provide information, as appropriate, to the
Human Rights Council on all measures taken, including on cases mentioned in the
present report. In this context, I also recommend that the Council devote
sufficient time to the discussion of the present report, and welcome the
initial statements made by a number of States during the twenty-seventh
session.
50. I encourage all stakeholders, including international and regional organizations, Member States, national human rights institutions, civil society and academic institutions, to continue to contribute to the future consideration of this issue by the Human Rights Council and the United Nations system as a whole.