UNHRC poised to adopt report praising Libya’s Human Rights records
By ANITuesday, March 1, 2011
NEW YORK - Amid unrest in Libya, where on one side the United Nations has condemned the Muammar al-Qaddafi regime for its crackdown on pro-democracy protestors, the organisation’s Human Rights Council is poised adopt a report praising the oil rich country for its human rights records.
The review praises Libya for improving educational opportunities, for making human rights a “priority” and for bettering its “constitutional” framework. Several countries, including Iran, Venezuela, North Korea, and Saudi Arabia have rated Libya positively for the legal protection given to its citizens, who are now revolting against the regime, Fox News reports.
On being asked if any efforts would be taken to cancel or postpone consideration of the report, the U.S. mission in Geneva said that it would look into the status of the document.
However, an agenda put out by the United Nations in January said the Human Rights Council, of which Libya has been a member since 2010, will “consider and adopt” the document at its next session, the report said.
Meanwhile, a Geneva based watchdog-UN Watch has urged the council to withdraw the report and launch a new review that “would tell the truth about the (Qaddafi) regime’s heinous crimes.”
UN Watch Director Hillel Neuer said that the review, formally known as the Universal Periodic Review, is a “complete distortion” of Libya’s rights record.
“The review is supposed to be a serious examination of a country’s human rights record to hold it accountable. All they do is give praise and give cover to Libya’s abuses,” Neuer added.
The report, which has been put together after a November 2010 session and months before the massive protests in the country, includes a number of recommendations on how Libya can improve human rights. However, it has also incorporated pages wherein 46 delegations of the Council have mostly given positive remarks about the country’s human rights record.
While Sudan’s delegation praised Libya for improving education conditions, North Korea noted Libya’s progress “in the field of economic and social rights.” Saudi Arabia praised Libya for improvements in “constitutional, legislative and institutional frameworks, which showed the importance that the country attached to human rights.”
Besides, Cuba, Venezuela, Egypt and Tunisia had also praised Libya. (ANI)
