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HRHF and Human Rights House Crimea welcome recent releases of Crimea political prisoners, while urging action to ensure all political prisoners are released, and the people who have been released are rehabilitated and their rights restored. This statement is set to be delivered as part of regular dialogue on Ukraine (item 10) at the 42nd session of the UN Human Rights Council on 24 September 2019.

HRHF calls on Members of the United Nations Human Rights Council to pass by consensus a strong resolution on reprisals, in a statement to be delivered on 19 September 2019 at the 42nd session of the Human Rights Council, HRC42.

The Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Thorbjørn Jagland, has announced much-needed reforms to the human rights body’s “reprisal mechanism” – launched in May 2017 to ensure “human rights defenders… never face retribution for their principled stance.”

The resolution aims to strengthen responses by the UN and States to put an end to reprisals for cooperating with the UN in the field of human rights. Human rights organisations sent the following joint letter to members of the Human Rights Council on 9 September 2019 – the opening day of HRC42.

Some 16 human rights organisations, including Human Rights House Foundation, issued a joint statement on 12 July 2019, responding to the outcomes of the 41st session of the UN Human Rights Council.

Belarusian human rights organisations have issued a joint position on EU-Belarus dialogue as well as recommendations to both parties following a 6th round of dialogue on 18 June in Brussels.

In a statement at HRC 41, HRHF calls on the UN Human Rights Council to renew the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Belarus, support Belarus in implementing its recommendations from human rights treaty bodies, and encourage Belarus to expand on its meaningful cooperation with civil society.

HRHF raises hate speech and smear campaigns against women human rights defenders in Armenia, in its statement to the UN Human Rights Council (HRC41) on 26 June 2019. This follows the UN special rapporteur on freedom of association and assembly presenting his report on his November 2018 visit to Armenia.

In a letter to member states of the Human Rights Council, HRHF and other international NGOs urge the Council to renew the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Belarus. Further, they set out tangible steps that Belarus can take to address “systemic human rights challenges” in the country.