Guterres and Cassis: Human rights under fire Thousands at demonstration Schwarzer and Wagenknecht for peace talks with Russia

UN Secretary-General António Guterres opened the session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva with urgent warnings and a passionate appeal.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, but is under fire. “She is mistreated and mistreated,” Guterres said in Geneva on Monday. “She is exploited for political ends and ignored – often by the same people.” The world must be able to handle it.

He appealed to governments and all people: “We must revive the Declaration and ensure its full implementation to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow.” The world full of crises and conflicts is going backwards instead of progressing. Poverty and hunger would increase, social cohesion and confidence would decrease given the gap between rich and poor.

Cassis agrees

Federal Councilor Ignazio Cassis also called for human rights violations to be labeled as such. Massacres of civilians, sexual violence, internment and torture camps, kidnapping of children and adults, repression of the opposition: the list of human rights violations in Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, which has raged for 368 days, is long.

The public had hoped not to see such a list in Europe or anywhere in the world. This hope was disappointed. The crimes should be documented and the guilty prosecuted, federal councilman Cassis said.

Ukraine is currently in the foreground. However, other dramas that the Human Rights Council has to deal with should not be forgotten, according to the Federal Council. Human rights are systematically violated in many countries. To remedy the situation, things should be called by their proper names.

In 1948 the Declaration of Human Rights was promulgated. In 30 articles, it sets out the rights to which every human being is entitled, irrespective of “race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. It begins with the words:” All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.”

The UN Human Rights Council meets three times a year to assess the human rights situation in the world. He can set up investigative committees like he did a year ago after the Russian attack on Ukraine. However, of the 47 Member States elected for three years, there are always some with questionable respect for human rights. China, Cuba and Eritrea, who currently sit on the council, have repeatedly dismissed criticism of other countries as meddling in internal affairs. (cpf/sda/dpa)