UN Human Rights Council 51: UK statement for the Item 4 General Debate
The UK Permanent Representative to the UK in Geneva, Ambassador Simon Manley, delivered a statement on the possible crimes against humanity in Xinjiang, China, Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine, protests in Iran, the truce in Ethiopia and COP27 in Egypt.
Thank you, Mr President,
The聽former聽High Commissioner바카라 사이트檚聽report found that possible crimes against humanity聽have taken place in Xinjiang, China. 聽It found evidence that聽Muslim聽women are being forcibly聽sterilised. 聽That聽Uyghurs聽are聽not allowed to practice their religion聽or speak their own language. That people聽are聽being detained and聽tortured바카라 사이트撀爉erely聽because they belong to聽a聽minority group. 聽We聽cannot聽ignore聽such聽severe and聽systematic聽breaches of human rights. 聽This Council must not, cannot, stay silent.
We have oft spoken in this Chamber of Putin바카라 사이트檚 flouting of international law through his military aggression against Ukraine.
The sham referendums currently being held in Ukraine can have neither legal effect nor legitimacy. Russia can바카라 사이트檛 change the borders of another sovereign state. It바카라 사이트檚 a clear breach of the UN Charter.
We have also repeatedly heard the harrowing reports of Russia바카라 사이트檚 violations of human rights in Ukraine, including of those subjected to Russia바카라 사이트檚 so-called filtration operations. Aggression overseas is accompanied by repression at home as those brave Russians who dare to speak out against Putin바카라 사이트檚 war are detained in their thousands.
Mr President,
The聽death of聽Mahsa聽Amini聽in Iran, following her arrest, has shocked the world. 聽We call on Iran to carry out聽independent, transparent investigations聽into her death and the excessive violence used against subsequent protests.
In Ethiopia it is crucial that the truce is reinstated and that peace talks begin to avoid a repeat of the atrocities including extrajudicial killings and sexual violence seen earlier in this conflict.
Finally,聽ahead of COP 27 -聽we urge Egypt to ensure that independent civil society, human rights defenders, and the media can operate freely. 聽The success of the conference聽- as we saw in Glasgow -聽depends on聽vibrant civil society participation.
Thank you