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UN Human Rights Council must react to the deteriorating human rights situation in Russia by establishing a Special Rapporteur on human rights in Russia at its next session
Human Rights House Foundation joins other international NGOs in calling on the EU to table a resolution at the upcoming 50th session of the UN Human Rights Council to mandate a Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Russia.
Russian civil society calls on UN to establish Special Rapporteur to monitor and report on human rights in Russia
On 23 May 2022, a group of over 30 Russian civil society organisations and independent human rights defenders issued a public call to the UN Human Rights Council to establish a Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation at the Council’s upcoming 50th session.
HRC Special Session: Statement on Ukraine
On 12 May 2022 at the 34th Special Session of the UN Human Rights Council, Human Rights House Foundation repeated its condemnation of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, called for every assistance to be given to the Commission of Inquiry to carry out its work, and urged the United Nations to do its utmost to protect human rights defenders and journalists working in Ukraine.
Moscow Mechanism report on Ukraine: Next steps for the OSCE
On 16 May 2022, Human Rights House Foundation and several Ukrainian and international partners hosted “Moscow Mechanism report on Ukraine: Next steps for the OSCE,” a pre-event for OSCE delegations and stakeholders ahead of the Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting.
Council of Europe member states must renew their commitment to “safeguarding and promoting genuine democracy
Human Rights House Foundation, alongside the undersigned human rights organisations, welcomes the resolution and recommendation on “Safeguarding and promoting genuine democracy in Europe”, passed by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on Thursday.
Further action needed by PACE to address human rights violations following Russia’s renewed invasion of Ukraine
The consequences of the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine is the focus of the ongoing plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in Strasbourg this week. Ahead of the urgent procedure debate on “Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine: ensuring accountability for serious violations of international humanitarian law” on Thursday, 28 April 2022, Human Rights House Foundation (HRHF) urges PACE to call for additional support to human rights defenders in Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus and to support the establishment of international accountability mechanisms for serious violations of human rights committed as part of Russia’s renewed invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022.
BELARUS: Kafkaesque accusations against the staff of Viasna ahead of its 26th anniversary
Today, the Minsk City Court will begin hearings in the trial against Viasna member Marfa Rabkova and volunteer Andrey Chapiuk. Both are being prosecuted on politically motivated charges and face up to 20 years and eight years of imprisonment respectively. The proceedings are taking place as Viasna’s 26th anniversary approaches, in an overwhelmingly repressive context in Belarus. The signatory organisations reiterate their utmost support for Viasna, and call for the immediate and unconditional release of all its members as well as all arbitrarily imprisoned human rights defenders in the country.
Strategic response to the human rights and security crisis in Eastern Europe
The renewed invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation on 24 February 2022 must be considered within the broader regional human rights crisis which encompasses Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine and addressed accordingly by the international community.
HRC49: Council must press Russian authorities to reverse unprecedented human rights crackdown
At the 49th session of the UN Human Rights Council, Human Rights House Foundation called on the Council to press the Russian authorities on the ongoing human rights crackdown, as well as to appoint a dedicated Special Rapporteur to monitor the human rights situation in the country. These calls were delivered in a joint statement alongside Amnesty International, CIVICUS, Human Rights Watch, and FIDH.