GENEVA / US HUMAN RIGHTS REVIEW

The United States Human Rights record is put under the scrutiny at the Human Rights Council in Geneva, the US delegation receiving a barrage of calls to close Guantanamo prison and investigate alleged torture by its troops abroad. UNTV

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:03:22
• Production Date: 5 November 2010
• Asset Language: Original
• Subject Topical: POLITICAL AFFAIRS; LAW; INTERNATIONAL LAW; POLITICAL CONDITIONS; POLITICAL CONDITIONS; POLITICAL MOVEMENTS; INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS; PEACE AND SECURITY; DISARMAMENT
• Geographic Subject: UNITED STATES
• MAMS Id: U101105b

Description

STORY: GENEVA / US HUMAN RIGHTS REVIEW
TRT: 3.22
SOURCE: UNTV
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / SPANISH / FARSI / NATS
RESTRICTIONS: NONE

DATELINE: 5 November 2010, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

1. Wide shot, exterior Geneva headquarters
1. Wide shot, Human Rights Council
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Hon Esther Brimmer, Assistant Secretary Bureau of International Organisations:
"As President Obama has said our countries Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, are not simply words written into aging parchment, they are the foundation of liberty and justice in our country, and a light that shines to all who seek freedom, fairness, equality and dignity in the world. We take our place in the UPR process with pride in our accomplishments, honesty in facing continuing challenges, and a commitment to using the international system to elevate and advance the protection of human rights at home and abroad."
3. Cutaway, delegation
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Hon Harold Hongju Koh, Legal Advisor, State Department, United States:
"As you know the United States continues to maintain the death penalty as a punishment for the most serious crimes. Some States have imposed Moratoria; other states do not apply the penalty at all. Many Americans, who are personally opposed to the death penalty, including myself, nevertheless recognize that international human rights law does not bar its use per se."
5. Cutaway, delegates
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Hon Harold Hongju Koh, Legal Advisor, State Department:
"A number have expressed concern about the legality of our uses of force in Afghanistan and elsewhere with respect to use of force and targeting light detentions. The US is committed to ensuring that all of our actions fully comply with the rule of law. It is the considered view of this administration that US targeting practices, including lethal operations conducted with the use of unmanned aerial vehicles, comply with all applicable law including international humanitarian law."
7. Cutaway, delegates
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Hon Harold Hongju Koh, Legal Advisor, State Department:
"No one polices its own military forces more rigorously than the US. The Defense Department has well established procedures for reporting detainee abuse, and investigates all credible allegations of abuse by US Forces."
9. Cutaway, delegates
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Hon Harold Hongju Koh, Legal Advisor, State Department:
"Let there be no doubt, the US does not torture, and it will not torture."
11. Cutaway, delegates
12. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Rodolfo Reyes Rodriguez, Cuban Ambassador:
"To end the blockade against Cuba which is described as a crime of Genocide and one that seriously violates the human rights of Cuban people as well as the fundamental freedom of US citizens and those of third states."
13. Cutaway, delegates
14. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Iranian delegate:
“The Islamic Republic of Iran, while condemning and expressing its deep concern over the situation of human rights and its extensive and systemic violations by the US government at both national and international levels, calls on the US Government to implement the following recommendations which have been derived from the demands of international human rights bodies. One to abolish its extra-judicial and extra-territorial laws.”
15. Wide Shot, Human Rights Council

Storyline

The United States (US) human rights record was put under the scrutiny of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council today (5 October) in Geneva. The US delegation received a barrage of calls to close Guantanamo prison and investigate alleged torture by its troops abroad.

The US delegation also heard demands for an end to discrimination against minorities and immigrants and a banning of the death penalty. The debate took place in the UN Human Rights Council, which is gradually reviewing the performance of all 192 UN Member States.

US Assistant Secretary Bureau of International Organisations Hon Esther Brimmer said that the US takes its “place in the UPR process with pride in our accomplishments, honesty in facing continuing challenges, and a commitment to using the international system to elevate and advance the protection of human rights at home and abroad."

State Department legal adviser Harold Koh talked about US policies on the death penalty, the legality of the use of force in Afghanistan, reporting detainee abuse and torture saying that "let there be no doubt, the US does not torture, and it will not torture."

Cuban Ambassador Rodolfo Reyes Rodriguez talked about the need to “end the blockade against Cuba” which he said is “described as a crime of genocide.”

An Iranian delegate, also addressing the Human Right Council, called on the US Government to implement the recommendations which have been derived from the demands of international human rights bodies such as “to abolish its extra-judicial and extra-territorial laws.”

The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a process which involves a review of the human rights records of all 192 UN Member States once every four years.

The UPR is a State-driven process, under the auspices of the Human Rights Council, which provides the opportunity for each State to declare what actions they have taken to improve the human rights situations in their countries and to fulfil their human rights obligations.

As one of the main features of the Council, the UPR is designed to ensure equal treatment for every country when their human rights situations are assessed.