The ICJ today alerted the UN Human Rights Council, during a general debate, on the situation of serious human rights violations in the Russian Federation, Kazakhstan, Egypt and Jammu and Kashmir and called on it to work towards ensuring accountability.
The statement reads as follows:
“Mr President,
In the Russian Federation, the ICJ condemns the escalating violations of human rights, particularly of the freedom of expression and peaceful assembly of those protesting against the war in Ukraine. Russia’s expulsion from the Council of Europe deprives millions of people of access to the European Court of Human Rights. Independent human rights monitoring is needed. We call on the Council to establish a Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in the Russian Federation.
In Kazakhstan, there has been no effective investigation of allegations of widespread torture and ill-treatment and unnecessary and excessive use of lethal force, during and following the January 2022 protests and violent clashes.
In Egypt, despite the formal “lifting of the state of emergency”, the systematic crackdown on human rights under the guise of “combatting terrorism” continues through highly repressive laws. The ICJ calls on the Council to set up an independent monitoring mechanism to facilitate accountability for gross human rights violations.
In Jammu and Kashmir, the ICJ remains concerned at the systematic violations of human rights, including attacks on journalists and civil society, and the lack of accountability of security forces, and we reiterate our call to establish an independent international investigation mechanism.
I thank you.”
Contact:
Massimo Frigo, ICJ UN Representative, e: massimo.frigo(a)icj.org, t: +41797499949