Successful Conclusion to UN Human Rights Council Session
Bern, 22.03.2013 - The human rights violations in Syria are to be transferred to international jurisdiction. A resolution to that effect was passed today in Geneva by the UN Human Rights Council. Switzerland takes a positive view of the results achieved at the 22nd regular session of the Human Rights Council, which closes today. Among other things, the Human Rights Council adopted the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Switzerland.
In view of the catastrophic human rights situation in Syria, the Human Rights Council adopted on the final day of its 22nd regular session in Geneva a resolution demanding the criminal prosecution of serious crimes under international jurisdiction and extended the mandate of the Independent Investigation Committee by one year. One of the members of this Committee is Carla del Ponte of Switzerland.
Switzerland has long stressed that the serious violations of human rights and of international humanitarian law in Syria must not go unpunished. In a letter co-signed by 57 States, Switzerland called upon the UN Security Council to refer the dossier on Syria to the International Criminal Court. At the meeting of the Human Rights Council, Switzerland drafted a common declaration on the question, which was supported by 64 States. “Switzerland is satisfied with the resolution by the Human Rights Council, as it underscores our demand not to leave the human rights violations in Syria unpunished, but to seek their prosecution”, commented Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter on the Human Rights Council Resolution.
In the course of the 22nd regular session of the Human Rights Council, which was opened on 25 February 2012 by Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter, Switzerland, in addition to its commitment with regard to the situation in Syria, focused its efforts on the protection of human rights in the context of peaceful protests, the elimination of the death penalty, and the situations in Bahrain and North Korea.
Switzerland’s resolution on the protection of human rights in the context of peaceful protests was co-signed by 53 countries and adopted by consensus. It addresses the issue of dialogue between States and protesters and, in particular, of the conduct of security forces during peaceful protests.
Switzerland has strongly committed itself to actively working for the elimination of the death penalty and welcomes the Council’s decision to hold two debates on this important subject at its next sessions. One of the debates will address the negative consequences of capital punishment for children whose parent’s have been sentenced to death. The other will be devoted to a discussion of impediments to and best practices for doing away with the death penalty and for instituting a moratorium on executions. A well-attended discussion event on the issue was organised by Switzerland, together with the International Commission against the Death Penalty, which is chaired by former President of the Swiss Confederation Ruth Dreifuss.
On Bahrein, Switzerland read out on behalf of 44 States, a common declaration calling upon Bahrein to cooperate more closely with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Switzerland welcomes the unanimous vote of the Human Rights Council for the establishment of commission to investigate human rights violations in North Korea.
Lastly, the report on the second Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Switzerland was adopted unanimously at this session. Numerous delegations, along with the Swiss Non-Governmental Organisations Coalition, congratulated Switzerland on the transparency of its methods in preparing the report and in decisions on the acceptance of various recommendations. They took positive note, in particular, of the active participation of the cantons.
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