Mister President,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union.

The Candidate Countries North Macedonia, Montenegro and Albania[*] and the EFTA country Liechtenstein, member of the European Economic Area, align themselves with this declaration.

We thank the Deputy High Commissioner for her oral update. We wish to congratulate Mr Volker Turk on his appointment as the new High Commissioner and reaffirm our strong support for the independence of his and his Office’s mandate.

This Human Rights Council session convenes at a time when the international community is witnessing Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine, which is also an attack on fundamental values and principles of international law. The EU strongly condemns Russia’s illegal, unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine. We urge Russia to immediately cease its military actions and unconditionally withdraw all its troops and military equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders. In parallel with its war of aggression against Ukraine, the Russian Federation has intensified internal repression against, inter alia, civil society actors, human rights defenders, independent media, journalists, political opposition members and other critical voices. The EU strongly condemns the media censorship imposed in Russia, silencing the remaining independent voices, as well as the abuse of the legislation forbidding the so-called “discrediting” of the Russian armed forces and raising of any allegations of crimes committed by Russian armed forces in Ukraine. We continue to condemn the Russian legislation on “foreign agents” and “undesirable organisations”, which further silences independent voices and shrinks the space for civil society. We will continue to urge Russian authorities to uphold their domestic and international obligations and commitments to respect and uphold human rights and equality before the law.

The EU welcomes the release of the assessment report of human rights concerns in China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, which adds to the existing body of evidence on this issue. We reiterate our grave concerns over the human rights situation of Uyghurs and persons belonging to other minorities in Xinjiang. According to the report, some of the serious human rights violations occurring in Xinjiang may constitute international crimes, in particular crimes against humanity. The EU underscores the need for justice and accountability and urges China to cooperate with the OHCHR on how to implement the report’s recommendations.

On Venezuela, the EU highly commends the work of the High Commissioner and her Office in Caracas in monitoring and promoting human rights in the country, including through regular engagement with all national political actors and civil society. The EU reiterates its concerns about continuous violations of human rights in Venezuela and calls for the full respect for human rights of all political and civil actors, including freedom of the media. The EU repeats its calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners and the respect for the safety of all political opponents. We firmly support the important work of the FFM and call on Venezuela to fully cooperate with the FFM and other international human rights mechanisms. We believe that a sustainable solution to the crisis in Venezuela will only be reached through inclusive Venezuelan-led political negotiations. We urge all parties to return to the negotiating table in Mexico in good faith with a view to finding a peaceful and democratic solution to the multidimensional crisis, including agreeing on a roadmap towards credible, inclusive and transparent legislative and presidential elections. The recommendations of the Electoral Observation Mission of the EU can contribute to this endeavour.

The EU welcomes the extension of the truce in Yemen until 2 October 2022 and reiterates its full support to the work of the UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg towards finding a comprehensive and inclusive political settlement of the conflict in Yemen. Since 2 April, the truce has provided tangible benefits for Yemenis, marking the longest period of relative calm in more than seven years. In this context, the EU is deeply concerned about the recent deadly Houthi attack in Al-Dhabab, which could undermine peace efforts as well as earlier violence in Shabwa and Abyan. We urge the parties to uphold their commitment to the truce and continue to work with urgency towards the full implementation of all its elements, in particular the opening of roads to Taiz. The EU is equally concerned about continued reports pointing at serious HR violations and abuses throughout the country, in particular as regards freedom of expression and gender equality and at restrictions to the work of humanitarian and development workers. We therefore urge all parties to uphold international human rights law and comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians and civilian objects. Furthermore, the EU encourages the international community to seek options to prevent, as well as address impunity for human rights violations and abuses to avoid further suffering by the Yemeni people.

On 4 August 2022, two years have elapsed since the devastating explosion at the port of Beirut that claimed more than 220 lives. The EU remains deeply concerned about the systemic obstruction of the investigation into the cause of this explosion. For the sake of justice and accountability, we call on Lebanese authorities to allow the investigation into this tragedy, which has been hampered and delayed repeatedly, to resume in an independent, impartial, credible and transparent way and to produce results, without interfering in it. The EU likewise reiterates its call for a quick, transparent, and thorough investigation of the brutal assassination of independent writer and human rights defender Lokman Slim in February 2021 and for perpetrators to be brought swiftly to justice. The EU urges political leaders to unite in firm resolve and action against any actors who would use violence and intimidation to inhibit civil discourse or political participation.  Implementing the necessary measures and reforms to address the economic, financial and social crises remains a key priority, notably reaching an agreement with the IMF. The EU follows closely all developments, and reiterates that all human rights, including freedoms of peaceful assembly, opinion and expression, including the right to dissent, must be upheld. The EU recalls the importance of holding free, fair, and transparent presidential elections as scheduled and the holding of municipal elections without further delay.

Concerning Egypt, the EU continues to strongly encourage the prompt and effective implementation, together with civil society, of the National Human Rights Strategy that was launched one year ago. The EU notes positively a number of recent releases and reiterates its call to release remaining detained human rights defenders and journalists. The EU remains concerned about restrictions to civil society space and pressure against human rights defenders in Egypt and recalls the importance of upholding online and offline freedom of expression, media freedom, and rights to peaceful assembly and association. The EU is concerned over the pushback from certain countries witnessed during HRC 50 session against long-standing agreed positions on women and gender equality. The EU calls on Egypt to unequivocally address sexual and gender-based violence  and reinforce women’s empowerment and full enjoyment of human rights. The EU reiterates its call to shed light on the circumstances of the death of Giulio Regeni and Eric Lang and bring about justice. Regarding capital punishment, the EU reiterates its call on Egypt to suspend executions as a first step and to establish a formal moratorium with a view to its abolition.

The EU continues to denounce the 25th October 2021 military coup in Sudan and is deeply concerned by the deteriorating human rights situation across the country.  We condemn the violent attacks against peaceful protesters, unlawful killings, sexual and gender-based violence and arbitrary detentions of political leaders, human rights defenders, activists and journalists since the military takeover. We are also concerned by the increase of inter-communal violence in Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile States. All perpetrators of human rights violations and abuses must be held accountable. We reiterate our continued support to the UN human rights expert on Sudan, Mr. Adama Dieng, and call upon the Sudanese authorities to fully cooperate with his mandate. Furthermore, we call for an inclusive Sudanese led and internationally facilitated dialogue paving the way for a resolution of the political crisis and for a civilian-led transition process towards democracy based on the principles of the Sudan Constitutional Declaration of 2019.

On Mali, the EU is concerned by the ongoing security crisis and deterioration of the political and human rights situation, including the shrinking civic space and the increasing constraints on MINUSMA operations. The EU recalls its support to the mediation led by ECOWAS, which obtained an electoral calendar leading to the organization of the presidential elections in February 2024, in view of re-establishing the constitutional order. The EU calls for upholding fully the rule of law and human rights. In line with the report of the International Commission of Inquiry, the Malian authorities should strengthen their fight against impunity, especially as to increasing human rights violations and abuses perpetrated by terrorists and other armed groups, the Wagner group, and the Malian Defence and Security Forces (MDSF), as documented by MINUSMA. Perpetrators must be held accountable for violations of international law, including international human rights law and international humanitarian law.

The EU remains committed to supporting Sri Lanka in its process of economic recovery and advancing the reconciliation agenda and justice reform, in full respect of democratic values. We see the amendment to the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), approved by the Parliament in March 2022, as a very first step in addressing the longstanding shortcomings in the law. The EU is concerned about reports of unnecessary violence against protestors and the use of the PTA, ending a de facto moratorium, in recent arrests. The EU underlines the need of upholding the right to freedom of opinion and expression, and calls upon Sri Lanka to strengthen its reform efforts and present concrete results on key issues, particularly a substantive reform of the PTA in full compliance with international standards; release of those long detained under the PTA without charges; ensuring a conducive environment for civil society to function in all its diversity; addressing impunity and instances of discrimination against persons belonging to minorities and de-criminalising same sex relations. The EU encourages the government to continue cooperation with the UN Human Rights Council and its mechanisms.

The EU reiterates its concerns over the continued limitations to freedom of expression in Vietnam, both online and offline, as well as the shrinking space for civil society, exemplified by a recent increase in intimidation, arrest, detention and sentencing of journalists, human rights defenders, including environmental human right defenders.  The increase in arbitrary arrests observed over the last several years is alarming and the EU calls upon the authorities to release those imprisoned for having peacefully expressed their views, to guarantee the right to a fair trial, and to ensure the due participation of civil society, which plays important part in EU cooperation activities with Vietnam. Regarding capital punishment, the EU reiterates its call on Vietnam to suspend executions as a first step, and to establish a moratorium with a view to its abolition.

Thank you,

[*] North Macedonia, Montenegro and Albania continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.