27th Meeting - 60th Session of Human Rights Council

Excellencies, distinguished participants, I hereby declare open the 27th meeting of the 60th session of the Human Rights Council. We will now begin with the interactive dialogue with the Advisory Committee. The list of speakers will be closed in 15 minutes. It is my pleasure to give the floor to Ms. Nadia Amal Bernoussi Chair of the Advisory Committee to present the reports. Madam, you have the floor for 15 minutes.

Madam Vice President of the Human Rights Council, Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, it's my pleasure and honor today to present to you the annual reports of the Advisory Committee in line with resolution 16/21 of the Human Rights Council. I would like to start by recalling that, as with other UN instruments, the agenda of this committee has been impacted by the liquidity crisis affecting the United Nations. This means that the 32nd session of the committee, which was initially planned for August 2024, was delayed until December of that year. The session report was therefore submitted to the Council this year. As a result, the current annual report that I will be sharing with you now today covers the 32nd session of the committee, which took place in December 2024, and the 33rd session, which took place in February 2025. In terms of the report of the 34th session, this will be submitted to the Council next year. because the August 2025 session was also forcibly delayed, the advisory committee has continued to progress in carrying out the mandate conferred to it by you. We are proud and happy today to have eight mandates covering various spheres relating to new contexts, often on the crossroads of other fundamental human rights issues, and whose recommendations will be very much looked forward to by stakeholders. Ladies and gentlemen, the contents of the report I'll be presenting today is very dense. It contains the report of the committee on its 32nd and 33rd session, as well as the reports on the human rights implications of new and emerging technologies in the military domain. This was submitted for your review during the session. This report is presented in line with resolution 51/22 of the Council. It takes an approach which is founded on the life cycle of emerging military technologies, such as artificial intelligence, robotics, neurosciences, biotechnologies and nanotechnology. Many of these have twin uses and were not initially designed as weapons. The report flags the fact that their integration in military, police, border oversight, and other systems takes place often in an asymmetrical context across the world, often excluding countries of the global south while exposing their populations to disproportionate risks. Without significant human oversight, these technologies increase the risk of fundamental human rights violations, in particular the right to life, the right to dignity, the right to non-discrimination, and the right to human integrity. The report reaffirms that human rights and humanitarian law are applicable throughout the life cycle of these technologies, emphasizing the responsibility of states to ensure the respect of those human rights, to carry out legal reviews, and to bring their national legislation into line with international standards. The report highlights also the key role played by AI in modern military systems, which improves information flow, logistics, and decision making. Nonetheless, It warns against the fact that the incorporation of AI, in particular when it's badly used and opaque, raises serious concerns in the sphere of human rights, in particular algorithmic opacity, discriminatory prejudices, and the reduction of human oversight. Autonomous weapons systems, for example, can operate with little or no human oversight. This raises serious concerns in the sphere of responsibility, identification, human dignity, and the right to life. Their use threatens the fundamental principles of international law, while the opacity of decision-making by AI complicates the process of attributing responsibility. Despite a wide-ranging consensus concerning the requirement for human oversight, there is no agreement on what that means. or on the way to regulate it. Legal loopholes exist and new rules are urgently necessary to ensure the respect for human rights and international law, humanitarian law rather. The report also flags that the energy needs of AI and its dependence on essential minerals raise serious concerns in the area of the environment, threatening the right to a healthy and sustainable environment. The report also specifies that states must ensure there is comprehensive respect for international human rights and humanitarian law in the design, development, tendering, and use of emerging technologies, including AI. This means that violations are not only prevented that are carried out by state agents, but also by private actors, thanks to robust regulatory frameworks, effective oversight, and reasonable and continuous diligence. The report also highlights business responsibility pursuant to the guidelines of the United Nations and calls for strengthening reasonable due diligence by businesses in the sphere of human rights. The report also emphasises serious normative and regulatory loopholes in the current human rights structure to tackle new and emerging technologies. It notes the absence of clear international standards defining the way existing current obligations in the sphere of human rights are applicable to these technologies. In addition, the report emphasises the absence of international oversight mechanisms that are effective and the insufficiency of due diligence by businesses, in particular as regards environmental damage. The report calls for urgent action to address those loopholes to protect human rights. The report concludes with a series of specific recommendations. States, and in fact all stakeholders, international organizations, businesses, and civil society must adopt urgently legal and institutional guarantees that are robust enough to prevent human rights violations connected to new and emerging military technology. Binding frameworks are required to ensure effective human oversight, transparency and responsibility. The incorporation of a human rights approach in the disarmament process, as well as risk and impact assessments and reasonable business diligence, are all also essential. Delegates, ladies and gentlemen, the Committee also is continuing its work in other mandates that were entrusted to it by the Council. has a very packed agenda, because it now has eight mandates. If we add the report on military technologies that has just been submitted to you for evaluation, you can see that we currently have nine significant tasks before us. Concerning the years to come, the committee has progressed significantly with its work on the following studies: the negative effects of disinformation on the enjoyment of human rights; which was planned during the 61st session; the impacts of artificial intelligence systems on good governance, which was planned for the 62nd session; gender-based violence as facilitated by technologies and the impact of this on women and girls, planned for the 63rd session; during the 32nd and 33rd sessions of the Committee, it discussed these issues and it reviewed contributions received from stakeholders in response to the call for contributions which went out at the beginning of this year. And I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all Member States, as well as NHRIs and NGOs and indeed universities and academics for their precious contributions. The drafting groups responsible for these issues are continuing their work in the intersessional period, and draft reports will be submitted to the committee for review during its 34th session. The drafts are available on the committee's website before the session, and I invite all stakeholders to participate actively in this discussion. The Human Rights Council has also entrusted five mandates to the committee. asking it to prepare reports on the following significant issues: 1. The negative effects of unilateral coercive measures on the right to health of vulnerable individuals, in particular women and children. 2. The enjoyment of social justice as a means of legal application of economic, social and cultural rights by national jurisdictions. 3. guidelines recommended concerning the implementation of the existing framework on human rights during design, drafting, development and testing, as well as use and deployment of neurotechnologies. Four, the negative impact of corruption on the enjoyment of human rights. Five, the impact of plastic pollution on the full enjoyment of human rights. Ladies and gentlemen, delegates, the work of the Advisory Committee on these mandates are at their inception at the moment, and the Committee has planned to organize discussions during its forthcoming session, which was delayed in August because of the financial constraints you're aware of, and we look forward to being able to meet despite the budgetary limits that we're currently experiencing. Delegates, ladies and gentlemen, the Advisory Committee plays a key role providing the Human Rights Council with its expertise and advice based on studies and grounded in research on a wide range of issues relating to human rights. Its geographic, academic and gender diversity, because we have gender parity, creates a space for reflection and debate, enriching and stimulating our advice. These studies and advice explores new issues in the sphere of human rights and in line with paragraph 77 of resolution 5/1, the committee has continued its practice in identifying research proposals that might be considered in the context of work under the Council's mandates that it's conferred. One of the draft resolutions that will be presented during this Council would confer to the Committee a new mandate and we look forward in anticipation to shouldering that new mandate if it is entrusted to us. Madam Vice-President, delegates, to conclude, I would like to highlight the devoted and collective work carried out by the Advisory Committee. It manages complex issues relating to human rights which require diverse competence. And as members, and thanks to our varied professional experience, we bring that experience to bear. The committee continually prioritizes a participatory and inclusive approach, constantly collaborating with all stakeholders, including states, NGOs, national institutions, specialized UN agencies, and other intergovernmental organizations. I'd like to take this opportunity to once again recognise the significant contributions of this wide range of stakeholders in terms of the work carried out by the Advisory Committee. To conclude, Vice President, ladies and gentlemen, I look forward in advance to the fruitful dialogue which is beginning today with all those represented here. And on behalf of the committee's members, I'd like to thank you for all of the interest and focus that you have lent to the organization of this fruitful, interactive and constructive dialogue between the committee and the council, all of which will nourish the promotion and protection of human rights. This is an attitude to be greeted and is very welcome in the current world, which is undergoing a series of political, economic, social, environmental and digital challenges, which are all of a significant intensity. Thank you very much, Vice-President.

Thank you. I now invite interested delegations to ask questions and make comments on the reports. I give the floor to the European Union.

Madam Chair, the European Union would like to thank the Advisory Committee for its work and for submitting this report. The application of new technologies, including AI, in the military domain must take place in accordance and full compliance with international human rights law and standards, as well as international humanitarian law. Human judgment and control over the use of force must always be retained. Humans must remain responsible and accountable to ensure that new technologies are developed and applied in a human rights compliant manner. The EU is looking forward to the draft study on the impact of disinformation on the enjoyment and realization of human rights. Likewise, we're paying close attention to the studies on the impact of AI systems on good governance, on the implications of plastic pollution for the full enjoyment of human rights. and on technologically facilitated gender-based violence and its impact on women and girls. To prevent such violence, we have to promote women's participation and leadership in all decision-making systems, including in the tech sector, a matter the Committee could work further on. Madam Chair, a number of studies by the Committee deal with the link between new technologies and human rights. Are there some overarching conclusions that can be tentatively drawn at this stage? I thank you.

Thank you. The list of speakers is now closed. I give the floor to Ghana on behalf of Group of African States.

Ghana has the honour of delivering this statement on behalf of the African group. The Group acknowledges the reports of the Advisory Committee on its 32nd and 33rd sessions, as well as its two research proposals. In particular, we commend the Committee's work regarding the impact of disinformation on the enjoyment and realization of human rights, the impact of artificial intelligence on good governance, the human rights implications of new and emerging technologies in the military domain, the implications of plastic pollution for the full enjoyment of human rights, and technology, firstly, intergender-based violence and its impact on women and girls. Within the context of ongoing UN reforms, we underscore the relevance of the work of the Advisory Committee, which remains vital in providing meaningful and evidence-based research that helps in finding comprehensive solutions to real-world issues. In conclusion, Madam President, the Africa Group reiterates its full support for the Advisory Committee I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Morocco.

Yes, thank you very much, Vice President. We're grateful to the Chair of the Advisory Committee for her report, which reflects the importance of the work accomplished this year. As an independent think tank, the Advisory Committee plays a key role in seeking lasting solutions to the significant challenges in the sphere of human rights, in particular disinformation, AI and plastic pollution. In particular, we'd like to greet the Committee's report on new and emerging technologies in the military domain. This document rightly emphasises that the use of these technologies must occur in the context of a solid human rights structure. My delegation also agrees with the recommendation of the Committee to strengthen institutional mechanisms to confront human rights violations made possible by these technologies. In this spirit and at the initiative of Morocco, the resolution on the negative effects of corruption on the enjoyment of human rights, which has been mandated to this Committee, will be an important outcome. Morocco supports this Committee in this current context. Thank you, Vice-President.

Thank you. I give the floor to Poland.

Madam Vice President, Poland aligns itself with the EU statement. Poland greatly values the critical role of the Advisory Committee as a consultative body providing research-based guidance to the UN Human Rights Council. We look forward to continued collaboration and utilizing the Advisory Committee's contributions to address the most pressing issues on the human rights agenda. As rightly indicated in the most recent report on the, of the advisory committee, new and emerging technologies in military domain pose significant challenges for states and other actors to comply with the international human rights law, including the right to life, physical integrity, non-discrimination, privacy, and a healthy environment. In this digital age, we must confront the risk, but also seize the many opportunities before us. Poland strongly believes that the human factor and human rights-based approach should be always decisive in the development of new and emerging technologies. Currently, one of the most urgent threats for human rights is the spread of disinformation and misinformation. How does the development of new technologies in the military domain exacerbate this phenomenon?

I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Brazil.

Madam Vice President, Brazil thanks the Advisory Committee for its report on new and emerging technologies in the military domain. We emphasize the importance of ensuring that any use of such technologies remains under meaningful human judgment and control, aligned with international human rights standards and international humanitarian law. Delegating life and death decisions to machines raises profound moral and legal questions and risks dehumanizing conflict. There is a growing need to develop clear standards for human-machine interaction, including specific training and doctrines that ensure that meaningful human judgment and control remains a central element of the design, development, and deployment of autonomous weapons systems. In Brazil, the National Commission on International Humanitarian Law has established as one of its priorities the debate the use of lethal autonomous weapons systems. Brazil recognized the challenges posed by the increasing development on the use of those systems. We support the efforts to promote international legally binding instrument, which would not only ensure it complies with the national law, but also address the broader ethical, legal, and accountability facets derived from these systems. including the need to apply due diligence and precautionary principle in risk assessment. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Republic of Korea.

Madam Vice President, my delegation would like to thank the Advisory Committee for presenting its reports on the human rights implications of new and emerging technologies in the military domain and commend the hard work of the drafting group, especially the chair and rapporteur for preparing the document on this complicated yet important issue. We take note of the advisory committee's view that the use of new and emerging technologies in the military domain should be aligned with international human rights law and international humanitarian law. Last year's general assembly resolution on AI in the military domain, which was adopted by an overwhelming majority, affirms the application of international law to AI in the military domain. The three latest reports of the advisory committee discuss on the impact of the new and emerging technologies with regard to human rights in various areas. It demonstrates an increasing interest in and importance of the field, and it is in this vein that the Republic of Korea, along with other core group members, has been initiating Human Rights Council resolution on new and emerging digital technologies and human rights since 2019. In closing, we would like to reiterate our full support for the work of the Advisory Committee. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Ghana.

Madam Madam Vice-President, Ghana thanks the Advisory Committee for its report and aligns itself with the African Group's statement. We share the profound concern over the human rights implications of emerging military technologies, including autonomous weapons systems and AI-enabled surveillance. Ghana's commitment to protecting and promoting human rights is anchored in our 1992 Constitution, which guarantees the rights to life, dignity, and privacy. Our Data Protection Act provides safeguards against the misuse of personal data, a core concern highlighted in the report. We acknowledge the rapid pace of innovation and recognize the urgent need for robust international regulatory framework. Ghana supports inclusive multilateral discussions, particularly within the framework of the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons, to ensure proper oversight and control and to prevent an accountability vacuum. Madam Vice-President, we reiterate the importance of international cooperation. To that end, Ghana remains committed to upholding human rights obligations and constructive engagement with all UN mechanisms to ensure technology advancements respect human rights standards. To conclude, we call on the Office of the Human Rights High Commission to support this Committee and for the Human Rights Council to mainstream the report's recommendations in its work. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Austria.

Vice President, Austria aligns itself with the EU statement. We thank the members of the advisory committee for its work and the resulting report. Austria has been active on the issue of new and emerging technologies in the military domain since many years, in particular when it comes to autonomous weapon systems. It is our clear position that human control over the use of force must be maintained and that legal guardrails are needed to uphold existing norms. In addition, these technologies also require more specific regulation, taking into account their technological specificities and related challenges. Human rights considerations and related challenges do not get enough attention in current discussions on this topic in disarmament fora. This is regrettable, in particular since the discussion have emerged in the Human Rights Council through the report of the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions in 2013.

In this regard, we would be.

Interested in how to avoid silos and have more holistic discussions that both encompass international humanitarian law and international human rights law. Many of these technologies will not be exclusively used for military purposes alone and have a wider impact. Therefore, we value the recommendations directed towards business enterprises and other stakeholders. How can we as states raise awareness about these recommendations and help with their implementation? I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to France.

Madam Vice President. France is grateful to the Advisory Committee for its work, including the work relating to new and future technology and its impact on disinformation for our democracies. France is committed to the promotion and protection of human rights in the sphere of new technologies and artificial intelligence. It defends inclusive, responsible and respectful governance, which is fully in line with human rights, in line with the commitments made February last at the AI summit. France places particular commitment on the full, equal and meaningful involvement of women, as well as a gender equality promotion in the sphere of emerging technologies. Along with the Netherlands, it submitted a resolution to the General Assembly in 2024 concerning the elimination of violence against women and girls in the digital environment. In the same year, it launched its laboratory for women's rights online, which combats technology-facilitated or online gender-based violence. Vice President, in the context of the forthcoming elections for the Advisory Committee, France would emphasize the quality of the candidacy of Madame Nicole Ameline, a renowned expert and former chair of the CEDAW. Thank you very much.

Thank you. I give the floor to Armenia.

Madam Vice President, Armenia thanks the Advisory Committee for its work and welcomes the thematic focus of the report. Armenia firmly believes that international law, including both international humanitarian law and international human rights law, is applicable to all weapon systems, including those incorporating artificial intelligence and autonomous technologies. We share the view that States are required to ensure that the application of such technologies fully complies with international human rights law, including the rights to life, physical integrity, non-discrimination, privacy, and a healthy environment. Furthermore, we share the Advisory Committee's view that the use of new and emerging technologies in the military domain may present a risk of dehumanizing the use of force. Therefore, Armenia emphasizes that States must impose necessary restrictions to ensure that autonomous weapons systems remain under meaningful human control, operate within a responsible of human command and control and fully comply with the principles of accountability and state responsibility. Armenia strongly advocates for the responsible use of artificial intelligence in the military domain. We are convinced that decisions concerning life and death and the responsibility and accountability that flow from them can never be transferred to machines. It is therefore incumbent upon all of us to ensure that innovation in the military domain does not undermine fundamental humanitarian values, but rather reinforces the primacy of human dignity, rights and international law. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to El Salvador.

Thank you very much, Vice-President. We are grateful to the Advisory Committee for the presentation of its report. El Salvador reaffirms its commitment to progress in technology, including progress in artificial intelligence, where they are only aimed at peaceful ends and the development of humanity. As a result, we agree with the concern that relates to increased autonomy in the weapons sphere, which allows target identification and the use of force without human oversight. In that vein, we reiterate that at all times, significant human oversight must be guaranteed in line with international humanitarian law and human rights. Our proposal as a country has aimed to establish a legally binding instrument As a result, we presented the sixth draft protocol, along with countries from different regions, concerning autonomous weapons systems in the context of the CCW. We would like to emphasize once again that strengthening the international legal framework is essential in this area to ensure that technology progress does not compromise human rights. and that innovation is always guided by ethical and universal legal principles. Thank you very much, Vice-President.

Thank you. I give the floor to Malawi.

Um, thank you, Madam Vice-President. Malawi aligns itself with the statement of the African group and thanks the Advisory Committee for their comprehensive report addressing the full life cycle of new and emerging technologies in the military domain, as well as examining how international human rights informs decision making on data collection and management, transparency, accountability, non-discrimination, and rights protection. The most notable gap is that new and emerging technologies in the military domain pose challenges to enforcing human rights and frameworks. We therefore agree with the recommendation calling for member states to urgently develop national strategies and policies and regulate the responsible design, development, and use of new and emerging technologies.

In the military domain in accordance with the obligations under international law.

Thank you, Madam Vice-President.

Thank you. I give the floor to Spain.

Thank you, Vice-President. Spain aligns with the statement by the EU. We'd like to welcome the reports presented and recommendations of the Advisory Committee. We acknowledge the work of the Committee. in its study of new frontiers when it comes to human rights, an approach that inspired reports on neurotechnologies, on disinformation, or on gender-based violence facilitated by technology. The same will now happen with the report on repercussions on human rights of new technologies in the military sphere. We agree with the need to guarantee a preventive, prudent approach, given a reality that's taking place at giddy speed, and particularly when it comes to potential dual-use materials, and that could call into question the respect for human lives, the respect for human rights, humanitarian law, and nonproliferation. And there's a need for proper governance of AI, which avoids and bias, ensures proper co-ordination within the UN system and a reflection on accountability mechanisms. We can only counter the grave multiple crises by bolstering multilateral co-operation and the international human rights protection mechanisms. Finally, I welcome the work of all members of the committee, especially those whose mandate is coming to an end.

I give the floor to Switzerland.

Madame la vice-presidente.

Madame Vice President, we want to thank the Advisory Committee for its report. Switzerland pursues a balanced approach when it comes to new technologies. We recognize the opportunities, but we share the concerns in the report. There must not be a legal vacuum, and states must shoulder their responsibilities. We reaffirm that international law, especially human rights and in situations of armed conflict, international humanitarian law should apply and always be upheld, especially when it comes to the utilization of AI in war. weapons systems and other military applications likely to affect life, health, or property. In line with the report's recommendations on lethal autonomous weapons systems, Switzerland maintains a two-level approach, prohibiting systems that fail to come into line with international humanitarian law and regulate all other means, with robust safeguards such as meaningful human judgment and context-appropriate oversight. The report complements the positive work that is already under way. We welcome the recommendation to integrate the law in multilateral negotiations, including within LBIs. We would like to ask the committee How can this Council pursue its consideration of this subject? I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to India.

Madam Vice President, we thank the Advisory Committee for its valuable work. Since its inception as the Council's expert body, the Committee has provided research-based advice to the Council and enabled it to consider innovative views and perspectives about important human rights issues, including emerging themes. Madam Vice President, we take note of the report on human rights implications of new and emerging technologies in the military domain. We have expressed our concerns on this topic during the previous sessions of the advisory committee. We believe that the scope of this topic and key aspects, including human control, require careful deliberation in the appropriate forum, namely the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons. While we acknowledge the importance of addressing the humanitarian impact of these technologies, it is international humanitarian law, not human rights law, that governs their use in the military domain. International humanitarian law strikes a critical balance between humanitarian imperatives and military necessity, making specialized fora like the CCW better suited to address these issues comprehensively. While legitimate concerns about regulation exist, this issue is being addressed through multiple processes involving diverse stakeholders in both civilian and military domains across plurilateral and multilateral forum. Madam Vice President, India would like to once again express its sincere thanks and appreciation to the esteemed members of the Advisory Committee for their continued dedication. We reiterate our support to the Committee and look forward to our continued engagement and collaboration with its esteemed members.

Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Pakistan.

Madam Vice President, my delegation welcomes the Advisory Committee and thanks the Chair for presenting the latest report mandated by this Council. The rapid integration of new and emerging technologies in the military domain raises significant challenges for international humanitarian.

Law as well as human rights law.

Over the past two years, we have witnessed unprecedented deployment and use of AI-enabled decision support systems and autonomous weapons systems in armed conflict and situations of foreign occupation. Driven by pursuit of dominance, the continued erosion of human control has resulted in violations of fundamental human rights not seen since the end of the Second World War. Strengthening humanitarian and human rights safeguards against such unacceptable outcomes remains an imperative, as the report has recommended. We also agree on the need to address impacts arising from the disparity in resources and capabilities across member states. Perceived military advantages should no longer incentivize resort to the use of force, in contravention of the UN Charter, international law, and disregard for human rights. Lastly, the absence of governance frameworks, including effective prohibitions and regulations in AI-enabled systems is a risk multiplier. Transparency and legal reviews alone may not be enough to address concerns of biases, algorithmic manipulation, or data poisoning. Due diligence and guiding principles may also not be enough. Development of multilateral legally binding prohibitions and regulations remains essential to prevent catastrophe. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Algeria.

Thank you, Mr. President. My delegation thanks the Advisory Committee for the report, which highlights the risks of new and emerging technologies in the military sphere and their impact on human rights. Algeria fully shares the concerns expressed. the risk of dehumanisation of the use of force, loss of human oversight over laws and grave abuses of fundamental rights, especially the right to life, human dignity and the principle of non-discrimination.

The tragic situation in Gaza tragically illustrates the consequences of indiscriminate use of advanced military technologies against civilians. We recall that technology not regulated by IHL will only heighten the injustice, instability and suffering. Therefore, Algiers stresses the urgent need to develop a legally binding international framework to prohibit weapons incompatible with international humanitarian law and regulate strictly the development and utilization of other technologies. Algeria reiterates its unwavering commitment to inclusive multilateralism based on respect for international law and calls for greater cooperation to prevent the abusive use of such technologies and to save humanity. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Egypt.

Thank you, Madam President. Our delegation expresses its appreciation for the efforts of the Advisory Committee, and we take note of the report. We share the committee's concern about the unprecedented challenges posed by this technology in the military domain, namely the use of AI in the, uh, autonomous weapons system, which threatens the right to life and physical integrity and the absence of human oversight and the growing risk of indiscriminate targeting. This is, uh, compounded by the widening digital divide between developed and developing countries and the production and use of emerging technologies, which risks entrenching new structural imbalances in the international system and makes, uh, the global S- South more vulnerable to the negative repercussions. We stress that addressing these technologies requires a binding international legal framework that ensures the centrality of the human control and decision making and provides clear mechanisms for accountability and finding, fighting impunity. Any future discussions, uh, must take into account the existing technical and financial gaps between developed and developing countries. Which necessitates the provision of technical support and capacity building for developing countries to enable them to meet emerging challenges and participate on equal footing in shaping the regulatory frameworks governing these technologies. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Islamic Republic of Iran.

Thank you, Madam Vice President. We fully concur with the Advisory Committee that new and emerging technologies in the military domain pose serious challenges for states and other actors in upholding international human rights law. These risks are greatly exacerbated when high-tech or technology-equipped weapons fall into the hands of actors that show no regard for human rights or international legal norms. On 27 November 2022, Iranian scientist Dr. Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was assassinated by an autonomous weapon system operated by the Israeli regime. This was not an isolated incident, alongside numerous killings in the Gaza. This case underscored the urgent urgency for our collective efforts to prevent the transfer of technology or military capability to actors that systemically violate international law. In this context, we strongly support the report's recommendation urging states to categorically ensure that autonomous weapons systems are not developed or deployed unless they remain under meaningful human control. We fully endorse the call for clear and binding international regulation to guarantee its compliance with international legal standards. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Cuba.

Thank you, Vice President. Grateful to the Advisory Committee for the report and updates on the theme addressed in its most recent working sessions. We reiterate Cuba's support for the mandate. drafted by the Council to put together proposals on issues of interest and of relevance to Member States. We agree that it's important to develop national strategies and policies and at international level also addressing the development and responsible use of new and emerging technologies in the military sphere as per the obligations under international law. said of improving weapons to kill, they should gear their millions towards fighting cancer, towards science, as well as the use of new technologies for education, for teaching, for training in values and social development. Our country continues to condemn the negative impact of this giddy heightening of the arms race and the military spending to the detriment of financing development, fighting climate change, and supporting national efforts to combat extreme poverty and food insecurity, the unsustainable foreign debt and the consequences of climate change, the digital divide, and other human rights challenges. We urge the committee to carry out a comparative analysis on the balance of resources dedicated to military spending to the detriment of realizing human rights, especially economic, social, and cultural rights. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to China.

Thank you, Madam Vice-President. We have taken note of the reports of the Advisory Committee for the Council's 32nd and 33rd sessions and study on the impact of emerging military technologies on human rights. We appreciate the important intellectual support the Committee provides to the work of the Council, and we are willing to strengthen dialogue and cooperation with the Committee. The new round of scientific and technological revolution is developing rapidly. While it brings enormous convenience and opportunities to mankind, it also poses new challenges to national peace and security. The military application of AI is disrupting traditional forms of warfare and has raised widespread concerns. The abuse of technology in violation of international humanitarian law should be condemned and resisted. We must strike a balance between development and security, then encourage innovation while managing risks so that technological progress can truly benefit all countries and their people. In the face of challenges in new areas, we should uphold and strengthen international solidarity and cooperation, encourage coordination and synergy among various mechanisms, and initiatives and make concerted efforts. Multilateral human rights mechanisms in their research and discussions should fully listen to all parties, especially member states. Any actions taken should help build consensus and bridge differences. Thank you, Madam Vice President.

Thank you. To Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

Thank you, Vice President. We're grateful for the presentation of the report by the Advisory Committee.

Let me quote Klaus Witz.

"The invention of gunpowder and the constant improvement of firearms are enough in themselves to show that the advance of civilization has done nothing practical to alter or deflect the impulse to destroy the enemy, which is central to the very idea of war. We believe that the problem is not so much development of new technologies. On the contrary, the problem is the constant desire to destroy the other. The development of technologies per se does not provide for a violation of human rights. The challenge is in the utilization of these technologies without respecting legal international legal frameworks or their uses and consequences in the midst of legal vacuums at national and international levels. Therefore, we welcome the recommendations contained in the report, especially those geared towards creating national frameworks and policies to regulate the responsible use of new and emerging technologies, strictly abiding by international law. Finally, we take this opportunity to inform the Advisory Committee that the Organic Security Law of the Nation of Venezuela recognizes in Article 14 the knowledge, science and technology as strategic resources to guarantee sustainable and safe development, imposing on states an obligation to monitor and ensure that those activities do not pose risks to national security and are in line with respecting human rights.

This was the last speaker on the list. We will now turn to the list of speakers for national human rights institutions and non-governmental organisations. I give the floor to Association Peace.

As President.

UN Charter, the Human Rights Declaration, the Geneva Conventions, and annex protocols paved the way for the right to self-determination. as an element in promoting peace and human dignity. We welcome the work of the Advisory Committee, as well as the interactive dialogue. It is necessary for the Committee to address the situation in Yemen, where guarantees of self-determination are completely absent, besides the absence of any form of justice. That is why we call on the Committee to consider the presentation of recommendations to the Council so as to take into account the situation in Yemen where those rights are completely flouted. The people of Yemen have a right to self-determination. to decide on their destiny in full liberty away from any foreign attempts to impose realpolitik. It is necessary also to propose a mechanism in Yemen guaranteeing transitional justice in line with human rights and the Vienna Program so as to combat impunity and bolster national reconciliation. In conclusion, OHCHR could also play a key role I cooperate in, in China.

Association for Preservation and Development of Tibetan Culture. Absent. We'll move on to, uh, and give the floor to Privacy International.

Thank you.

Privacy International welcomes the new report and its focus on the adverse human rights impacts of new and emerging technologies in the military domain, including their implications for the right to privacy. In an era where such technologies increasingly rely on the large-scale processing of personal data, including sensitive technologies such as biometric and health data, robust privacy and data protection standards are more critical than ever. However, we are concerned that many existing data protection laws include broad national security exemptions. These exemptions often place data processing activities by the technologies discussed here today outside the scope of legal protections, posing as a result serious threats to safeguarding human rights. Also, we are concerned that discussions in other fora, such as the Group of Governmental Experts on Autonomous Weapon Systems, continue to take place without due consideration of human rights. It is imperative that human rights-centered standards guide components such as meaningful human control over autonomous systems. This is especially vital in military contexts, where automated decisions can mean the difference between life and death. We therefore strongly urge the continuation of this work in the framework of the UN Human Rights Council. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to ABC Tamil Oli. Absent. Now I give the floor to Broad National Movement, BNM.

I want to draw the Council's attention to the vast number of martyrs who have fallen in Darfur recently. The war, which continues to rage, has created incredible suffering on the population, who suffer from dengue fever and other chronic illnesses. It's necessary to put an end to this war.

Please, I interrupt this video. We are currently holding an interactive dialogue with the Advisory Committee, and it is thus expected that participants in the dialogue ask questions or make comments in relation to their reports or remarks. With this in mind, I will move to the next speaker. I give the floor to China Ethnic Minorities Association for External Exchanges. They're absent. I give the floor to Sikh Human Rights Group.

The report on the new and emerging military technologies is a timely, essential contribution, highlighting the transformative risks of AI, autonomous weapons, biotechnology, and other systems. It reaffirms the applicability of human rights law, though its proposal could be strengthened. Since weapons and technology can kill without meaningful human control, we suggest binding rules rather than voluntary frameworks to protect human dignity and the right to life. The report recognizes global inequalities, yet further steps are needed to ensure the state, the Global South are meaningfully included in shaping and governing these technologies to prevent governance from being concentrated by a few powerful actors. Accountability is essential. With limited human oversight of autonomous systems, responsibility becomes uncertain, and without international frameworks, victims may struggle to access justice. Environmental dimensions such as energy use, resource extraction, and toxic waste should be considered integral human rights concerns with intergenerational implications. We encourage the Council to strengthen its role by advocating binding measures on lethal autonomous weapons without human control, creating oversight to ensure accountability across life cycles of military technologies, integrating environmental and intergenerational rights into all discussions, and supporting equal participation of less-resourced States in shaping standards. In doing so, the Council can help ensure technology developments respect and protect human rights for present and future generations. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Center for International Environment Law.

Thank you. So I would like to comment on the advisory committee's ongoing work on two landmark reports on plastic pollution and disinformation. In the plastic pollution report, we call upon the committee to provide concrete recommendations for countries on how to meet the human rights obligations throughout the full life cycle of plastics and identify the connection between economic incentives to the industry, such as subsidies for fossil fuels and petrochemicals and their human rights impacts. While the binding treaty on plastics should be adopted before the publication of the report, it must be, it must take a comprehensive human rights based approach with specific safeguards and clear language centering human rights throughout the text. With regard to the report on disinformation, we would like to encourage the Advisory Committee to look into disinformation attempts by major fossil fuel corporations and other businesses, such as the chemicals, plastic and agro industries. For decades, these actors have funded efforts to undermine science and governance processes. The urgency of the triple planetary crisis demands that environmental policies remain firmly anchored in the best available science and that truthful information remains a cornerstone of democratic decision-making. We thus call upon the Advisory Committee to address these dimensions in its reports. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Rajasthan Samagra Kalyan Sansthan by video.

Thank you, Mr. President.

We thank the Committee for its timely and forward-looking thinking on the human rights implications of emerging technologies. Artificial intelligence, autonomous weapons, cognitive warfare, and dual-use technologies present unprecedented risks.

They blur the lines between human decision-making and machine autonomy, raising grave concerns about the right to life, privacy, non-discrimination, and accountability.

The dehumanization of force, where algorithms replace conscience, is.

Incompatible with the very principles this Council was created to uphold.

As I highlighted, the Advisory Committee plays a vital role in bridging normative gaps. We urge the Council to affirm the principle of meaningful human control in all military technologies, especially autonomous weapons.

Promote transparency and accountability throughout the life cycle of such technologies, from design to deployment, ensure inclusive participation so that voices from the Global South, often most affected yet least consulted, are not excluded from global decision making.

Mr. President, the advisory committee is not only a think tank, it is the conscience of this council. Its recommendations must not remain on paper. They must guide states.

Businesses, and international mechanisms in ensuring that technological process never comes at the expense of human dignity and fundamental rights.

We thank you. May all live happily. Thank you.

I give the floor to China Society for Human Rights Studies.

Vice President, the register system is an important system. In 1982, the Constitution stipulates that the National People's Congress can remove administrative and local.

Holding an interactive dialogue with the Advisory Committee, it is thus expected that participants in the dialogue ask questions or make comments in relation to their reports or remarks. With this in mind, I give the floor back to the NGO representative.

The register system is a part of the constitution system to ensure that the documents follow the constitution and maintain rule of law in China.

I take that flow back because this is not a national statement. It is we are currently holding an interactive dialogue with the advisory committee. I move on to the next speaker. I give the floor to a joint statement, Association Culture des Tamouls in France. It seems they're absent. I give the floor to Society for Development and Community Empowerment by video.

Thank you, Mr. President. I am Arulmoli Muthu from Tamil Nadu, India. Indigenous community or district group who have inhabited specific territory for millennia, preserving unique language, culture and traditional practices, closely tied to their environment and holding collective rights to their land and heritage, recognized by international standard as the UN Declaration. In India, especially in Tamil Nadu, these communities facing challenges, including denial of basic rights, inadequate healthcare, limited education, and threats to their land and resources. Crimes against scheduled tribes are on the rise.

I will stop this speech for the moment. I remind you that we are currently holding an interactive dialogue with the Advisory Committee. It is thus expected that participants in the dialogue ask questions or make comments in relation to their reports or remarks. With this in mind, and since it is a video statement, I will stop here. Thank you. This was the last speaker on the list. I now give the floor to Ms. Nadia Amal Bendrissi for her concluding remarks.

Thank you very much, Vice-President. I would like to start by thanking all those who have spoken for their support of the work of the Advisory Committee. and all the delegations and civil society for their useful contributions and relevant questions. I can see immediately that the themes and mandates that have been conferred to the advisory committee have enjoyed a lot of success. I also note that practically all of you emphasised the key role played by the committee in terms of guidance, expertise and advice as well as its contribution of solutions. I note as well that there are two serious concerns that have drawn your attention, the issue of AI in the military sphere and also the matter of the role and participation of women. As regards the AI report in terms of AI's impact on military new and emerging technologies, I can see that we're witnessing, as you've said, a significant digital and technological revolution and that that revolution is raising significant challenges in our path. We need to therefore look at how we can stand together and create a proportional oversight. And that means thinking about a robust regulatory framework, placing an emphasis on significant human oversights and good ethical governance in the context of AI, the matter of legal instruments in the matter of regulation of autonomous weapons, basically everything that will make the issue of AI. Obviously, we need to regulate it, we need to think about regulation at times of war, we need to think about the implications of mechanisms that that don't have human oversight and what exactly we can do in terms of the advisory committee's approach now having submitted its report is to think together with the HRC about having another dialogue to go into even more depth concerning regulation and matters of responsibility and oversight by humans in order to limit abuse in the sphere of AI, above all at times of war. The second point that drew your attention and also draws the committee's attention is the role of women. Looking at the three or four issues that are dealt with by the committee, we see that there is a significant connection between the role played by women and human rights as they are universally recognised. for example, our mandate on disinformation and on cyber violence and gender, as well as women's health and children's health, and our mandate as well on social justice, which of course runs through health, education, urban and rural rights, women and men, people with particular needs, migrants and so forth. To conclude, I would say that the Advisory Committee would like to hold our next session in December because we were not able to hold it in August. We will be counting on your support and diligence to think about how we can avoid interrupting the work of the advisory committee. Secondly, we must continue to draw on our various abilities and capacities, because we have an embarrassment of that in the committee, and it is a diverse range of competence that we have. Finally, our desire and wish would be that, in terms of time management, the committee sessions be in line with the council sessions. and that means that in the same period we can come together to have discussions, to convince each other, to seek mandates, to go into more depth on matters that we all find to be of significant importance, and all of that with a view to promoting and protecting human rights. So this matter of Aligning the organisation of the committee with that of the Human Rights Council seems to us to be a very fruitful avenue to pursue, to go into more depth on these matters and to further develop our search for other mandates pursuant to evolving economies and evolving human risks. We think that that would be an important thing to pursue. Thank you very much.

Thank you. This brings us to the end of this interactive dialogue. I wish to thank Ms. Bernoussi for her participation. We will now take a short break before beginning the general debate under agenda item 5. Excellencies, distinguished participants, we will now begin the general debate under agenda 5. Let me remind you that requests for a right of reply will be accommodated exclusively at the end of the general debate. I would also remind all speakers to comply to the allocated speaking time, which is one minute and half for all. As is the practice, full statements can be uploaded on the extranet. The list of speakers will close in 15 minutes. We will start with the list of members of the Council. I give the floor to European Union on behalf of a group of countries.

Madam Vice-President, I speak on behalf of the European Union. North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Ukraine, Republic of Moldova, Georgia, Liechtenstein and Armenia align themselves with this statement. The EU reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the multilateral human rights system. HRC-mandated investigative bodies, treaty bodies, special procedures play crucial roles. We call for an end of attacks and threats against Council mandate holders, including reversal of any repressive measures by States to harm, silence and intimidate them, and encourage all States to cooperate with human rights mechanisms. In the UN80 process, the EU reaffirms the critical need to strengthen the UN human rights system, including the OHCHR. Deeply concerned about the lack of adequate funding and the impact of the liquidity crisis on the Council, we call for sufficient regular budget funding for the human rights pillar. EU and member states consistently provide substantial funding for the office. Given growing restrictions on civil society, transnational repression and reprisals against those cooperating with UN mechanisms, we strongly condemn any form of intimidation, harassment or reprisals. Human rights defenders must be able to operate freely and safely. The EU reaffirms its unwavering support for the international criminal justice system, particularly the ICC. We urge all States to engage constructively in the Council and strengthen the effectiveness of our shared institutions. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Uruguay on behalf of a group of countries.

Thank you very much, Vice-President. I'm honored to present this statement, and the full version will be on an extranet. It is made on behalf of several state members of the Group of Friends of Special Procedures and a cross-regional group of countries. We are profoundly concerned by the growing crisis confronted by the special procedures. which are endangering their integrity, independence and effectiveness. An increase in attacks, intimidations and reprisals against the mandate holders and their families generates significant concern. We condemn those actions, in particular the unprecedented sanctions against mandate holders designated by the Council. These don't only affect the mandate holder in question, but all of the special procedures, and by extension, the UN human rights system as a whole. We join the High Commissioner in his call for these measures to be immediately reversed. We continue to be concerned pursuant to the budgetary reductions affecting the Special Procedures. Although the UN reform process, UNAT, provides us with the opportunity to simplify our mandates, we must ensure independence and effectiveness as well as the appropriate allocation of resources to Special Procedures. We reiterate our stalwart support to the Special Procedures and call on all States to cooperate with them and support them. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Portugal on behalf of a group of countries.

Thank you, Madam Vice-President. I have the honour to speak on behalf of members of the Group of Friends of National Mechanisms for Implementation, Reporting and Follow-up. With no one-size-fits-all model, NMRFs have an important role in contributing to States' efforts to implement their human rights obligations and recommendations. NMRFs promote better internal coordination and dialogue, including with national human rights institutions and civil society. UN funds, programs, and specialized agencies, as well as UN country teams, are key partners to this end. The International Network of NMRFs, established in 2024, is a platform for dialogue and exchange of best practices aimed at encouraging the creation of NMRFs, strengthening capacities, and promoting cooperation. The next international seminar to be held in Lisbon will be an opportunity to define its working methods and priorities for the next few years. We encourage states to consider joining this network. The group of friends continues to invite states to establish or to continue to strengthen their mechanisms, including through digital tracking databases, and to take into consideration the Marrakesh Guidance Framework. In the current session, Paraguay and Brazil are presenting a draft resolution on NMRFs, and we thank them for their initiative. The upcoming launch of the UN Human Rights Knowledge Gateway, hosting the NMRF Hub, is a meaningful output of this resolution. We encourage OHCHR to continue providing technical cooperation and capacity. Thank you.

I give the floor to Belgium on behalf of OIF.

Thank you very much, Vice-President. This statement is made on behalf of a group of Francophone ambassadors, reasserting their undying commitment to the human rights bodies and mechanisms, multilateralism and multilingualism. An increasing number of voices and actions seek to delegitimize international law, undermining our multilateral institutions and international law and our universal values with it. We encourage the UN and the OHCHR to continue their work supporting human dignity and a world protected from conflict. Because of that, we call on regional groups, interregional groups and language groups to stand with ours and to lend our strength to our commitment to human rights. We also note that multilingualism is becoming an interesting lever in this context and yet multilingualism is the threshold of, or rather the cornerstone of, multilateralism and diplomacy and new technology which must allow us to preserve it. Without linguistic diversity there is no dialogue between peoples. To renounce multilingualism is to cede to a single thought or single think, and defending the affirmation of its legitimacy, universality and vitality is key. Together, we must reaffirm multilateralism grounded on linguistic, social and cultural diversity. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Pakistan on behalf of OIC.

Thank you, Madam Vice President. This Council's allied mechanisms and expert bodies can contribute most effectively through consistency with the Council's mission and the institution building package. The elaboration of human rights, standards, and norms by consensus remains the exclusive prerogative of member states. The OIC Group opposes attempts to coin new jargon imbued with controversial meanings and impose them as the ultimate test of loyalty to the human rights agenda. We are also concerned by the tendency of some mechanisms to downplay or overlook situations of human rights violations and abuses in the developed world. The standards of impartiality and objectivity demand otherwise. Madam Vice President, the OIC group has long warned of intensifying attacks against successive special rapporteurs on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967. We regret the decision to impose unilateral sanctions against the current mandate holder, Ms. Francesca Albanese. Actions against the mandate holder for fulfilling her mandate have set a dangerous precedent for this Council. We call on Member States to sanction the state perpetrating genocide, not those standing up for protection of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory. We also call on the UN machinery to protect those trying to prevent the genocide and holding the perpetrators to account. I thank you, Madam.

Thank you. I give the floor to Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela on behalf of a group of countries.

Thank you very much, Vice-President. It is my honour to take the floor on behalf of a group of Friends Defending the UN Charter. Member States of our group place unparalleled emphasis on the promotion and protection of human rights, including the right to development. We emphasise the requirement to strengthen and improve the operation of human rights mechanisms, particularly the special procedures of the Human Rights Council and the treaty bodies. We emphasize the importance of avoiding politicization, selectiveness and double standards. We call on the High Commissioner respectfully to take into account existing challenges and the national circumstances of member states so that its actions are rooted in objectivity, independence and impartiality, fostering constructive dialogue and cooperation. The Group of Friends emphasizes the requirement for mandate holders of special procedures to carry out their roles, fully respecting the code of conduct, including when they are making publication on social networks concerning human rights context in certain countries. We recognise that their work must be based on the principles of impartiality and cooperation with member states, as well as transparency in their actions and responsibility for their recommendations. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Latvia on behalf of a group of countries.

Vice President, I have the honour to deliver the statement on behalf of 55 member states. We, the States subscribing to this statement and representing different regional and legal traditions, are united by our decision to extend standing invitations to Special Procedures mandate holders of the Human Rights Council and our commitment to honor them. We commend the efforts of many States to foster cooperation with mandate holders and encourage all States to engage in an open and meaningful dialogue with them. Human rights and the United Nations human rights mechanisms belong to us all. We remain concerned about ongoing acts of reprisals and personal attacks against mandate holders and the negative impact of the United Nations liquidity crisis on their work. We urge all states to fully respect the independence of mandate holders. Whilst recognizing that the commitment to receive special procedures are voluntary, we continue to encourage all States that have not done so to extend the standing invitation to the Council's mechanisms and to pursue genuine cooperation with mandate holders. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Uganda on behalf of Movement of Non-Aligned Countries.

Thank you, Vice-President.

We are honored to deliver the statement on behalf of the NAM.

The movement re-echoes the need to enhance and.

Improve the work of human rights mechanisms while ensuring non-politization, double standards in the work of human rights mechanisms, and also enhance the effectiveness of the UN human rights system. We therefore urge.

The High Commissioner to consider the existing challenges and national context and circumstances of member states to exercise.

Objectivity, independence, and impartiality of his actions to avoid any selective approach as to different categories of human rights. The NAM further underlines the importance of the mandate holders to exercise their functions in full respect for, with strict observance of their mandates and the code of conduct for the special procedures mandate holders contained in the relevant resolutions of the Human Rights Council. We remained concerned over the non-representation or under-representation of the non-member states in the Office of the High Commissioner, and therefore call upon the OHCHR to ensure the adequate representation of non-member states based on the principle of equitable geographical distribution. Finally, Madam Vice-President, the NAM reiterates the importance of the OHCHR in promoting and protecting the enjoyment of full realization of human rights established in the Charter of the United Nations and strictly in line with all the mandates that were created. I thank you.

Thank you. The list of speakers is now closed. I give the floor to China on behalf of a group of countries.

Mr. Madam Vice President, I'm honored to speak on behalf of 80 countries. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the founding of the UN. We support the UN General Assembly Resolution 79308 so as to improve the efficiency, streamline procedure, eliminate duplication, and enhance transparency through reform. Our proposals are as follows. Firstly, uphold sovereign equality. All countries, regardless of size, strength, or wealth or poverty, have the right to equal participation, equal decision-making, and equal benefit in global governance. Secondly, uphold the rule of law at the international We must ensure the equal, uniform application of international law and refrain from double standard. Thirdly, uphold multilateralism. We support extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, and oppose unilateralism. Fourthly, uphold a people-centered approach. The three pillars of peace and security, development, human rights are closely interrelated and equally important. All human rights should be promoted equally. Fifthly, strive for practical results. Human rights reform should be continuously advanced within the mandated scope and in an objective, impartial, and selective, and non-politicized manner. We stand ready to continue strengthening communication, build consensus, and continue improving global governance so as to jointly promote a bright future of peace, security, prosperity, and progress. Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you. I give the floor to Egypt on behalf of a group of countries.

Thank you, Madam Vice President. Egypt is honored to deliver this statement on behalf of a group of like-minded countries. We acknowledge the vital contribution of human rights bodies and mechanisms in assisting states to fulfill their international obligations. Ensuring equitable geographical representation and respect for the diversity of legal systems remains key. And we encourage the Office of the High Commissioner to continue addressing existing disparities and advance concrete measures for greater inclusivity and balance. We stressed the importance of fostering a constructive relationship between States and mandate holders, grounded on genuine dialogue, mutual respect, due regard for cultural and national realities, and full adherence to the code of conduct and the General Assembly rules of procedure. In line with the IB package, we reaffirmed that the establishment of mandates must be guided by cooperation and genuine dialogue, while upholding the principles of objectivity, impartiality, and non-selectivity. The serious challenges currently facing the UN system call for greater efficiency and effectiveness in the work of the human rights mechanisms. This requires enhanced coherence and the avoidance of unnecessary duplication, whether among mandate holders or between them and the Office of the High Commissioner, and the prioritization of resources where it can have the greatest impact. We also underline the importance of shielding mandate holders from undue criticism and targeted attacks that risk undermining their independence and credibility. Finally, we reiterate the imperative of preventing politicization of human rights bodies and mechanisms. We call on stakeholders to approach impartiality, ensuring activity and based.

Thank you. I give the floor to Ethiopia.

Thank you, Madam Vice President. Ethiopia reaffirms the importance of strengthening human rights bodies and mechanisms to ensure they function effectively based on the principles of universality, impartiality, objectivity, and non-selectivity. We underscore that these mechanisms must remain free from politicization, double standards, and selectivity, as such practices erode trust and compromise their credibility. We also remain committed to the UPR process as a valuable platform for enhancing human rights through dialogue and cooperation. At the national level, Ethiopia continues to advance reforms aimed at strengthening human rights institutions, and we value the technical support and capacity building provided by OHCHR and other partners. We emphasize the need for greater support to developing countries in building institutional capacity for human rights promotion and protection. As we move forward, it is essential that the human rights bodies and mechanisms maintain a balanced approach that gives equal weight to civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights. In conclusion, Ethiopia reaffirms its unwavering commitment to engaging with human rights bodies and mechanisms in a spirit of constructive dialogue, mutual respect, and cooperation. I thank you, Madam Vice-President.

Thank you. I give the floor to China.

Vice-President, the special procedures of the Council play an important role in promoting and protecting human rights. We have noted The experts actively fulfill their mandates, and we have carefully studied their report to the Council and appreciate the majority of the content. China attaches great importance to the work of the special procedures and consistently supported them in carrying out their mandate. we actively conduct constructive dialogue and cooperation with them. Meanwhile, we hope that in the relevant mechanisms, they can earnestly improve the representation of developing countries. Meanwhile, we note with concern that individual mandate holders have abused or even exceeded their mandate, including relying on disinformation and interfering in the internal affairs of other countries under the pretext of human rights. Such actions have actively and negatively affected the credibility of the special procedures of UN human rights mechanisms. We hope that the relevant mandate holders strictly fulfill their mandates and follow the principles of impartiality, objectivity, non-politicization, non-selectivity, and conduct our cooperation with all countries based on mutual respect and equality. working together to promote and protect human rights for people around the world.

I give the floor to Indonesia.

Thank you, Madam Vice-President. Indonesia recognizes the vital role of human rights bodies and mechanisms in supporting States to uphold their obligations. Their credibility and legitimacy hinges on adherence to impartiality, non-selectivity and constructive dialogue. Mandate holders must also uphold mutual respect, cultural sensitivity, and full compliance with established rules. We call for greater efficiency and coherence among mandates and mechanisms, including efforts to avoid duplications of efforts. Joint work, where appropriate, should be encouraged and guided by States. We remain concerned by the selective attention to some mandate holders, which too often overlook grave violations in developed countries while focusing disproportionately on the Global South. Impartiality must prevail. Indonesia, of course, the OIC, a concern regarding the unilateral sanctions imposed on Special Rapporteur Albanese. Punitive measures against mandate holders fulfilling their duties set a dangerous precedent. We urge all States to address the root causes of violations in occupied Palestine, rather than targeting those who report on them. Human rights bodies and mechanisms must remain free from politicization, grounded in verified facts, and committed to universal accountability. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Albania.

Thank you, Madam Vice-President. Albania wishes to reaffirm its strong support for the United Nations, its representative and mechanism in the field of human rights. Constructing cooperation with this mechanism remains a cornerstone of Albania's policy, including through our active engagement with universal periodic review, treaty bodies and special procedures. We remain open to visit a recommendation which will consider valuable tools to further advance human rights at the national level. Albania reiterates that cooperation with the United Nations in the field of human rights is important and condemns acts against human rights defenders, civil society, or other individuals engaged with United Nations. Madam Vice President, we welcome the report of Human Rights Council Advisory Committee on the human rights implication of the new and emerging technology in the military domain. In conclusion, Albania remains fully committed to working with the United Nations, its mechanism, and civil society partners to that human rights are effectively protected in the face of global challenges, including those brought by the new technology. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Algeria.

Thank you very much, Vice-President. Algeria reiterates its support to the Human Rights Council and its special procedures, which fulfil a key role in promoting and protecting human rights. My country continues to constructively collaborate with the Special Procedures in a spirit of mutual trust and respect, and to positively and transparently interact with their communications. In this vein, Algeria encourages Special Procedures to place even greater rigor on communications and official notifications to concerned states. Vice President, my delegation would like to convey its concern regarding reprisals against mandate holders of the special procedures. These active reprisals are a direct interference with the UN system. We'd also like to draw the Council's attention to the abusive use by and gate holders of social media in the public communications and call on them to stick to impartiality and neutrality in their role. Finally, my country urges special procedures to place increased emphasis on the generalized violation of human rights of those under foreign occupation. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Bangladesh.

Vice President, the promotion and protection of human rights remain the key priority area for the interim government of Bangladesh. Last year, we acceded to the International Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearance, and this August, we ratified the OPCAT. In 2025, we have facilitated a country visit of a special rapporteur and a technical visit of a working group. Madam Vice President, Bangladesh recognizes the importance of human rights bodies and mechanism in promoting and protecting the human rights globally. We underscore the imperative that these bodies and mechanisms must remain committed fully to their cause. The establishment of a mandate must be guided by the principle of cooperation and genuine dialogue, with the objective of strengthening the capacity of States to fulfill their human rights obligations. The mandate holders should uphold the highest standard of objectivity, transparency, impartiality, and professionalism in their work. Their reports and communication must be grounded in objective and verifiable facts, while also taking into account national context, circumstances, and sensitivities. Enhanced global cooperation and a deeper understanding between member states and these bodies and mechanisms can further enhance their effectiveness. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Colombia.

Thank you, Vice President. Colombia utterly deplores the sanctions against those who cooperate with the UN mechanisms. The cases of indigenous human rights defender and ex-Alfred Cunningham and the special rapporteur Francesca Albanese are intolerable attacks on the integrity of the multilateral system. When it comes to Madam Cunningham, a Nicaraguan and a member of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, she has been barred from returning to her country after participating in a session in Geneva, effectively leading her to be in a forced exile. For her part, the rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, Madam Albanese, faces sanctions from the US government. an asset freeze and she's been barred from entering the country as a result of her critical independent work on the situation in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967. Colombia expresses its strenuous repudiation of such actions and calls on all States to respect UN processes. to guarantee the immunity of experts and rapporteurs, to stand in solidarity with those who have been subject to sanctions and to do the utmost to prevent such practices, which are absolutely contrary to the essence of the United Nations, from occurring again. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Cuba.

Madam Vice-President, Cuba reiterates its support to the UN Human Rights universal procedures that are non-selective. We urge all delegations to participate in the social forum on the 29th and 30th of October as an inclusive participative space for debate among all. We reiterate that special procedures should draw their information from unverifiable, dubious sources and should be brought objectively. There should not be biased statements or selective statements or use of social networks to disseminate manipulated information or tendentious, prejudiced opinions. Those actions not only reflect a lack of professionalism on the part of those responsible, but also undermine the cause of human rights and violate the credibility of the council. We reject the false the misinformation propagated by actors who exploit the council's mechanisms to promote political agendas that have nothing to do with human rights. One example of that is the UN Watch organisation, which has carried out a harassment campaign against special rapporteurs on UCMs and on the human rights situation in the OPT. The arbitrary sanctions imposed against the latter by the United States Government not only constitute unacceptable actions of blackmail and intimidation, which impede the discharge of her functions; moreover, they are a flagrant failure by the United States to comply with its obligations as the UN host country.

I give the floor to Sudan.

Thank you, Madam Vice Chair. We reiterate our commitment to promote and protect human rights and to implement the conventions to which we adhered. We will continue our cooperation with the human rights mechanisms despite the multiplicity of these mechanisms, such as the group of experts, OHCHR, and other entities. My country has facilitated the entrance and visit of independent experts, and they were allowed to return after they left the country in April 2023. And we cooperate with the interim office. We cooperate with all relevant stakeholders, entities, and agencies. And we welcome the role of the UN and its agency in facing the current challenges, challenges and others. We welcome the fact that the Secretary-General constantly calls for the unity of Sudan, despite all the calls that are contrary to that. The current challenges faced by the UN currently undermine multilateralism, especially while we are seeing increasing levels of violence in some areas and systemic violations of the and the international human rights law by non-state actors such as terrorist entities that are very active in some parts of my country.

This was the last speaker on my list. We will now proceed with the list of observers. I give the floor to Islamic Republic of Iran.

Vice President, my delegation align itself with the statement delivered by the group to which we belong. We reaffirm our commitment to constructive cooperation with human rights bodies and non-selective mechanism. At the same time, we underscore the importance of taking into account national specificities and cultural diversity in the publication and communication of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. It's essential that specific branches within the OHCHR, particularly The special procedure branch uphold the principles of objectivity, independence and impartiality, selective or so-called balancing approaches risk undermining the credibility and effectiveness of the system. In this regard, we believe that all press releases and public comments issued by OHCHR should be accompanied by the perspective of the concerned state to avoid one-sided narrative or unilateral judgment. Vice President, my delegation also wishes to express concern over the underrepresentation of certain countries and nationalities with the OHCHR, including a mine mandate holder, a member of the human rights treaty bodies. This lack of diversity poses a serious challenge to our shared objective perspective of inclusiveness within the United Nations system. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Russian Federation.

Madam Vice President, we believe in the presumption of unswerving abidance by the UN mechanisms to with impartiality and objectivity. Sadly, we're forced to note that the work of OHCHR, special procedures and other human rights mechanisms of the of the OHCHR and treaty bodies Double standards prevail, as well as a selective approach. They demonstratively quiet the actions of Russophobia by countries in the West, with discrimination on ethnic and language grounds. The most ghastly embodiment of that practice is in Ukraine, as a result of deliberate policy by Kyiv to discriminate against Russians. Russians are legislatively denied their rights. Russians have been excluded from the list of ethnic minorities, aren't allowed to learn in their native tongue, attend peaceful assemblies, create their own educational institutions or media. Just for using Russian, penalties have been introduced. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church has been subject to persecution. There's been no due reaction from the UN human rights bodies to those glaring violations of human rights. and they discredit this area of activities of the world organization and strengthen Kyiv's confidence in its impunity. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Azerbaijan.

Thank you, Madam Vice President. As we mark the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, Azerbaijan reaffirms its commitment to constructive dialogue and cooperation with the UN human rights bodies and mechanisms. We are proud to be among the few countries fully up to date with our treaty reporting obligations, which reflects our strong commitment to transparency and accountability. We attach great importance to the work of the special procedures mandate holders. Their activities must be conducted strictly within their mandates, in full respect of international law, the UN Charter, relevant resolutions, and the code of conduct. Constructive engagement with member states is vital, and information provided by states should be duly taken into account in the spirit of cooperation. Azerbaijan firmly believes that genuine dialogue with human rights mechanisms can foster better understanding and strengthen the effectiveness of the system. We will continue to engage actively with the UN human rights machinery as part of our broader efforts to promote and protect human rights. As we reflect on eight decades of the United Nations, we should redouble our efforts to ensure that human rights mechanisms are effective, transparent, and free from politicization and double standards, thereby advancing our collective commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights worldwide. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Sierra Leone.

Madam Vice President, Sierra Leone reaffirms its unwavering commitment to constructive

engagement with the United Nations human rights mechanisms and entities. We recognize their vital role in supporting member states through capacity building and technical assistance. to strengthen institutional capacities, advance the promotion and protection of human rights, and prevent human rights violations. We welcome the report of the Secretary-General

on cooperation with the United Nations, its representatives, and mechanisms in the field of human rights,

and take note of the activities, policy developments, and good practices that foster enhanced collaboration and mutual accountability in the promotion of human rights and the well-being of a global community of inclusion, trust, and dignity. Italy remains steadfast in its support for the work of the Human Rights Council and its mechanisms. We will continue to engage fully and transparently in the spirit of constructive dialogue, partnership, and shared responsibility, recognizing

that the promotion and protection of human rights are indispensable foundations for achieving sustainable development, peace, and security.

Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Malaysia.

Madam President, Malaysia associates itself with the statements of the group to which it belongs to. Malaysia reaffirms its commitment to constructive engagement of UN human rights bodies and mechanisms. Since 2022, Malaysia has welcomed the visit of four mandate holders, including the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Independent Experts on Older Persons. These visits, together with academic visits and technical assistance programs, have strengthened our capacity-building efforts and fostered meaningful dialogue with stakeholders. At the national level, Malaysia continues to track and implement recommendations from the UPR, treaty bodies and special procedures mandate holders through our upgraded national recommendation tracking database 2.0. This reflects our whole of society approach to advancing human rights with participation from civil society and the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia. As ASEAN chair, Malaysia is working with member states to further strengthen the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights to ensure that the regional body can play a more effective and responsive role in addressing human rights. In conclusion, Malaysia underscores the importance of mandate holders exercising their duties judiciously, in line with the code of conduct and their respective mandates. In doing so, mandate holders are expected to adopt a more constructive approach with due sensitivity to diverse cultural contexts and challenges of member states, thereby upholding the integrity and credibility of the human rights system. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Iraq.

Thank you, Vice President. We reiterate our position of full cooperation

with special procedures, and we very much appreciate their role in promoting human rights.

My delegation reiterates that promotion of human rights must be done in a spirit of cooperation, international cooperation, and cooperation between States and special procedures.

By maintaining cultural and social specificities, this will guarantee the success of the activities of this Council, far

from the use of double standards, and it will help ensure that we respect equal opportunities

between men and women and will facilitate the work of special procedures. Situations of foreign occupation constitute emergency situations, especially when accompanied by grave human rights violations.

That is why we urge special procedures to attach particular importance to the extremely grave

violations being perpetrated by the occupying forces in the occupied Palestinian territories. with a view to draw the world's

attention to the genocide and ethnic cleansing that the disarmed Palestinian population has been a victim of.

I give the floor to Armenia.

Madam Vice-President, the treaty bodies and special procedures are indispensable instruments of the human rights system's early warning capacity. Armenia continues to actively engage with all UN mechanisms, including treaty bodies and special procedures. As part of our commitment, we have established the National Mechanism for Implementation, Reporting, and Follow-up of Human Rights, which serves as a centralized platform to streamline interagency cooperation and ensure systematic implementation and reporting on Armenia's international human rights obligations. Armenia firmly believes that special procedures must operate in the environment where their independence and impartiality are guaranteed by all means. The unprecedented rise in communications and workload of the human rights system, including on cross-cutting issues of international humanitarian demonstrates the fact that for victims of violations, including for persons in a situation of extreme vulnerability, independent human rights mechanisms remain the very last resort for protection. Armenia is ready to continue engaging constructively with all stakeholders to uphold the principles of universality, impartiality, objectivity, and non-selectivity of the work of the Human Rights Council. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Egypt.

Madam Vice President, we appreciate the important and pivotal role of the special procedure for the promotion and protection of human rights around the world. And we focus on the strengthening of specific mandates and to give due importance to gender equality and equitable geographic representation. The serious challenges faced by the UN system call for greater efficiency and effectiveness in the work of human rights mechanisms, namely enhanced coherence, avoidance of unnecessary duplication, be it among mandate holders or between the OHCHR and them we encourage uh the special procedure to continue to highlight the various violations committed by Israel against the Palestinian people systematic destruction of all aspects of life and denial of fundamental rights we call on them to document all violations within the genocidal War launched by Israel on Gaza Strip the International Community should its responsibility to end these violations. We utterly reject any smear campaigns or attacks targeting the mandate holders for carrying out their mandate in this context. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Pakistan.

Thank you, Madam Vice President. My delegation affirms Pakistan's abiding support to this Council and allied mechanisms and their mandate to promote the universality of human rights. Consistent with this commitment, we have sought to step up engagement with special procedure mandate holders and diligently undertaken the reporting cycle with treaty bodies. The intergovernmental processes reporting to this Council are the highest fora for elaboration of universal human rights obligations and norms. These mechanisms can count on our continued support and active engagement. We remain concerned about certain NGOs misusing the privilege of addressing this Council to launch politicized and baseless smear campaigns against national institutions, UN officials, and mandate holders for the sake of social media point scoring. This is inconsistent with the letter and spirit of consultative arrangements and must be arrested, lest we lose the decorum of this Council. We echo grave concern over unilateral measures against the Special Rapporteur on the OPT simply discharging a mandate entrusted by this Council. While disagreements are part of dialogue, the sanctions have set a dangerous precedent. We call on the UN and all states, including those perpetrating, to be at the vanguard of human rights to rally in her defense. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to India.

Madam Vice-President, India acknowledges the role of the Human Rights Council and its mechanisms in assisting Member States in advancing human rights. We are fully committed to constructive engagement with SPMHs, sharing pertinent information within their mandates. Trust and cooperation between States and SPMHs are fundamental for their success. SPMHs must therefore execute their mandates with strict adherence to objectivity, neutrality, transparency, independence, and impartiality, as mandated by resolution 5/2's code of conduct. Regrettably, we observe troubling trends in the conduct of some SPMHs that seriously undermine their credibility. Premature conclusions, reliance on isolated incidents, and flawed reasoning, especially in press releases and joint statements, damage trust and weaken their effectiveness. We reiterate that SPMHs rigorously consider states' perspectives and base their findings strictly on verified facts, as required by Articles 6 and 8 of the Code of Conduct. Any display of bias or misuse of mandate would undermine the institution's integrity. We also reiterate that, consistent with resolution 5/1, mandate appointments must ensure equitable geographic and legal system representation. We take this opportunity to reiterate our support to the Advisory Committee and convey our appreciation for its work in highlighting emerging themes relevant to the Member States. In closing, we reaffirm our unwavering commitment to fostering genuine dialogue and meaningful cooperation within the Council and its mechanisms. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

Thank you, Vice-President. Venezuela reiterates its support and backing for the human rights organs and mechanisms as for that should contribute to bolstering promotion and protection of human rights. in reiterating our willingness to maintain genuine dialogue on the basis of mutual respect. We believe that it is urgent for all actions by the international human rights system to be governed by the principles contained in the UN Charter, avoiding politicisation, selectivity and double standards. Venezuela states its concern that, despite the clear instructions contained in the special procedure mandate holder code of conduct, We've seen major non-compliance with its provisions. It's worrying that certain mandate holders make pronouncements on specific countries but say nothing about evident violations of human rights, such as forced disappearance of Venezuelan migrants and their rendition by deception from the US to prisons in El Salvador, or the extraditional executions recently carried out in the Caribbean. These actions call into question the credibility that should govern the work of the special the mandate holders. Finally, we reject the sanctions against Elena Duggan and Francesca Albanese, UN rapporteurs, who carry out their work strictly abiding by the code of conduct. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Afghanistan.

Thank you, Madam Vice-President. Afghanistan's UPR and CEDAW review reaffirmed what the Special Rapporteur have warned for years. Our country suffers from systemic human rights violations, where the rights and freedoms of our people are being institutionally arrested. Afghanistan remain bound by its treaty obligations under CEDAW, CRC, CAT, COPD, and the ICCPR. Yet every day, those commitments are betrayed. Women and girls are excluded from education, work, healthcare, and public life. Minorities and dissenters are silenced, through arbitrary detention, torture, enforced disappearance, and killings. This crisis strikes at the very core of the principles and dignity that international law and this Council itself pledged to uphold. Per the UPR recommendations and CEDAW's concluding observations, we urge Member States to press the Taliban to honor these binding obligations. Victims in Afghanistan need justice, they need services, and they need protections. Madam Vice-President, we recall that this Council has, in other moments of crisis, created establishment mechanisms to collect and preserve evidence. Afghanistan deserves no less. We urge the establishment of an independent, gender-responsive investigative mechanism for Afghanistan. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Jordan.

Madam Vice-President, special procedures, at the request of the Council, monitor human rights situations. at a national and regional level, efforts and reports have highlighted certain violations. That is why we reiterate that it's necessary for special procedures to abide by the code of conduct. The Council and its member states have a responsibility to ensure that special procedures discharge their mandate as stipulated, priority must be given to responding to grave violations of human rights and to promoting human rights, and not to pursuing or harassing parties who seek to disclose the truth, to reveal the truth. We reiterate that it is necessary to bolster the powers of the special rapporteurs, as well as transparency, Jordan states its full support to the treaty bodies so that their future activities can be more effective. Thus, that way the UN can continue its role in promoting human dignity. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Senegal.

Thank you, Vice-President. Senegal supports the statements delivered by the groups it belongs to, and we welcome the publication of the Secretary-General's report. The scope and complexity of the challenges that we face means we must seek more effective synergies between the human rights organs and mechanisms to preserve the integrity and credibility of our collective action capacities in this sphere. Along those lines, my country welcomes streamlining efforts for optimized cooperation between the UN system, member states, and civil society in the context of a process that needs to be based on transparency, objectivity, and non-selectivity. It's also useful to recall the importance of the field work carried out by UN representatives, who should not suffer any kind of intimidation or reprisals. For all those reasons, Senegal which signed up to the nine main international human rights instruments and which is up to date with its reporting, calls for renewed commitment on all sides for multilateralism, international human rights law and international humanitarian law.

That is the only way to guard against the consequences of a world in which power trumps law. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Tunisia.

Thank you, Vice-President.

We appreciate the crucial role played by the treaty bodies, by special procedures, particularly when it comes to promoting human rights and disseminating a human rights culture at a universal level. We underline in particular the crucial role played in technical assistance to member states, promoting national efforts to protect human rights at the request of those countries and in step with their needs. We fully support Madame Albanese's mandate, the special rapporteur on the human rights situation in the OPT. We express to her our full support for the campaign of aggression that is being pursued against her by the occupying power. We renew our full commitment to human rights, fundamental freedoms, democracy and the rule of law, in co-operation with the treaty bodies. I recall that, since 2011, we have addressed a standing invitation to all special procedures. To date, we have hosted more than 25 visits. We recall our concern regarding submitting our reports on time. It is necessary that activities in this Council should respect state sovereignty and that the treaty bodies should cooperate with states concerned so as to maintain a climate of mutual trust.

Thank you, Madam Vice-President. The Philippines reaffirms its strong support for the UN human rights ecosystem, this Council and its mechanisms, treaty bodies and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. We remain convinced of their relevance and capacity to uplift lives around the globe, especially those on the margins of societies. At the same time, reforms are urgently needed to restore trust and enhance the legitimacy of these valued institutions amidst perceived shortcomings and serious challenges. We stress the necessity of addressing systemic inefficiencies, including the overlapping mandates, duplication of work, and opaque processes in budgeting, resource utilization, and financial accounting. We are proud to contribute to ongoing efforts to strengthen cost efficiency in the Council's work with the creation of a new special rapporteur merging the mandates of the special rapporteur on contemporary slavery and of trafficking, which we hope the Council will approve in this session. We also reaffirm our support for the OHCHR's capacity building mandate while urging for improved program implementation from the design to evaluation phases to maximize the catalytic impact of technical cooperation. We underscore the importance of national ownership of human rights initiatives, prudent use of limited financial resources, and strict adherence to the principles of transparency and accountability. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Ecuador.

Thank you, Vice-President. In the current context of multidimensional crisis, it is crucial to continue bolstering the Human Rights Council and the effective functioning of its bodies and mechanisms, as well as constructive cooperation with OHCHR. To do this, Ecuador takes advantage of this debate to reiterate its full commitment to the guarantee of universality, indivisibility and interdependence of all human rights, peace and respect for international law. This commitment is a hallmark of our foreign policy, reaffirmed in the constitutional protection of human rights and meaningful support to the development and adoption of important human rights instruments at global and regional levels. Therefore, I am pleased to share that Ecuador has recently formalised the submission of its candidature to the Human Rights Council for the period 2026-28 in the elections to be held on 10 October. Our candidature carries a commitment to contributing to the strengthening of multilateralism, dialogue and international co-operation, and to promoting a more just and equitable international order based on the protection and promotion of human rights. If elected, Ecuador reiterates its full willingness to work constructively, transparently and in solidarity with all States, international human rights bodies and mechanisms, civil society and other stakeholders. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Dominika.

Thank you, Madam Vice-President. Dominica appreciates the work carried out by mechanisms and entities of the Human Rights Council, which serve as a cornerstone for the advancement of the international human rights framework globally. Dominica also remains fully committed to the UPR mechanism and commends its vital role in advancing human rights and fostering accountability at the national level. In May of this year, we welcomed the Special Rapporteur on Climate Change, marking the first ever visit of a special procedures mandate holder to our country. This visit was of particular significance given the complex challenges we face in addressing the climate crisis, as well as our strong commitment to ensuring that our resilience building efforts fully integrate human rights considerations. At the same time, while we value and deeply respect the important work of special procedures mandate holders, We underscore the importance of their engagement being guided by the principles of impartiality and objectivity, and with full sensitivities for national context and realities. We further encourage mandate holders to adopt approaches that promote constructive cooperation with States and foster sustained engagement with the Council's mechanisms. Dominica remains steadfast in its commitment to constructively engage with all mechanisms of the Council in the spirit of promoting, protecting and ensuring the full and equal enjoyment of human rights by all within its territory. Thank you.

Thank you. This was the last speaker on my list. Before we proceed to the next list, I will take a very short break. Thank you. We will proceed with the list of speakers for national human rights institutions and non-government organizations. I give the floor to Japan Society for History Textbook by video.

Thank you very much.

We'd like to emphasize the importance of the HSC's mechanism and the special procedures. Egypt has conducted a mission which has gone against Sudanese interests and used the... The President interrupts the speaker.

Who is controlling at the stop? I give the floor again to Japan Society for History Textbook.

Thank you very much.

The current context constitutes a challenge for the mechanisms of the Council. The President interrupts.

Give the floor to India Water Foundation. Dear

Mr. President, India Water Foundation reaffirms that constructive cooperation with the United Nations human rights bodies and mechanisms is indispensable for advancing human dignity and ensuring accountability. Civil society organizations such as ours contribute meaningfully to the work of special procedures and expert mechanisms, particularly on the right of development, climate change, water and sanitation. However, such engagement must always remain free from intimidation and reprisals.

We welcome the Secretary-General's report on this matter and urge Member States to

create enabling environment where defenders, experts and communities can participate without fear. India Water Foundation has actively engaged with UN mechanisms by bringing community voices from fragile ecosystems, indigenous communities, groups, and rural populations. These exchanges illustrate the value of cross-learning between local realities and international mechanisms. We call for a deeper synergies between the Human Rights Council and its mechanisms to ensure that civil society knowledge is not only heard, but also translated into action, particularly in implementing the 2030 agenda. Cooperation with UN mechanisms must be strengthened as a cornerstone of effective multilateralism. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Japan Society for History Textbook by video.

Item 5 emphasizes the importance of the Human Rights Council, its mechanism and special procedures, but the Egyptian Republic has carried out a military campaign facilitating access to chemical weapons. These weapons have led to thousands of deaths, more than 14,000 civilians, including women and children. There are information indicating that Egyptian agents are using extreme militia, using chemical weapons and rape as weapons of war. Item 5 emphasizes the need to cooperate with the Special Procedures, but credible reports have highlighted the involvement of Egyptian agents in the kidnap of thousands of Sudanese women and children submitted to sexual slavery and forced labor. These violations are undermining the work of the special rapporteurs. Article 5 stipulates strengthening of the role of the Council and its mechanisms, but Egypt is undermining the entry of the special procedures of the UN, and this contributes to depriving women of the most basic rights and also deprives Sudan of its resources. If we do not react, we are complicit in allowing Egypt to continue these violations. and legitimizing slavery. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the International Humanitarian Society for Development Without Borders. Absent, I give the floor to IRADA, Organization Against Torture and Enforced Disappearance.

Thank you very much, Vice-President. I'm grateful. I have covered millions or thousands of kilometers to come here today, and I bring with me the suffering of thousands of Yemeni people, many people who have disappeared by force in Houthi prisons. For years, we have been held in a detention center in Az-Zanah. I was subject to torture and I was pursued by the Houthi carrying out massive arrests as they do and including this includes harassment of UN employees including OHCHR employees and those of the WFP as well as other international organizations. These people are working day and night to implement UN mechanisms but the Houthi have resorted to spying and force against UN agencies and we refute allegations against UN employees. We condemn these violations and we call for punitive measures by the United Nations against these acts. We invite the Houthi, or call on the Houthi to liberate all those who have been kidnapped and disappeared and to make good all prejudices against their rights. We support the UN and our support for the Yemeni people and reject all forms of terrorism. The President interrupts.

We appreciate that the number of human rights complaints are considerable and the process of addressing them can be overwhelming. Nevertheless, one of the purposes of the Human Rights Council is to monitor human rights and improve them for people around the world. We would like to suggest that the work of the Council, the committees and the special repertoires be more widely promoted in civil society around the world, our experience is that civil society is either confused or remains skeptical of the possible redress by the Human Rights Council. In many cases, expectations are high and inconsemerate with the capacity of level of attention for the Office of High Commissioners of the Human Rights. There is a need to promote confidence in the work of the Human Rights Council and to make the complaints process easier as well as more user-friendly for victims. UN officers exist in most regions, if not countries. Mandatory education schooling for children about the work, the capacity and possible outcomes of the complaint mechanisms could be a strong incentive for countries to be more compliant and people to have more trust, as well as a realistic expectation from the UN. We are also concerned at the shrinking space for civil society at the Human Rights Council. States take far too much time simply repeating each other on their committees, even when they are not relevant to the subject. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Al-Hakim Foundation.

Thank you very much, Vice-President.

I'd like to address the situation in Western Sahara. This requires governance and technology to work to support the security of residents. Moroccan occupation has now lasted for decades, and this has triggered violations of the rights of the Sahrawi people. Sustainable and effective development must be guaranteed, as well as the right to life and stability. We are extremely concerned by the forced disappearance which has been recorded, and violations such as torture and reprisals, and the unjust prosecution of human rights defenders. We are extremely concerned by restrictions on freedom of expression and association. This flies in the face of the rights that should be enjoyed by the Saharawi people. Impunity must be combated and robust mechanisms upholding human rights must be put in place to strengthen and promote human rights in Western Sahara. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Association Peace. They're absent. I give the floor to Stitching Global Human Rights Defence.

Thank you, Madam Vice President. GHRC remains gravely concerned over the use of blasphemy laws that carry the death penalty, such as in the state of Pakistan. These laws have become tools of persecution that target minorities and silence political dissent. The number of people charged with blasphemy in Pakistan has increased dramatically in the past few years. Today, there are 53 individuals on death row for blasphemy. Minority groups such as Ahmadis, Christians, and Hindus are disproportionately affected. Concerns have been raised that some accusations against them may be motivated due to personal motives or as part of systemic persecution. The abuse is also spread online, where posts on social media have led to death sentences and fatal riots. In 2024, civil society documented 10 cases of extrajudicial killings, while mob violence enjoys almost complete immunity. In addition, minority girls are regularly kidnapped and sold into marriage over blasphemy threats within the family. These practices have largely escaped the attention of the United Nations human rights mechanisms. We therefore call on this Council and its bodies to take note of this issue and to urge Pakistan to reform its blasphemy legislation, release those unjustly detained, protect vulnerable communities, and ensure accountability for perpetrators of violence. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Rajasthan Samagra Kalyan Sansthan by video.

Thank you, Mr. President. Terrorism is not only an attack on national sovereignty, it is a direct assault on humanity, human dignity and the very value enshrined in the United Nations Charter. On 22nd April 2025, the peaceful Baisaran Valley of Palgham in Jammu and Kashmir was attacked by a brutal act of cross-border terrorism. 26 innocent civilians, including women and children, were mercilessly killed in an attack deliberately targeting pilgrims and tourists. This atrocity was not an isolated act. It was part of a systematic campaign of transnational militancy aimed at spreading fear, inciting communal discord, and sabotaging the region's stability. Mr. President, terrorism is not a bilateral issue. It is a global crisis. We call upon this Council and the international community to recognize cross-border terrorism as a grave human rights concern, not just a security issue. Full implementation of UN Security Council counter-terrorism resolution and stronger global mechanism to dismantle terror financing and safe haven. Mr. President, the victims of Pulwama, Mumbai, Paris and Manchester remind us that terrorism knows no borders. The world must respond with principle unity. Let history record not our silence, but our resolve. We thank you. May all live happily.

Thank you. I give the floor to Society for Threatened Peoples by video.

Thank you very much, Vice-President. The Tachis would like to decry the situation confronted by 40 indigenous families in a situation of high vulnerability, displaced by force in the Yorquide community on the 26th of May in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, on the 26th of December 2021. They were expelled with using violence. The National Institute of Agrarian Reform confirms this fact. To date, the families continue to be displaced, suffering risk to their health, cultural integrity, and so forth. This situation violates Bolivia's obligations under the CERD, as well as Convention 169 and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the guiding principles on internal displacement, including the right to free, prior, and informed consent. Under item 5, we urge the Council to consider this among its urgent actions. And to the Special Rapporteurs on Indigenous Peoples' Rights and the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, we ask these to focus their attention on land displacements. And to the Special Rapporteurs on IDPs and adequate housing, we ask them to ensure safe and dignified return. We urge Bolivia to protect and assist the families immediately, ensuring investigation of evictions and return or restoration compensation and guarantees of non-reparation, ensuring the collective rights concerning the territory and responding to UN communications, as well as preventing reprisals. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Forum for Development of Human Rights Dialogue by video.

The human rights agencies are the.

Most effective manner of protecting human rights. In Yemen, for example, UN agents, including the employees of the OHCHR, have been subject to violations by the Houthi, including in forced disappearance and arbitrary detention. A number of them have been accused of espionage, and this implies the imposition of serious sanctions, including the death penalty. The UN must be capable of protecting their employees and human rights. We must strengthen the ability of UN agents to protect human rights in conflict zones. This is essential to guarantee the protection and promotion of human rights and the application of international law. We urge this Council to take the necessary measures to promote the protection of UN employees as well as local workers in zones of conflict, supporting and protecting all employees and human rights defenders, guaranteeing accountability for those who have committed those violations. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Development of the Local Community Association and Gajrat Weber.

Mr. Chair, we hope that the Human Rights Council will examine new mechanisms that place the protection of human rights in conflict situations in the context of rapid access and rapid intervention. Current mechanisms are not efficient in rapid response in cases of international wars or internal conflicts. My country, Yemen, needs such amendments to your procedures because the Houthi terrorist groups have perpetrated widespread violations targeting civilians, civil infrastructure, implementing a policy of starvation, of blockade as a tool of war, arbitrary detentions, using children as military staff, violating the rights of the press, destroying the basic infrastructure depriving the population from accessing healthcare and educational facilities and hampering the access of humanitarian assistance. That's why your mechanisms should increase its capacity to interfere immediately to protect civilians, to help the victims and to secure justice. and so that you can increase your efficiency in, uh, preventing recurrence of such violations. We hope that the Human Rights Council will be able to find the solutions to such violations. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Geneva for Human Rights.

Thank you. We must address reprisals against defenders who engage with the UN bodies. Too often, after testifying, they return home to threats, eroding both their safety and this Council's credibility. Prevention must also be central to our work. We cannot act only after violations occur. Poverty, as a root cause of many violations, if left unaddressed, ensures their persistence. A stark example is preventable maternal morbidity and mortality, particularly obstetric fistula, a silent but devastating violation reflecting the intersectional vulnerabilities of women and girls. In this regard, we recall resolution 45/6 on the centrality of care and support, affirming self-determination in care and support, the collective dimension of care and support for the environment, and the gender-sensitive approach to health, including obstetric fistula. Embedding this vision across all governance levels strengthens prevention, combats poverty, and upholds dignity. We recommend establishing a rapid emergency protocol with the UN and UNHCR to protect the defenders at risk, integrating poverty eradication into all Council's debate and resolutions, making prevention a central and explicit pillar of the Council's practice, prioritizing neglected issues, including maternal health and obstetric fistula as preventable human rights violation, Finally, we underline the essential role of local and region- regional authorities and national human rights institution in embedding, embedding these priorities into practice. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to connectors, directors, humanos by video.

Connect as Human Rights, Associacao Ambiental Kaninde, and the Associacao do Pau would like to draw the attention of this Human Rights Council to the serious human rights violations in Brazil faced by the peoples of the Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau indigenous land, which has been invaded by non-indigenous individuals. The Federal Supreme Court has ordered the removal of invaders, a measure that has been requested since 2020. and at this moment is underway in the Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau indigenous land, located in the Brazilian Amazon. It is crucial that both the Supreme Court and the authorities responsible for implementing this measure remain committed to ensure its effectiveness, including concerns related to the region from which the invasions originate. an area known as Burareiro. In this regard, we call on this Council to urge the Brazilian State and the responsible authorities to guarantee the full effectiveness of the removal of invaders from the Uru-E-Wau-Wau indigenous land, ensuring the effective engagement with the indigenous peoples the recognition of their demands, and the protection for the physical integrity of leaders, indigenous peoples, and within their territory.

Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Sambali Trust.

Thank you, Madam Vice President. Today, as the world faces ongoing human rights challenges, the role of human rights bodies and mechanisms is more vital than ever. These institutions serve as guardians of dignity, justice, and freedom, offering hope amid rising violence and discrimination. At Sambali Trust in Rajasthan, we are committed to empowering marginalized women and girls. Through education, vocational training, legal awareness, and shelter, we have supported more than 77,000 individuals, enabling women to gain confidence, independence, and dignity. These are not just programs; they are lifelines that break cycles of poverty and resist intolerance. India's role in advancing human rights reflects strong initiatives such as the Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram and the National Commission for Women, which safeguard women's rights in minority concentrated areas and promote gender equality under the Sustainable Development Goals. Madam Vice President, we urge the United Nations to strengthen international cooperation by enhancing human rights bodies' capacity and supporting civil society at the grassroots. With coordinated action and solidarity, we can ensure that human rights are not just words on paper, but lived realities for all.

Thank you, Madam.

Thank you. Excellencies, before we continue, I have been informed that the President has been approached by the sponsors of the draft resolution entitled "Technical Assistance and Capacity Building in the Field of Human Rights in Central African Republic" under item 10, with a view to extending the deadline of submission until Friday, 26 September at 1:00 p.m. Explanations have been provided. With your approval, an extension of the tabling deadline for this draft resolution will be granted until Friday 26 September at 1:00 p.m. I take it that this is agreeable to all of you. I give the floor to Beijing NGO Association for International Exchanges by video.

Beijing NGO Association for International Exchanges is committed to promoting exchanges and cooperation between civil organizations in Beijing and NGOs from various countries and regions around the world. We collaborate with member units to organize women's dialogue activities, advocating for the protection of the development and cultural rights of people from different civilizations, respecting and safeguarding the basic rights of women and children. In the field of poverty reduction, the edible fungus planting technology training project was jointly held with the Beijing Agricultural Association and Beijing Vocational College of Agriculture to promote poverty reduction cooperation and people-to-people connectivity in countries along the Belt and Road, and call for attention to protect the right of food. In the field of environmental protection, the Earth Hour Beijing Main Venue Lights Out event and the International Friendly Forest tree planting activity have been held for many years in a row. We call on Sr. in relevant fields to pay more attention to developing countries with greater focus on the rights to development, culture, subsistence, and food. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Ecoforum by video.

Excellencies, distinguished delegates, access to justice is the cornerstone of the rule of law and a fundamental human right. In India, ensuring timely justice has been significantly strengthened through the e-Courts Mission Mode Project, which is driving a major digital transformation of our judiciary. This initiative has modernized justice delivery. Court records are digitized, e-filing and online case tracking are accessible nationwide, and virtual hearings connect litigants, even in remote villages, directly to the bench. The National Judicial Data Grid now provides real-time transparency on case pendency and disposal, enhancing accountability. Since 2020, more than 3.5 million virtual hearings have taken place, cutting down delays, travel, and expenses. This has especially benefited people with disabilities, women, senior citizens, and rural communities, who previously faced systemic barriers in accessing courts. Mobile applications such as e-Court Services and Justice empower both citizens and judges, ensuring justice information is literally in people's hands. This transformation is not simply technological; it represents governance innovation that directly advances Sustainable Development Goal 16, promoting access to justice, effective institutions, and public access to information. The ongoing Phase III, with an investment of $900 million, envisions paperless courts, AI-driven case management, integration with police and prison systems, and multilingual accessibility. These steps will help bridge the urban-rural justice divide and safeguard right with dignity. We urge member states and partners to invest in similar digital justice ecosystems worldwide through technological cooperation, capacity building.

Thank you. I give the floor to Center for Human Rights and Peace Advocacy by video.

To bring the attention of this house towards the systematic political persecution and erosion of the cultural identity of the Baloch minority who reside in Pakistan's largest and least developed province. What were the genuine demands of the people of its provinces, particularly since the war on terror has seen an establishment muzzling all nonviolent dissent stemming from economic marginalization as terrorism. It is elements of the Pakistan deep state who, according to the Pakistan Human Rights Commission, are complicit in fomenting sectarian terror across the province and attributing it to this beleaguered minority. Pakistan acts with impunity not just domestically but also internationally by assassinating Baloch peace activists in the diaspora. The unexplained murders in Canada and Sweden of Karima Baloch and Sajid Hussain revealed the resistance of such governments to hold Islamabad responsible. Pakistan, as reported in the Daily Telegraph, London, 6 September 2025, has now overtaken Afghanistan as the world's primary source of opium. That millions of dollars worth of opium could be funneled into either human smuggling or terrorist outfits merits no reiteration. Balochistan is a haven for the deep state to bolster these deniable, income-generating rackets. I propose in light of this to introduce item 5 towards the working group on Balochistan to investigate these transnational crimes affecting the security of all states, especially in Western Europe, now reeling from illegal human trafficking gangs.

Thank you. I give the floor to United Towns Agency of North-South Cooperation.

Senora President.

President, in this general debate on the human rights bodies and mechanisms, United Nations Agency would like to stress that its credibility and independence are essential to guarantee the confidence of peoples and effective protection for victims. Those mechanisms should not be restricted to formal recommendations, but should inspire States to convert universal principles into concrete national policies. Therefore, we would highlight the example of Spain, whose reforms when it comes to equality, historic memory, reflect the coherence between commitments at international level and in a national implementation. Similarly, we recall that the legitimacy of the mechanisms depends on their consistency applying justice universally and without double standards. Whoever seeks justice gains peace. The peoples who have who are commensurate to those humanitarian challenges pave the way for us towards peace. Thank you.

Thank you. I'll give the floor to International Service for Human Rights.

President, the UN is facing a pivotal moment. The UN80 initiative should improve the effectiveness, reach, and responsiveness of the UN human rights mechanisms.

We call on all Member States to first, ensure that decisions for.

Reform are in line with the expectations, needs, and demands of human rights defenders, victims, and survivors. They must safely and meaningfully participate in reform discussions and negotiations. Second, oppose budget cuts to the UN human rights pillar. ISHR has carefully analyzed the revised estimates report and is deeply concerned about the proposed disproportionate cuts to an already chronically under-resourced human rights pillar.

While demands do not cease to.

Grow to address mounting global conflicts and crises, further cuts will significantly reduce its capacity to deliver on human rights protection to all individuals and populations on the ground. Third, promote and protect the capacity and independence of treaty bodies, special procedures, and the investigative mechanisms established by this Council. While duplication of mandates should be avoided, the complementarity of mandates should be encouraged, where such mandates can fulfill distinctive functions. Any merger or consolidation of mandates must be guided by the views of independent civil society and victims and survivors. Finally, promote a consistent, principled, and non-selective application of human rights standards and principles to all situations and levy consequences when states do not cooperate with the system. Thank you.

I give the floor to International Action for Peace and Sustainable Development by video.

Mr. President, Human rights bodies and mechanisms were built to defend the silenced. But in Indian-occupied J&K, silencing is state policy. Courts deny remedies, draconian laws crush dissent, and India blocks UN access. For Kashmiris, these mechanisms are not abstract. They are the only platforms left to expose oppression and demand accountability. Mr. President, Recently, the High Court of J&K ruled that interlocutory orders under the UAPA cannot be The UAPA already allows detention without trial and strengthening it further makes justice impossible. At the same time, the Indian government has blocked over 300 social media accounts in Doda, Kishtwar and Rambal. This is not security, it is censorship. It directly violates Article 19 of the ICCPR which protects freedom of expression and right to information. Mr. President, the UN High Commissioner's reports in 2018 and 2019 gave international recognition what Kashmiris have suffered for decades. Special procedures have also acted. More than 20 communications have been sent to India since 2019. Yet not a single mandate holder has been allowed entry. If a member state can defy UN mechanisms with impunity, what does that mean for their credibility, Mr. President? If laws are weaponized, then mechanisms must respond. Kashmiris need accountability, not more promises. I thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you.

I give the floor to Maloka International. Kindly, stop the presentation.

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Madam Vice-President, we reiterate the importance that we attach to the UN treaty bodies, particularly when it comes to implementation of international commitments of states in the field of human rights. Those bodies help respond to violations and to protect both continents and peoples. The UN Commission of Inquiry, the fact-finding mission for the Western Sahara, has helped document a large number of human rights violations and a trend towards impunity. That is why we note that in spite of all international instruments, the Moroccan occupying forces continue to hamper access for OHCHR for the sixth consecutive year in reaching that territory. This undermines the credibility of the Council and the treaty bodies and denies the Sahrawi people the exercise of their rights. The human rights situation in the Western Sahara is a vacuum that requires from your Council urgent action. We urge the Council to promote human rights by stepping up oversight of human rights violations in all regions, particularly in the Western Sahara, measures must be taken to ensure that the treaty bodies can uphold their commitments and bring the situation back to normal in the Western Sahara.

I give the floor to Student Union for Sustainable Paris by Oswin Persson.

Thank you, Chair. The government has changed the situation of Eelam Tamil has not. By refusing to act on even the smallest recommendation of both domestic and international human rights bodies, Sri Lanka undermines the very mechanism this Council was created to uphold. We call upon the UNHCR member states to recognize the genocide resolution passed unanimously in the Northern Provincial Council of Sri Lanka on 10th February 2015, to refer Sri Lanka at the International Criminal Court to have a new resolution under Agenda 4 and appoint a country-specific Special Rapporteur. to renew the mandate of OCHR and its Sri Lanka Accountability Project, to review the establishment of the independent international investigation mechanism to investigate and hold the government of Sri Lanka accountable for the crimes committed against Eelam Tamils, to recognize the Eelam Tamil genocide resolution, urging member states to initiate proceedings against the Republic of Sri Lanka before the International Court of Justice. Agenda 9, to the Fourth Committee members of General Assembly to recognize Sri Lankan Tamils as non-self-governing territories to bring the right to self-determination.

Of Eelam Tamils to the forefront. Thank you.

I give the floor to a joint statement, Lawyers Rights Watch Canada.

Madam Vice-President, Lawyers Rights Watch Canada, the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute, and the Law Society of England and Wales, with endorsement by Judges for Judges, condemn the unlawful sanctions imposed by the United States against jurists conducting their duties mandated by the Human Rights Council's special procedures, the International Criminal Court, and human rights organizations investigating and documenting atrocity crimes. The U.S. sanctions constitute a flagrant attempt to thwart accountability for alleged perpetrators of atrocity crimes and to withhold justice from millions of victims of appalling atrocities in several countries. Sanctions against the Council's mandate holders violate the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations. Sanctions against ICC judges and prosecutors violate Article 70 of the Rome Statute. The US sanctions also create a chilling climate for lawyers and human rights defenders cooperating with the Council's special procedures and the ICC, and violate US obligations under international human rights law and standards. We call on all Council members and observer states to urge the United States to halt all reprisals against UN special procedures, ICC personnel, and human rights defenders, and to take firm, unequivocal stands and measures to condemn the sanctions, including implementation of laws to block their effects against those unlawfully sanctioned. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Community Human Rights and Advocacy Center.

Thank you. Madam Chair, we strongly condemn India's systematic reprisals against Kashmiri human rights defenders in flagrant violations of its obligations under ICCPR and the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders. India misused the draconian UAPA, a law incompatible with international due process, which guarantees to silence voices of truth. The emblematic case of Hurram Parvez, arbitrarily detained since 2021, despite repeated calls for his release by UN special procedures, demonstrates India's blatant contempt for this Council. His continued imprisonment exposes a deliberate strategy to criminalize defenders who document sexual violence, torture, extrajudicial killings, and the enforced disappearances in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Madam Chair, reprisals, including arbitrary detention, surveillance, asset freezes, travel bans, and smear campaigns, directly undermine the integrity of this Council's cooperation framework established by Resolution 1220 on reprisals, therefore urge the Council to demand the immediate and unconditional release of Qurram Pervez and all detained defenders, and call upon India to repeal or amend the UAPA. Madam Chair, India cannot claim democratic legitimacy while criminalizing human rights advocacy. The Council must act now to safeguard its own credibility. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the OIPMA.

Madam Vice-President, OITMA welcomes this general debate on human rights bodies and mechanisms and their critical role in addressing emerging challenges. We commend the Advisory Committee's study on the human rights implications of new and emerging military technologies and its ongoing work on disinformation and human rights. These reports highlight how AI and related technologies can threaten rights to life, security, privacy, and equality when misused. Militant groups are weaponizing AI with little oversight, while dual use and autonomous systems risk escalating conflict and eroding humanitarian norms. Disinformation online further undermines truth and fuels division. Women and girls face disproportionate harms, from AI misuse in conflict zones to online abuse and exclusion rooted in algorithmic bias, worsening gender inequality and silencing marginalized voices. Human rights bodies must strengthen monitoring and normative frameworks to help ensure these technologies do not undermine peace, security, and inclusion. We also urge states to support human rights mechanisms by strengthening accountability for military AI, safeguarding against gender-based digital harms, promoting inclusive, bias-free technology design, and deepening international cooperation for shared governance. Failure to act threatens not only individual rights, but also the integrity and effectiveness of human rights bodies, undermining global peace and equality.

Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to APSI.

Tamils around the world are requesting that United Nations ambassadors and delegations watch the UK Channel 4 documentary, The Sri Lankan Killing Fields. The film shows how ruthless, cruel and horrific former Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was while serving as head of the Sri Lankan military. Rajapaksa used white vans to abduct Tamils, then used them to feed the sharks in the Indian Ocean close to the southern coast of Sri Lanka near Galle. This is the same place where Rajapaksa catches sharks for his meals. Gotabaya Rajapaksa is a twisted and monstrous human being who is responsible for Eelam Tamil genocide. Any UN members who care about human rights should recommend to arrest and trial As a result of Rajapaksa's action, 1,075,000 Tamils were massacred or unaccounted, 90,000 widows and 50,000 orphans were created. This all happens under this leadership in 2009. We asked to these council members to have a nomination of special reputation for Sri Lanka, to refer Sri Lanka to the International Criminal Court. We asked to the council members for their special political and decolonization committee of the General Assembly to recognize Eelam Tamil as non-self-governing territories to bring the right to self-determination of Eelam Tamils at the fourth committee and shares statement for Tamil stakeholders. Thank you.

I give the floor to International Committee for Humanitarian. Absent. I give the floor to CFTH.

Thank you, Chair. The genocide against the Eelam Tamils in the island of Sri Lanka must be addressed with urgency. for this IIIM type international investigative mechanism is essential, one that guarantees full independence and proper temporal and subject matter jurisdiction. Only such a mandate can meet the standards of proof for international justice, including before the international courts or tribunals that address state or individual responsibilities. I also speak as a victim. On the final day of the war, my husband submitted himself in front of me and our children to the Sri Lankan military and disappeared. 16 years later, we still wait for truth and justice. Military occupation in our homeland has further been linked to sexual violence against Tamil women, leaving victims with no trust in domestic process. If this season only extends the OHCHR Sri Lanka Accountability Project, OSLEP, then at minimum its scope must be updated to include evidence of genocide and genocidal intent, a part of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and human rights violations. Anything less will fail the victims who have already exhausted every internal mechanism without redress. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Youth Association Village. Absence. I give the floor to Citizen Help in the Development.

Madame Vice President, Tamils around the world are requesting that the United Nations ambassadors and delegations watch the UK Channel 4 documentary, "The Sri Lankan Killing Fields." The film shows how ruthless, cruel, and horrific former Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was while serving as head of the Sri Lankan military. Rajapaksa used white vans to abduct Tamils, then used them to feed the sharks in the Indian Ocean close to the southern coast of Sri Lanka near Galle. is the same place where Rajapaksa catches sharks for his meals. All members of the UN should boycott his speech at the UN.

As a result of his actions, 175,000 Tamils were massacred or unaccounted, 90,000 widows and 50,000 orphans were.

Created, over 45,000 persons have gone missing, this all under his military leadership in 2009. But this president has still not been arrested. We ask the council members to nominate a special rapporteur for Sri Lanka to refer Sri Lanka to the International Criminal Court. We ask the members of the General Assembly Fourth Committee to recognise Eelam Tamil as a non-self-governing territory and to include the self-determination of Eelam Tamils on the agenda of the Fourth Committee and to hear statements from Tamil stakeholders. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Centre of Sorbonne for International Law. Absent. I give the floor for Society for Development and Community Empowerment.

Indigenous community or district group who have inhabited specific territory for millennia, preserving unique language, culture and traditional practices, closely tied to their environment and holding collective rights to their land and heritage. Recognized by international standards as the UN Declaration. In India, especially in Tamil Nadu, these communities face challenges including denial of basic rights, inadequate healthcare, limited education, and threats to their land and resources. Crimes against Scheduled Tribes in Tamil Nadu sharply from 23 cases in 2020 to 67 in 2022. Violence, especially against women, and caste-based discrimination, despite welfare schemes' implementation. Tamil Nadu's indigenous communities seek urgent recognition and protection of land rights, timely issuance of tribal certificates, and access to basic amenities. They need better healthcare, education, and skill training, along with support for traditional livelihoods through government procurement. To provide essential, accessible healthcare, improve connectivity, and enhance educational structures, collaboration between government and community organizations is crucial to effectively implement welfare programs and protect cultural heritage. We urge the United Nations Human Rights Commission to immediately direct the Tamil Nadu State Government and the Central Government of India to uphold and actively protect the rights of the indigenous people of Tamil Nadu as per the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the Cultural Association of Tamils in France by video.

The credibility of these councils, human rights bodies and mechanisms depends on the participation of victims themselves. Yet, Tamil victims from the occupied territories of Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka are systematically excluded. The very people who have suffered enforced disappearances, militarization and state repression are silenced at the gates of these councils. The Swiss authorities, in particular the Swiss Embassy in Sri Lanka, bear responsibility.

They grant visas to perpetrators while denying or delaying them for victims.

Mothers of the disappeared, who only seek to bring their voices here, are made to wait endlessly, discouraged, and even forced to pay fees that should never be demanded for participation in this council. This is not neutrality; it is complicity in silencing victims. The NGO Liaison Office must ensure that Tamil victims are guaranteed meaningful participation. The effectiveness of this council is not measured by the number of reports nor resolutions.

But by whether it protects those who risk everything to engage within the system.

The The arrest of human rights defender Mariadas Mohanraj, known as Bosco, was a profound shock. This was a prefabricated case intended to punish him for his belief in the system, for training and facilitating victims to take the floor at the United Nations. Such targeting is condemnable and strikes at the heart of the UN's legitimacy. If this Council wishes to remain credible, it must ensure that victims, not perpetrators, are heard and that those who support them are protected and not criminalised.

Thank you. Thank you. I give the floor to ACH by video.

Thank you. The communication of 3rd of July sent by 10 special procedures to the Islamic Republic of Iran and the reply received illustrates how states often fail to properly address the concerns raised. This joint urgent appeal names Dr. Ahmad Reza Jalali, who was transferred to an unknown location following the attack on Evin prison. He now fulfills all criteria to be considered a person subject to enforced disappearance. Dr. Jalali was last seen three months ago, and all efforts by his family and lawyer to obtain contact or information have been unsuccessful. According to witness accounts, following the transfer of political prisoners from Evin Prison to Vashofouye, Dr. Jalali was separated from the others, after which a confrontation reportedly occurred between the Revolutionary Guards and security forces over his custody.

The appeal.

Also names Hossein Ronaqi, a human rights defender who was arrested in June following the arrest of his brother, Hassan. Hassan Ronaqi has been subjected to severe torture since his arrest. In protest against their arbitrary detention, Hossein Ronaqi began a hunger strike on 2 September and since yesterday has also refused to drink, placing his life in danger. The reply of the Islamic Republic of Iran failed even to mention the names the Ronahi Brothers and Dr. Jalali. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to United Villages. Thank you. I give the floor to Egypt Peace for Development and Human Rights. I give the floor to United for Human Rights. I give the floor to International Support for Human Rights. I give the floor to Global Sri Lankan Forum, United Kingdom.

Mr. President, we commend the work of Special Rapporteurs and treaty bodies in upholding procedural fairness and transparency. Today, we urge the mechanism to engage with the United Kingdom regarding its proposed extension of the indefinite leave to remain threshold from five years to 10 years. This reform, if applied retrospectively, risks violating the principles of non-retroactivity and undermines legal certainty for migrants who entered under a five-year settlement pathway. Many are frontline workers, carers and parents who now face delayed integration and prolonged exclusion from public services. The earned settlement scheme introduced alongside this proposal lacks clear criteria and oversight. Without robust safeguards, it risks arbitrary application and discriminatory outcomes. We call on Special Rapporteur on Migrants, Housing and Social Protection to seek clarification from the UK government and offer guidance of right-based reform. Human rights mechanisms must remain vigilant when national policies threaten to erode trust, dignity and the rule of law. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to Africa Culture International.

Madam Vice-President, we wish to express to this esteemed Council a deep concern regarding the grave and systematic violations committed by the Sudanese army and allied militias against civilians in many regions of Sudan, including war crimes, crimes against humanity, extrajudicial killings, widespread sexual violence, and obstruction of humanitarian aid. Madam Vice President, the Sudanese Human Rights Center's Federation, comprising 34 Sudanese human rights organizations, along with international bodies, has documented horrific violations by the Sudanese army and its allies from terrorist groups and movements such as the Al-Bara Bimatic Organization and the Justice and Equality Movement. These include indiscriminate shellings of residential areas, systematic rape, forced displacement, and ethnic cleansing campaigns, among other crimes. committed, particularly in January 2025 in Darfur, Al Jazeera, and Kombo, which resulted in the killing of more than 700 civilians, including women and children. We call on the Human Rights Council to refer these violations, crimes against humanity, and war crimes committed by the Sudanese army to the International Criminal Court. We also urge the opening of a special discussion to establish the responsibility of the military leadership in Port Sudan for committed against civilians, the obstruction of UN mechanisms, and their refusal to cooperate.

Thank you, Madam President.

Madam Vice President.

Thank you. I'll give the floor to AESF.

Madame la Vice-President.

Vice President. Civil society constitutes an essential pillar for the support of follow-up mechanisms and human rights mechanisms generally, nationally and internationally. 2025 reports emphasize the importance of ensuring a legal and institutional framework, ensuring their freedom and effectiveness, and strengthening their ability to document violations and make recommendations. In this connection, the UAE represents a pioneer model, having adopted Federal Decree 50 in 2023 and its regulatory framework in 2025, strengthening independence and flexibility of institutions of public interest and broadening sources of funding as well as developing governance. The register of civil society organizations Now comprises more than 1,024 institutions, some specialized in human rights, such as the Association for the Union of Human Rights, contributing to human rights awareness raising and follow up on developments and participation in national and international fora. Vice-President, we recommend that we encourage States to establish legal environments propitious for the work of civil society, guaranteeing access and information as well as participation to decision-making, broadening partnerships with UN mechanisms to promote transparency and responsibility. Thank you very much, Vice-President.

Thank you. I give the floor to African Green Foundation International.

Madam Vice President, this statement refers to three written submission we have made to this council, one in 2024 and two in under item three and eight of this session. highlighting the historical erasure of the Sehiela people, the planet's primordial indigenous nation. Our indigenous title was stolen during British colonial rule through pacified historical and cartographic distortion of the Indian subcontinent. We submitted our case to EMRIP requesting recognition and investigation but have not yet received a response. To protect our heritage, we recently reestablish the long-lost Sinhala native monastic order in Sri Lanka, yet the Commission of Buddhist Seppyas, under the influence of chapters imported from Myanmar and Thailand during Dutch and British colonial rule, and reshaped in the 19th century by the British, continues to obstruct our indigenous resurgence by deliberately withholding recognition of our native monastic order. In doing so, the Commission unlawfully violates both the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action and UNDRIP. We also are striving to preserve our ancestral knowledge, including traditional medicine, which is now endangered by modern education system, digital ideologies, and changing lifestyle. We urge this Council to recognize our stolen indigenous title and affirm our right to self-determination under UNDRIP.

Please do not let the Sri Lankan... Thank you. This was the last speaker we could accommodate at this meeting. Excellencies, distinguished participants, this brings us to the end of this meeting. We will reconvene in the afternoon to conclude the general debate under agenda item 5 and to begin the adoption of the UPR outcomes. I hereby close the 23rd meeting and before closing, I would like to thank the interpreters. I close the meeting of 60th session of Human Rights Council.