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STORY: GENEVA / ZEID HRC 1
TRT: 2:53
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 8 MARCH 2017 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
1. Exterior, Palais des Nations
2. Pan down from ceiling of Human Rights Council meeting room to delegates
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations:
“I deplore the intimidation and detention of lawyers and activists who seek the good of their community and nation. I am also disturbed by cases of restrictions on cultural and religious rights, particularly in Xinjiang and Tibet, and I will continue to reach out to China for an effective dialogue on important human rights issues.”
4. Wide shot, podium
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations:
“Many ordinary people in Europe have welcomed and supported migrants, but political leaders increasingly demonstrate a chilling indifference to their fate. I am particularly disturbed by lurid public narratives which appear deliberately aimed at stirring up public fear and panic, by depicting these vulnerable people as criminal invading hordes.”
6. Med shot, US delegate
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations:
“In other EU Member States, including the United Kingdom and France, judicial institutions traditionally accorded wide respect have been subjected to deep criticism, and in some cases abuse. I am concerned about a future trend in this direction which may compromise their independent functioning.”
8. Wide shot, delegates
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations:
“I am concerned the Federal Law on Combatting Extremist Activity may have been arbitrarily used to curb freedom of expression, including political dissent, as well as freedom of religion, due to a vague and open-ended definition of extremist activity. Harsher penalties for offenses related to extremism have also been introduced. This may have a chilling effect on the functioning of civil society at large.”
10. Close up, Russian delegate
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations:
“I am concerned by the new Administration's handling of a number of human rights issues. Greater and more consistent leadership is needed to address the recent surge in discrimination, anti-Semitism, and violence against ethnic and religious minorities. Vilification of entire groups such as Mexicans and Muslims, and false claims that migrants commit more crimes than US citizens, are harmful and fuel xenophobic abuses. I am dismayed at attempts by the President to intimidate or undermine journalists and judges.”
12. Med shots, delegates
The UN human rights chief Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein highlighted rights violations in Russia, China, the United Kingdom, France and the United States –the five permanent members of the UN’s Security Council- as well as in the European Union.
Addressing today (8 Mar) the UN Human Rights Council, Zeid told delegates he welcomed China’s stated commitment to the rule of law, when it is consistent with international human rights standards, but he questioned the country’s respect for the role of human rights defenders.
He said, “I deplore the intimidation and detention of lawyers and activists who seek the good of their community and nation. I am also disturbed by cases of restrictions on cultural and religious rights, particularly in Xinjiang and Tibet, and I will continue to reach out to China for an effective dialogue on important human rights issues.”
Also on China, Zeid added the country had ‘performed remarkably’ over the past 30 years in lifting hundreds of millions of its people out of poverty.
Regarding the European Union, the High Commissioner said that he is ‘very concerned’ at increasing calls within the Union to set up extraterritorial processing centres or camps in North Africa and elsewhere with little regard for human rights. He reiterated the importance of abiding by the principle that people must not be sent back to countries where they may face torture, persecution or threats to their life, and criticised the reaction of some politicians to migrant populations.
He said, “Many ordinary people in Europe have welcomed and supported migrants, but political leaders increasingly demonstrate a chilling indifference to their fate. I am particularly disturbed by lurid public narratives which appear deliberately aimed at stirring up public fear and panic, by depicting these vulnerable people as criminal invading hordes.”
During his speech, Zeid raised concerns about recent negative treatment of the judiciary in the United Kingdom and France. He said, “In other EU Member States, including the United Kingdom and France, judicial institutions traditionally accorded wide respect have been subjected to deep criticism, and in some cases abuse. I am concerned about a future trend in this direction which may compromise their independent functioning.”
He also expressed concern about the Federal Law on Combating Extremist Activity in the Russian Federation, which he said “may have been arbitrarily used to curb freedom of expression, including political dissent, as well as freedom of religion, due to a vague and open-ended definition of extremist activity. Harsher penalties for offenses related to extremism have also been introduced. This may have a chilling effect on the functioning of civil society at large.” He called on Russia to repeal the ‘foreign agents’ law, which he said is damaging to the activities of civil society and to society as a whole.
Regarding the United States (US), Zeid said that he was “concerned by the new Administration's handling of a number of human rights issues. Greater and more consistent leadership is needed to address the recent surge in discrimination, anti-Semitism, and violence against ethnic and religious minorities. Vilification of entire groups such as Mexicans and Muslims, and false claims that migrants commit more crimes than US citizens, are harmful and fuel xenophobic abuses. I am dismayed at attempts by the President to intimidate or undermine journalists and judges.”
He also said he is concerned by US president Trump administration’s new immigration policies and that expedited deportations could amount to collective expulsions and refoulement, which is the forcible return of refugees or asylum seekers to a country where they are liable to be subjected to persecution. He added this is in breach of international law, if undertaken without due process guarantees, including individual assessment. The High Commissioner also said that he was ‘especially disturbed’ by the potential impact of these changes on children, who face being detained, or who may see their families torn apart.
