HRHF and our partners used HRC61 to call for greater scrutiny on country situations with entrenched human rights violations, supported and strengthened international mechanisms, and pushed for states to uphold their responsibilities. Impunity is a gift to those who violate rights. The renewal of critical human rights mandates and accountability mechanisms helps ensure violations are documented, challenged, and not normalised.

Dave Elseroad, Head of Advocacy

Urging continued support for key Belarus mechanisms

Despite waning international attention on the situation, HRHF, together with states and other civil society organisations, pushed to renew two key mandates focused on the human rights situation in Belarus in an HRC61 resolution. The resolution passed with the strongest vote ever recorded on a Belarus resolution at the Human Rights Council (20 resolutions going back to 2011), showing that the situation in Belarus is not forgotten.

A central HRC61 priority for HRHF was sustaining international scrutiny and evidence work on Belarus by ensuring the renewal of two complementary mandates: the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus and the mandate of the Group of Independent Experts on the Situation of Human Rights in Belarus. Ahead of the session, HRHF joined a wider coalition urging states to renew both mandates as a necessary response to an “unrelenting” crisis and to keep accountability pathways viable.

HRHF reiterated calls for the renewal of these mandates during an interactive dialogue with the Group of Experts, connecting its work on evidence collection and accountability to the steps states can take to increase the likelihood of accountability for violations and crimes documented by the Experts.

At the adoption of Belarus’s UPR, HRHF and the Belarusian Human Rights House pressed for implementation of fundamental recommendations on freedoms of expression, association, and peaceful assembly. They urged Belarus to unconditionally release political prisoners, cease repression of civil society (including restoring dissolved organisations), and cooperate fully with UN mechanisms, explicitly including both the Group of Experts and the Special Rapporteur.

Ukraine: Calling for renewal of Commission of Inquiry, and keeping focus on the situation in the Russian-occupied territories

HRHF pushed for the renewal of the UN’s Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine at a critical time in the country, helping to ensure that the Commission will have another year to document the international crimes being perpetrated in the country.

During an interactive dialogue with the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, HRHF called for the mandate’s renewal, describing the Commission’s findings as essential to establishing an authoritative record and laying the groundwork for future accountability. HRHF worked closely throughout the resolution process on Ukraine, which helped renew the COI’s mandate for a further year. HRHF also amplified the work of partners from Human Rights House Crimea in documenting unlawful detention, enforced disappearance, torture, fabricated prosecutions, and the destruction of identity.

In a separate statement, HRHF highlighted the issues of forced displacement on Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories, as well as documentation from Ukrainian civil society partners on the persecution of journalists, civic activists, and Crimean Tatars.

Warning of deepening repression and rising authoritarianism in Georgia

HRHF made a statement to warn of accelerating authoritarianism and systemic repression affecting protest rights, civic work, and media freedom in Georgia. HRHF highlighted the consequences for civil society infrastructure, noting that Human Rights House Tbilisi has effectively been shut down following the freezing of its bank accounts in 2025. HRHF additionally referenced credible allegations regarding the use of chemical agents against protesters and urged that states parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention consider escalation through the relevant international architecture.

Human rights in Serbia following a year of large-scale student and civic protests

Alongside partners from Human Rights House Belgrade, HRHF co-organised a side event focused on reports of increasing attacks on freedom of expression and assembly in Serbia. The side event featured panellists from Serbian civil society as well as the UN Special Rapporteurs on the rights to freedom of assembly and association, and privacy.

Highlighting restrictive legislation in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Republika Srpska

During an interactive dialogue with the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders, HRHF cited the recriminalisation of defamation and the use of SLAPPs alongside stigmatising public narratives as examples of alarming developments in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Republika Srpska. HRHF urged authorities to implement recommendations from the relevant special procedures reporting: repeal criminal defamation provisions, prevent SLAPPs, strengthen protection for journalists and defenders, and ensure prompt, impartial investigations into threats and violence. HRHF also encouraged state-level steps aimed at durable implementation capacity: making an enabling environment for civil society a central objective, and establishing a formal civil society advisory body to support meaningful follow-up.

3 March 2026: Noting that this interactive dialogue was the last for Mary Lawlor in her role as Special Rapporteur, HRHF also thanked Lawlor for her years of consistent and principled engagement with civil society, including HRHF.

Urging the Croatian authorities to take action against SLAPPs

At the UPR adoption for Croatia, HRHF delivered a statement supported by Human Rights House Zagreb, urging the Croatian authorities to ensure full access to peaceful assemblies, introduce robust safeguards against SLAPPs, and strengthen coordination for implementing international human rights recommendations, and ensure meaningful and timely consultation with civil society.