---
title: "CIHRS at the United Nations Human Rights Council – 41st  session"
slug: "cihrs-at-the-united-nations-human-rights-council-41st-session"
post_type: "post"
published_at: "2019-08-02T14:35:57+01:00"
modified_at: "2026-04-30T08:32:36+01:00"
author: "CIHRS"
url: "https://cihrs.org/cihrs-at-the-united-nations-human-rights-council-41st-session/?lang=en"
category:
  - "International Advocacy Program"
  - "United Nations Human Rights Council"
causes_and_rights:
  - "Accountability"
  - "Protection of Civilians"
  - "Segregation and racial discrimination"
country:
  - "Egypt"
  - "Libya"
  - "Palestine"
  - "Saudi Arabia"
  - "Sudan"
  - "Syria"
  - "Yemen"
---

# CIHRS at the United Nations Human Rights Council – 41st  session

# CIHRS Activities at the 41st Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council

The Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS) engaged in the 41st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, held from 24 June to 12 July 2019 in Geneva, Switzerland. CIHRS’ advocacy centered on seven countries: Palestine, Yemen, Libya, Sudan, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. At the HRC, CIHRS focused on countering attempts by repressive governments to exploit international mechanisms with the aim of covering up their human rights violations; on ensuring accountability for human rights violators; and on advocating for the release of unjustly detained persons.

---

▸HRC41: End of session statementBy renewing the mandate *of the Independent Expert on sexual orientation and gender identiy (*SOGI*),* the Council has sent a clear message that violence and discrimination against people of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities cannot be tolerated. *It reaffirmed that specific, sustained and systematic attention is needed to address these human rights violations and ensure that LGBT people can live a life of dignity. We welcome the Core Group's commitment to engage in dialogue with all States, resulting in over 50 original co-sponsors across all regions. However, we regret that some States have again attempted to prevent the Council from addressing discrimination and violence on the basis of SOGI.*

The Council session also sent a clear message that Council membership comes with scrutiny *by addressing the situations of Eritrea, the Philippines, China, Saudi Arabia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.* This shows the potential the Council has to leverage its membership to become more effective and responsive to rights holders and victims.

The Council did the right thing by extending its monitoring of *the situation in* **Eritrea**. *The onus is on the Eritrean Government to cooperate with Council mechanisms, including the Special Rapporteur, in line with its membership obligations.*

*We welcome* the *first Council* resolution on the **Philippines** *as an important first step towards justice and accountability. We urge the Council to closely follow this situation and be ready to follow up with additional action, if the situation does not improve or deteriorates further. We deeply regret that such a resolution was necessary, due to the continuation of serious violations and repeated refusal of the Philippines – despite its membership of the Council– to cooperate with existing mechanisms.*

We deplore that Council members, *such as the Philippines and Eritrea,* sought to use their seats in this Council to seek to shield themselves from scrutiny, *and* those States\[1\] who stand with the *authorities and* perpetrators who continue to commit grave violations with impunity, rather than with the victims.

We welcome the written statement by 22 States on **China** *expressing collective concern over widespread surveillance, restrictions to freedoms of religion and movement, and large-scale arbitrary detention of Uyghurs and other minorities in Xinjiang.* We consider it as a first step towards sustained Council attention and *in the absence of progress* look to those governments *that have signed this letter* to follow up at the September session *with a resolution calling for China to allow access to the region to independent human rights experts and to end country-wide the arbitrary detention of individuals based on their religious beliefs or political opinions.*

We welcome the progress made in resolutions on the rights of women and girls: *violence against women and girls in the world of work, on discrimination against women and girls and on the consequences of child, early and forced marriage.* *We particularly welcome the renewal of the mandate of the Working Group on Discrimination Against Women and Girls under its new name and mandate to focus on the intersections of gender and age and their impact on girls. The Council* *showed that it was willing to stand up to the global backlash against the rights of women and girls by* ensuring that these resolutions reflect the current international legal framework *and to resist cultural relativism, despite several amendments put forward to try and weaken the strong content of these resolutions.*

However, in the text on the contribution of **development** *to the enjoyment of all human rights*, long standing consensus language from the *Vienna Declaration for Programme of Action (*VDPA) *recognising that, at the same time, “the lack of development may not be invoked to justify the abridgement of internationally recognized human rights”* has again been deliberately excluded *disturbing the careful balance established and maintained for several decades on this issue*.

*We welcome the continuous engagement of the Council in addressing the threat posed by **climate change** to human rights, through its annual resolution and the panel discussion on women’s rights and climate change at this session.* We call on the Council to continue to strengthen its work on this issue, given its increasing urgency for the protection of all human rights.

The Council has missed an opportunity on **Sudan** where it could have supported regional efforts and ensured that human rights are not sidelined *in the process*. We now look to African leadership to ensure that human rights are upheld in the transition. *The Council should stand ready to act, including through setting up a full-fledged inquiry into all instances of violence against peaceful protesters and civilians across the country.*

*During the interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial and summary executions*, States heard loud and clear that the time to hold **Saudi Arabia** accountable is now  *for the extrajudicial killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.* W*e recall that women human rights defenders continue to be arbitrarily detained despite the calls by 36 States at the March session.* We urge States to adopt a resolution at the September session to establish a monitoring mechanism over the *human rights* situation *in the country.*

We welcome the *landmark* report of the High Commissioner on *the situation for human rights in* **Venezuela**; *in response to the grave findings in the report and the absence of any fundamental improvement of the situation in the meantime,* we urge the Council to adopt a Commission of Inquiry *or similar mechanism* in September, *to reinforce the ongoing efforts of the High Commissioner and other actors to address the situation.*

*We welcome the renewal of the mandate on the **freedom of peaceful assembly and association**. This mandate is at the core of our work as civil society and we trust that the mandate will continue to protect and promote these fundamental freedoms towards a more open civic space.*

*We welcome the renewal of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on **Belarus**. We acknowledge some positive signs of re-engagement in dialogue by Belarus, and an attempted negotiation process with the EU on a potential Item 10 resolution. However, in the absence of systemic human rights reforms in Belarus, the mandate and resolution process remains an essential tool for Belarusian civil society. In addition, there are fears of a spike in violations around upcoming elections and we are pleased that the resolution highlights the need for Belarus to provide safeguards against such an increase.*

*We welcome the renewal of the quarterly reporting process on the human rights situation in **Ukraine**. However, we also urge States to think creatively about how best to use this regular mechanism on Ukraine to make better progress on the human rights situation.*

The continued delay in the release of the *UN* **database** *of businesses engaged with Israeli settlements established pursuant to Council resolution 31/36 in March 2016* is of deep concern*.* We join others *including Tunisia speaking on behalf of 65 states and Peru speaking on behalf of 26 States* in calling on the High Commissioner to urgently and fully fulfil this mandate *as a matter of urgency and on all States to cooperate with all Council mandates, including this one, and without political interference.*

Numerous States and stakeholders highlighted the importance of the *OHCHR* report on **Kashmir;** *while its release only a few days ago meant it did not receive substantive consideration at the present session,* we look forward to discussing it *in depth* at *the* September session.

Finally, we welcome the principled leadership shown by Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, in pursuing accountability for individual victims of acts of intimidation and **reprisals** *under General Debate Item 5, contrasting with other States which tend to make only general statements of concern,* and call on States to raise all individual cases at the interactive dialogue *on reprisals and intimidation* in *the* September *session*.

**Signatories:**

1. International Service for Human Rights (ISHR)
2. DefendDefenders (the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project)
3. Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
4. Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA)
5. International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
6. International Commission of Jurists (ICJ)
7. Center for Reproductive Rights
8. ARTICLE 19
9. Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies
10. Human Rights House Foundation
11. CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation
12. Franciscans International
13. Association for Progressive Communications (APC)
14. Amnesty International
15. 1Human Rights Watch
16. International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA)

\[1\] States who voted against the resolution on the **Eritrea**: Bahrain, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, China, Cuba, Egypt, Eritrea, Iraq, India, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, the Philippines and Pakistan.

States who voted against the resolution on the **Philippines**: Angola, Bahrain, Cameroon, China, Cuba, Egypt, Eritrea, Hungary, Iraq, India, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, and the Philippines.

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# Palestine

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With the release of the UN database of businesses operating in Israeli settlements now postponed for over three years, CIHRS has increased its engagement with states to request the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to fulfill its mandate by publicly releasing the database with the names of companies.

During the 41st session, CIHRS coordinated joint advocacy for the database’s publication, with a Palestinian partner, Al-Haq, a European partner, 11.11.11, a coalition of about 60 Belgian NGOs, unions, movements, and other groups. The organizations met with more than 20 missions in Geneva - comprising states from Africa, Europe, South America - to call for OHCHR’s independence to be protected, and to underscore the importance of fulfilling the mandate. Further delays, CIHRS and its partners warned, could undermine the Office and exacerbate an already-pervasive culture of impunity for human rights abuses and internationally-recognized crimes in the occupied Palestinian territory, by both state and non-state actors including business enterprises.

![Image](https://cihrs.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/The-UN-database-on-businesses-operating-in-the-OPT-copy-2.jpg)

Panelists raised awareness about the importance of the database’s release from local and international perspectives during a side event organized by CIHRS on 5 July 2019, titled *Upholding the rule of law: the UN database on businesses involved in settlements in the OPT*. Professor Michael Lynk presented, through video-conference, on the illegality of the annexation and the importance of the UN database as a tool in countering the evolving process of colonization and annexation. The event brought together key representatives of the main local, regional, and international organizations advocating for publication, including Al-Haq, 11.11.11, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. More than 20 diplomatic missions attended the event.

![Image](https://cihrs.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/p1.jpg)

During the Council session, CIHRS and partners coordinated joint statements in the HRC highlighting the urgency of releasing the database, following three years of delay.
The organizations\[1\] called for the immediate public release of the database of businesses operating in Israeli settlements as an important precedent in regulating business activities with transparency and accountability in similar contexts. During the general debate on the situation of Palestine, on 8 July, CIHRS delivered an oral intervention calling on member states to take action supporting the High Commissioner in the prompt implementation of her mandate, without further delay, by backing the joint statement proposed by the state of Palestine, and/or seeking alternative ways to express a principled position on the independence of the High Commissioner and her office, and the need for full implementation of all UN HRC mandates.

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\[1\] CIHRS, Al Haq, Badil and the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom

▸Calling for the release of UN database of business enterprises engaged with Israeli settlements- United Nations Human Rights Council: 41st Session
- Item 7: General Debate
- Joint Oral Intervention
- Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS)
- 8 July, 2019

Delivered by: Nada Awad

Thank you Mr. President,

Our organizations are gravely concerned by the continuing delay in the release of the UN database of business enterprises engaged with Israeli settlements, established pursuant to UN Human Rights Council resolution 31/36 in March 2016.

This resolution requested the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to “produce a database of all business enterprises involved … to be updated annually, and to transmit the data therein in the form of a report to the Council at its thirty-fourth session.”

We call on the OHCHR to immediately fulfil the mandate and release the database with the names of the companies.

The UN database is currently the only step – beyond verbal condemnations – to operationalize UN Security Council Resolution 2334 (December 2016), which called on UN Member States to “distinguish in their relevant dealings between the territory of the State of Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory.” This is at a time of rapid settlement expansion and attempts to normalize and legitimize the Israeli settlements.

Moreover, there is an urgent need for Member States to protect the UN and the OHCHR as an institution against pressure and threats. Not publishing the database due to state-led pressure could jeopardise the independence of the OHCHR and set a worrying precedent that puts implementation of other mandates at risk.

We therefore call upon member states to take action to convey their support to the High Commissioner for the swift implementation of her mandate, without further delay, by supporting the joint statement proposed by the State of Palestine, and/or seeking alternative ways to express a principled position on the independence of the High Commissioner and her office, and the need for full implementation of all UNHRC mandates.

During the general debate following the presentation of the report of the Working Group on Business and Human Rights, CIHRS’ joint\[1\] oral intervention addressed the need to develop further guidance or normative development on corporate activities in conflict and post-conflict contexts, including occupation, colonization and reconstruction in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs).

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\[1\] Al-Haq, Law in the Service of Man, BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights, and Women's International League for Peace and Freedom.

▸The activities of businesses in conflict and in post-conflict contexts- United Nations Human Rights Council: 41st Session
- Item 5: General Debate – Report of the Forum on Business and Human Rights
- Joint Oral Intervention
- Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS)
- 3 July, 2019

Delivered by: Nada Awad

Thank you Mr. Chair and members of the Working Group,

The Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies and its partners welcome the Working Group’s project to develop guidance on conflict and post-conflict contexts as there is a need to develop further criteria and recommendations for corporate activities in situations of occupation, colonization, and reconstruction in line with the UN guiding principles. These situations are especially prone to corporate exploitation and abuse, as we see in Palestine and Syria.

In the Occupied Palestinian Territory, businesses contribute to the sustainability and expansion of Israel’s illegal settlement enterprise. We remain gravely concerned that the release of the mandated database of businesses operating in Israeli settlements has once again been delayed. We urge the OHCHR to publicly release the database without delay and set an important precedent in transparency and accountability for business activities in similar contexts.

In Syria, states and non-state actors (mainly IFIs, UN agencies, and the private sector) continue early recovery and rehabilitation efforts, with reports of companies taking on development contracts in areas controlled by the Syrian government. The serious human rights abuses in Syria are ongoing, and there is a great risk that companies and international organizations could be contributing to these abuses or empowering and enriching the perpetrators of serious human rights violations.

We, therefore, urge the Working Group to continue to undertake a deeper examination of business conduct and practices that contribute to human rights abuses in situations of conflict, occupation, and colonization as well as in post-conflict reconstruction as it develops its guidance on conflict and post-conflict contexts.

Lastly, situations of conflict and colonization exacerbate systems of inequalities and discrimination and result in differentiated and disproportionate gendered impacts. We call on the working group to embed a gender-responsive approach in this examination in line with the gender framework of the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights presented to the Council at this session.

Thank you Mr. Chair.

In a joint intervention, CIHRS and partners called on the Council and Member States to take serious action to bring to an end to the long-standing impunity granted to Israel. CIHRS spoke out against the discriminatory Jewish Nation State Law passed by the Israeli parliament. With the addition of this law, there are now 66 Israeli laws that discriminate directly or indirectly against Palestinians.

▸The UN should end Israeli policies of discrimination against Palestinians- BADIL Resource Centre for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights
- Al-Haq, Law in the Service of Man
- Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS)
- Item 4

**Maha Abdallah**

Mr. President,

There are over 65 Israeli laws that discriminate directly or indirectly against Palestinian residents in Israel, in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), and Palestinian refugees – based on their national identity and belonging.

The discriminatory laws govern all areas of life, ranging from citizenship and residency rights, to political participation, land, housing, education and cultural rights, and the right to a fair trial and due process.

Last year, in July 2018, the Israeli parliament passed the Jewish Nation State Law, restricting the right to exercise self-determination to the Jewish people in Israel, effectively denigrating Palestinians and other inhabitants to second-class citizens, and making discrimination in Israel, constitutional.

The law has ramifications which extend further into the OPT, entrenching Israel’s colonisation and annexation, while imperilling the most basic rights of Palestinians, notably the inalienable right to self-determination.

The law claims that Jerusalem is the “unified capital of Israel”, contrary to international law and UN Security Council and General Assembly resolutions.

Similarly dangerous, the law explicitly encourages “Jewish settlement”, portraying it as a “national value”, which naturally goes hand in hand with the ongoing Israeli government support, for civilians and businesses alike, to relocate to settlements in the OPT, while forcibly transferring Palestinians out.

Our organisations call on the Council and Member States to take serious actions, to bring to an end the long-standing impunity granted to Israel, which has enabled it to infringe the rights of the Palestinian population for more than seven decades, through colonisation, occupation, apartheid, systemic displacement and the erasure of Palestinian presence.

Thank you.

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# Yemen

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In line with the objective of ensuring accountability in Yemen, CIHRS coordinated with partner organization Mwatana for Human Rights to ensure their engagement in the adoption of the UPR recommendations of Yemen under Agenda Item 6. CIHRS and Mwatana delivered a joint oral intervention at the HRC during the adoption of Yemen’s UPR recommendations, on July 4, 2019. The intervention highlighted the persistence of grave violations and called on the government to cooperate fully with the [Group of Eminent Experts (GEE)](https://cihrs.org/stand-against-impunity-in-yemen-prevails-as-un-renews-war-crimes-investigations/?lang=en) and other international accountability mechanisms to counter the impunity enjoyed thus far by all parties to the conflict.

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▸Calling for the adoption of the recommendations of the universal periodic review of Yemen- United Nations Human Rights Council: 41st Session
- Item 6: UPR adoptions of Yemen
- Joint Oral Intervention
- Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS)
- 4 July, 2019

Mr/Madam Vice/President,

This statement is on behalf of the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies with the support of Mwatana for Human Rights.

Since the UPR of Yemen in January 2019, gross human rights violations by all parties to the conflict are still ongoing in the country. Fighting is currently concentrated in Hudaydah, Taiz, Al Dhale, and al Bayda governorates. As has been the case throughout the war, when fighting between the parties comes, so does the indiscriminate killing of civilians. The impact on civilians residing in these areas has been particularly acute.

As just one example: last month, on Friday, June 28, the Saudi/UAE-led coalition, with Yemeni forces participating in attacks, carried out yet another airstrike on a civilian home—that of Abdulqawi Al Kandi—during the weekly family gathering. The strike killed six civilians, including three children and a woman.

Civilians are targeted in other areas, too. The Saudi/UAE-led coalition continues to impose restrictions which affect the daily life of millions of civilians—closing Sanaa airport for nearly three years, restricting civilian flights from the airports of Seiyun and Aden, and impeding access to basic supplies and humanitarian assistance by land and by sea.

While the Houthi armed group has also obstructed aid, the Yemeni government could take steps now to ease the crisis in Yemen. Yet all recommendations to reopen the closed airports have been ignored by the government of Yemen. The government should immediately open all land, sea and airports for humanitarian and commercial flights—these matters are within the sovereign rights of the government of Yemen.

We also urge the government to comply with the recommendations it adopted to ease the suffering of detainees and their families, including to immediately release the names of all persons in custody in the territory under its control, and to immediately halt the practice of arbitrary arrest and detention and combat torture in detention centers.

While the government of Yemen has adopted recommendations to ensure the respect of human rights and humanitarian law, the Saudi/UAE-led coalition backing it continues to obstruct the functioning of the justice system in areas under the government’s control.

Moreover, the coalition continues to support armed groups, which are committing gross human rights violations in these areas, like in Aden and Taiz, including extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests, and torture. The government of Yemen should make clear that it will cease consent for Saudi/UAE-led coalition operations in Yemen until adequate safeguards are in place to ensure that those operations comply with obligations under international human rights and humanitarian law.

Abuses continue to impact families across Yemen—horrific violations are being carried out by all sides, including the Houthi armed group, and many are likely war crimes. The Yemeni government should immediately take steps to end these abuses in areas it controls.

We regret that recommendations with reference to cooperation with the Group of Eminent Experts, and the ratification of the Rome Statute of the ICC, were rejected by the government.

We therefore reiterate the call to cooperate fully with the GEE and other international mechanisms of accountability to ensure that all perpetrators of serious crimes in Yemen are held accountable.

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# Libya

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In line with the objective of implementing an accountability mechanism in Libya, CIHRS continued its campaign calling for the re-establishment of a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the gross human rights violations throughout the country. On 3 July, CIHRS delivered an oral intervention highlighting the ongoing, pervasive impunity in Libya and the proliferation of human rights violations, including war crimes and crimes against humanity. CIHRS called on the Human Rights Council to urgently reestablish the CoI on Libya, which will identify the perpetrators of violations and seek to establish [individual criminal responsibility](https://cihrs.org/libyaopen-letter-to-the-libyan-state-support-a-mechanism-to-determine-individual-accountability-for-violations-in-libya/?lang=en) for violations of international law. The Netherlands also advocated for a Commission of Inquiry on Libya during the general debate under Agenda Item 4.

▸Impunity in Egypt and Libya- United Nations Human Rights Council: 41st Session
- Item 4: General Debate
- Oral Intervention
- Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS)
- 3 July, 2019

Delivered by: Nada Awad

Thank you Mr. President.

Last week the Egyptian government arrested eight individuals in what appears to be a politically motivated campaign of arrests.

Those arrested are Zyad El-Eleaimy, former parliamentarian; journalist Hossam Mo’anes; journalist and activist Hisham Fouad; labor activist Ahmed Tammam; writer and economist Omar el-Shenety; labor rights activist Hassan al-Barbary; and businessmen Osama al-Aqbawi and Mustafa Abdel Moez.

This latest wave of arrests is emblematic of an ongoing crackdown on all forms of dissent and civil society activity in Egypt, and the government’s relentless efforts to eliminate almost all forms of free expression and association- often under the guise of “counter-terrorism.” This latest campaign of arrests and arbitrary detention comes after Z. El-Eleimy and others began planning to run for Parliament - a clear violation of the right to political participation.

As noted by many state and UN officials in this very room- the unpreceded brutality demonstrated by the government to close off all peaceful outlets of civic engagement has only resulted in further conflict and instability in Egypt. We ask again- when will this Council act to prevent further disaster in Egypt?

We also call on the HRC to establish an independent investigation into the human rights violations in Libya.

The ongoing and increasing armed conflict within the country is a consequence of the prevalence of impunity and the lack of respect for the rule of law.

This situation has led to the proliferation of human rights violations, as well as war crimes and crimes against humanity. The list of violations continues to grow in severity, including kidnappings and enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests, torture, extra judicial killings, slave markets, the mass imprisonment and mistreatment of refugees and immigrants, the use of child soldiers and the targeting of civilians by armed groups – to name but a few.

It is time for the Human Rights Council to reestablish a commission of inquiry on Libya which will identify the perpetrators of violations, and seek to establish individual criminal responsibility for violations of international law.

Thank you Mr President.

---

![Image](https://cihrs.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/الهجمات-ضد-الصحفيين-في-منطقة-الشرق-الأوسط-وشمال-أفريقيا-الحاجة-إلى-تحرك-مجلس-حقوق-الإنسان-فوراً-لضمان-سلامة-الصحفيين..jpg)

On 4 July, CIHRS participated in a side event organized by Maharat entitled “*Ongoing attacks on journalists across the MENA region: The need for the UN HRC to act immediately to ensure the safety of journalists*.'' CIHRS discussed the perilous situation of journalists in Libya, based on documentation provided by the Libya Platform, a coalition of NGOs working on the protection and promotion of human rights and public freedoms in Libya. CIHRS emphasized that journalists can only be protected through countering violence and incitement to violence, including hate speech.

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# Sudan

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With the human rights situation in Sudan continually deteriorating since December 2018, and the Sudanese military’s violent dispersal of peaceful protesters in June 2019, during which it committed gross human rights violations, CIHRS’ focus during the 41st session of the Human Rights Council has been the protection of civilians from further violence. To this end, CIHRS together with several organizations have been engaging with the Human Rights Council to take a strong position on Sudan, including by establishing a Commission of Inquiry to investigate the latest attacks on pro-democracy protesters.

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![Image](https://cihrs.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/UN-HRC_Sudan.jpg)

The joint statement [Killings of Peaceful Sudanese Democracy Protesters Demand Accountability](https://cihrs.org/killings-of-peaceful-sudanese-democracy-protesters-demand-accountability/?lang=en) reiterated the call made in January 2019 to dispatch an independent international fact-finding mission to Sudan. Sudanese human rights defenders also called for an international investigative mechanism while discussing the reality on the ground during a side event co-sponsored by CIHRS *Responding to Atrocities in Sudan: The Role of the Human Rights Council*, held on 8 July 2019.

In an intervention during the Enhanced Interactive Dialogue on Sudan in the HRC, CIHRS called on the international community to closely follow the implementation of the accords between the military and the civilian opposition, and pressure the military authorities to meet their international obligations. CIHRS called on the HRC to urgently establish a mechanism to conduct an independent investigation into the attacks in Sudan since December 2018 and ensure that all perpetrators of serious crimes are held accountable.

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▸The United Nations should establish an independent investigation mechanism for violations in Sudan and ensure that perpetrators are held accountable- United Nations Human Rights Council: 41st Session
- Item 10: Enhanced ID on the Sudan
- Oral Intervention
- Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS)
- 9 July, 2019

Delivered by: Jeremie Smith

Thank you Mr President,
Eight weeks after the stepping down of Sudanese President Al-Bashir, on 3 June 2019, more than a hundred protestors have been killed while taking part in peaceful sit-ins, in which they called for civilian rule.
There have been reports of systematic rape carried out by government forces against protesters to intimidate and punish. Moreover, hospitals have been attacked, with reports of doctors having been assaulted.
Hundreds have been arrested. Recently returned opposition leader Yassir Arman was arrested and held for several days before being forcibly deported to Juba.
Following the power sharing deal, which was reached on 5 July 2019, we call on the international community to follow closely the implementation of the accords and pressure the military authorities to meet their international obligations.
Moreover, we call on the council to urgently establish a mechanism to conduct an independent investigation into the attacks on protesters in Sudan to ensure that all perpetrators of serious crimes are held accountable. The mechanism should investigate human rights violations committed since December 2018, and include cases of sexual and gender-based violence reported following the latest attacks by armed groups, including the Rapid Support Forces.

---

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# Syria

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The protection of civilians, particularly in Idlib, was the focal point of CIHRS’ advocacy during the session. CIHRS and its partners called on the United Nations Security Council to demand the OPCW Investigation and Identification Team be given access to investigate the use of toxic chemicals and chemical weapons, in a [statement](https://cihrs.org/syria-access-must-be-given-to-un-chemical-weapons-investigators/?lang=en) issued on 8 July. This call reinforced CIHRS’ earlier call on the OHCHR to demand access for the investigation team, delivered on 2 July 2019, during the interactive dialogue with the Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic. In this [statement](https://cihrs.org/syria-to-save-civilian-lives-international-community-must-compel-syrian-government-to-cooperate-with-opcw-investigation-team/?lang=en), CIHRS appealed to the international community to insist on an immediate cease-fire in concert with pressuring the Syrian and Russian governments to at long last respect international law and meet their international obligations.

▸The Security Council should enable the OPCW investigation team to have access to Syria- UN Human Rights Council 41st Session
- 2 July 2019 - Oral Intervention Agenda Item 4 - Interactive Dialogue
- Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic - Oral update

Thank you Mr. President and members of the Commission,

The Cairo Institute welcomes this update on the Commission’s findings.

Last month, the Syrian government denied access to a team of investigators from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons’ (OPCW). This is another troubling blow for the protection of civilians across Syria and contravenes the Chemical Weapons Convention, to which the Syrian government has been a party since 2013.

The international community has repeatedly failed to take meaningful action to protect the civilian population of Syria. This has emboldened the Syrian and Russian forces in perpetuating systematic crimes against humanity and violations of international law. As we speak, the population of Idlib is being terrorized by relentless targeted attacks against civilian infrastructure and medical centers, indiscriminate attacks on populated areas, and the use of internationally banned weapons; all of which are causing large-scale forced displacement. According to this Commission’s findings, the Syrian government has perpetrated 32 out of 37 chemical attacks in areas such as Eastern Ghouta and Aleppo. Now, Idlib is at high risk.

Despite the international community's inaction, the involvement of the OPCW has served as an important mechanism not only for investigation but also as a deterrent against the use of such weapons. The Syrian government and its Russian allies should not be able to block independent investigation of the reports on the use of illegal weapons in and around Idlib.

As the past eight years have tragically proven, simple condemnation of violations and abuses is not enough. A change of course by the international community is urgently needed to protect civilians and to prevent further use of chemical weapons.

Last week, a group of [seven NGOs](https://cihrs.org/syria-to-save-civilian-lives-international-community-must-compel-syrian-government-to-cooperate-with-opcw-investigation-team/?lang=en) from the MENA region called for the UN Security Council to convene an emergency meeting on this issue. We reiterate their call and also urge the OHCHR to demand access for the investigation team. The international community must also insist on an immediate cease-fire in concert with pressuring the Syrian and Russian governments to at long last respect international law and meet their international obligations.

Idlib is on the verge of a humanitarian catastrophe, and the time for the international community to act is now.

Thank you Mr. President.

---

Concurrently, CIHRS continued to advocate for guarantees that reconstruction projects in Syria adhere to human rights standards. On 3 July 2019, CIHRS delivered an oral intervention during the general debate following the report of the Forum on Business and Human Rights, highlighting the importance of ensuring that projects in Syria conducted by states and non-state actors (mainly IFIs, UN agencies, and the private sector) do not contribute to human rights abuses or to empowering and enriching the perpetrators of serious human rights violations.

▸The activities of businesses in conflict and in post-conflict contexts- United Nations Human Rights Council: 41st Session
- Item 5: General Debate – Report of the Forum on Business and Human Rights
- Joint Oral Intervention
- Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS)
- 3 July, 2019

Delivered by: Nada Awad

Thank you Mr. Chair and members of the Working Group,

The Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies and its partners welcome the Working Group’s project to develop guidance on conflict and post-conflict contexts as there is a need to develop further criteria and recommendations for corporate activities in situations of occupation, colonization, and reconstruction in line with the UN guiding principles. These situations are especially prone to corporate exploitation and abuse, as we see in Palestine and Syria.

In the Occupied Palestinian Territory, businesses contribute to the sustainability and expansion of Israel’s illegal settlement enterprise. We remain gravely concerned that the release of the mandated database of businesses operating in Israeli settlements has once again been delayed. We urge the OHCHR to publicly release the database without delay and set an important precedent in transparency and accountability for business activities in similar contexts.

In Syria, states and non-state actors (mainly IFIs, UN agencies, and the private sector) continue early recovery and rehabilitation efforts, with reports of companies taking on development contracts in areas controlled by the Syrian government. The serious human rights abuses in Syria are ongoing, and there is a great risk that companies and international organizations could be contributing to these abuses or empowering and enriching the perpetrators of serious human rights violations.

We, therefore, urge the Working Group to continue to undertake a deeper examination of business conduct and practices that contribute to human rights abuses in situations of conflict, occupation, and colonization as well as in post-conflict reconstruction as it develops its guidance on conflict and post-conflict contexts.

Lastly, situations of conflict and colonization exacerbate systems of inequalities and discrimination and result in differentiated and disproportionate gendered impacts. We call on the working group to embed a gender-responsive approach in this examination in line with the gender framework of the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights presented to the Council at this session.

Thank you Mr. Chair.

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# Saudi Arabia

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Following a [joint campaign](https://cihrs.org/saudi-arabia-over-50-human-rights-groups-call-for-immediate-release-of-rights-defenders/?lang=en) on Saudi Arabia, which led to an unprecedented [joint statement](https://www.government.is/diplomatic-missions/embassy-article/2019/03/07/Joint-statement-on-the-human-rights-situation-in-Saudi-Arabia/) by 36 states in the [40th session](https://cihrs.org/hrc40-saudi-arabia-faces-historic-censure-egypts-attempt-to-undermine-un-counterterrorism-human-rights-mechanism-thwarted/?lang=en) of the Human Rights Council calling for the release of detained women human rights defenders, CIHRS continued to advocate for accountability in Saudi Arabia. In a joint statement [*Stand up for human rights in Saudi Arabia: States should adopt a resolution at the UN Human Rights Council to address ongoing human rights violations*](https://cihrs.org/stand-up-for-human-rights-in-saudi-arabia-states-should-adopt-a-resolution-at-the-un-human-rights-council-to-address-ongoing-human-rights-violations/?lang=en), non-governmental organizations called on the HRC to present a resolution establishing a monitoring mechanism over human rights violations in Saudi Arabia.

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# Egypt

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CIHRS continued its engagement on Egypt to ensure that human rights violations in the country remained on the agenda of the Council. On 2 July CIHRS co-sponsored a side-event, with Civicus, Amnesty International, Article 19 and Salam for Democracy and Human Rights, on “The Human Rights Problem of Political Marginalization.” CIHRS described how the sustained, systematic denial of basic civil and political rights and freedoms in Egypt is criminalizing peaceful political dissent while the country remains plagued by historically high levels of political violence. CIHRS brought attention to the [latest arbitrary wave of arrests](https://cihrs.org/egypt-latest-arrest-campaign-seeks-to-eliminate-emerging-coalition-in-coming-parliamentary-elections/?lang=en), which targeted former parliamentarian Zyad El-Eleaimy, and journalists and activists including Hossam Mo’anes, Hisham Fouad, Ahmed Tammam, Omar el-Shenety, Hassan al-Barbary. CIHRS highlighted the government’s relentless [crackdown](https://cihrs.org/egypt-new-crackdown-to-terrorise-civil-society/?lang=en) to eliminate all forms of dissent, free expression and association, and civil society activity in Egypt, often under the guise of “counterterrorism.”

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▸Impunity in Egypt and Libya- United Nations Human Rights Council: 41st Session
- Item 4: General Debate
- Oral Intervention
- Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS)
- 3 July, 2019

Delivered by: Nada Awad

Thank you Mr. President.

Last week the Egyptian government arrested eight individuals in what appears to be a politically motivated campaign of arrests.

Those arrested are Zyad El-Eleaimy, former parliamentarian; journalist Hossam Mo’anes; journalist and activist Hisham Fouad; labor activist Ahmed Tammam; writer and economist Omar el-Shenety; labor rights activist Hassan al-Barbary; and businessmen Osama al-Aqbawi and Mustafa Abdel Moez.

This latest wave of arrests is emblematic of an ongoing crackdown on all forms of dissent and civil society activity in Egypt, and the government’s relentless efforts to eliminate almost all forms of free expression and association- often under the guise of “counter-terrorism.” This latest campaign of arrests and arbitrary detention comes after Z. El-Eleimy and others began planning to run for Parliament - a clear violation of the right to political participation.

As noted by many state and UN officials in this very room- the unpreceded brutality demonstrated by the government to close off all peaceful outlets of civic engagement has only resulted in further conflict and instability in Egypt. We ask again- when will this Council act to prevent further disaster in Egypt?

We also call on the HRC to establish an independent investigation into the human rights violations in Libya.

The ongoing and increasing armed conflict within the country is a consequence of the prevalence of impunity and the lack of respect for the rule of law.

This situation has led to the proliferation of human rights violations, as well as war crimes and crimes against humanity. The list of violations continues to grow in severity, including kidnappings and enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests, torture, extra judicial killings, slave markets, the mass imprisonment and mistreatment of refugees and immigrants, the use of child soldiers and the targeting of civilians by armed groups – to name but a few.

It is time for the Human Rights Council to reestablish a commission of inquiry on Libya which will identify the perpetrators of violations, and seek to establish individual criminal responsibility for violations of international law.

Thank you Mr President.

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# Cross-regional 

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- On Eritrea: CIHRS joined NGOs in a [letter](https://cihrs.org/human-rights-situation-in-eritrea/?lang=en) calling for the adoption of a resolution to maintain a monitoring and reporting mandate on the human rights situation in Eritrea.
- To counter the attacks on the UN system, including the special procedures, CIHRS joined an intervention in the Human Rights Council to send a strong message against the escalation of reprisals against Special Procedures mandate holders and members of Expert Mechanisms and Commissions of Inquiry (CoI) by States, including members of the Council, as well as threats against the Special Procedures system as a whole. CIHRS also joined an [open letter](https://cihrs.org/cihrs-and-ngos-from-around-the-world-call-for-action-to-address-funding-crises-at-united-nations-human-rights-mechanisms/?lang=en) regarding the critical funding gap affecting UN human rights mechanisms and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

▸ Reprisals against Special Procedures- **Joint statement on reprisals against Special Procedures, Agenda Item 5, General Debate**
- **41st session of the Human Rights Council**
- **3 July, 2019**

Thank you, Mr. President.

Our organisations are gravely concerned by the proliferation of reprisals against Special Procedures mandate holders and members of Expert Mechanisms and Commissions of Inquiry (COI) by States, including members of the Council, as well as threats against the Special Procedures system as a whole.

Special Procedures are the eyes and ears of the Council and ensure that this body’s work remains relevant and informed by the reality of human rights on the ground. Reprisals aim to discredit, intimidate, deter and silence these experts, and to prevent civil society from engaging with them.

We are alarmed by a pattern of reprisals and non-cooperation by Council-member, the **Philippines**. The government has threatened the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial killings with physical violence on numerous occasions. It has made terrorism accusations against the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples.

**Burundi** and **Eritrea** are also engaged in patterns of reprisals, with the Special Rapporteur on Eritrea and members of the COI’s on both **Burundi** and **Eritrea** having been attacked on multiple occasions, at the Council, the GA or in the media. **The** **Maldives** has accused the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief of spreading anti-Islamic activities, resulting in death threats against him online. The Special Rapporteur on **Myanmar** has faced reprisals and has also experienced violent threats on social media.

We call on States to cooperate in good faith and end all reprisals against Special Procedures and those who cooperate with them. The President and States must act immediately in meetings when such reprisals occur. This Council must safeguard its Special Procedures from all efforts to undermine them through reprisals or other dangerous initiatives.

Article 19

Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development

Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales

Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies

CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation

Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative

Concelho Indigenista Missionário CIMI

Conectas Direitos Humanos

DefendDefenders

Franciscans International

Human Rights Law Centre

International Commission of Jurists

International Federation for Human Rights Leagues (FIDH)

International Humanist and Ethical Union

International Service for Human Rights

World Movement Against Torture (OMCT)

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