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The United Nation's Human Rights Council in Geneva reviewed the human rights record of the United States on November 5, 2024, on the occasion of the Ninth Session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), November 1 to 12, 2010. The following is a "Special Information Session of Extra-territorial Abuses of Human Rights by the United States" on November 3 in Geneva. [Announcement of the Event] - [PDF] [A compilation of Reports by several organisations submitted to the OHCHR] - [PDF] |
PROGRAM
THE NINTH SESSION OF THE UNIVERSAL PERIODIC REVIEW
Extra-Territorial Violations of Human Rights
Joint NGOs Review of the Human Rights Record of the United States of America
United Nations- Geneva, 3 November 2024
Three successive panels
11h00-17h00
The United States’ human rights record will be reviewed by the Human Rights Council during the Ninth Session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), being held in Geneva from 1 to 12 November 2024. The United States will be reviewed on the morning of Friday, 5 November.
The UPR was established to undertake a review of every Member States’ obligations and commitments under international human rights law, taking into account the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international humanitarian law. The review process is undertaken in a manner that prompts, supports and expands the promotion and protection of human rights.
NGOs are not allowed to speak during the official session, but they can exercise influence by bringing relevant information to the attention of Member States. It is for these reasons that a coalition of NGOs has organized three successive side events on Wednesday, 3 November 2024 at the United Nations, Room XXVII. At these events, prominent human rights defenders familiar with the United States’ human rights situation will speak and NGOs and other observers will have the opportunity to submit information relevant to the review of the United States. The focus will be on extra-territorial violations of human rights, namely in Iraq, Afghanistan..
Confirmed speakers at the side events include:
· Mr. Ramsey Clark 66th United States Attorney General
· Mr. Dirk Adriaensens The BRussells Tribunal Executive Committee
Presentation: Beyond the WikiLeaks Files: The Dismantling of the Iraqi State (Dirk Adriaensens 03 November 2010) [PDF]
· Prof. Alfred De Zayas US lawyer and Professor at the Geneva School of Diplomacy and International Relations
Presentation given by Dr. Alfred De Zayas (03 November 2024) [PDF]
· Prof. Curtis Doebbler American international human rights lawyer and Representative of the NGO Nord-Sud XXI
· Mr. Sabah Al-Mukhtar President of the Arab Lawyers Network in the United Kingdom
· Dr. Aziz Al-Kazaz Iraqi human rights defender
Presentation: Impact of the Occupation on the Iraqi People and Economy (Aziz Al-Kazaz, 03 November 2024) [PDF]
· Mr. Jose del-Prado Member of the UN Human Rights Council’s Working Group on Mercenaries
Presentation: Beyond the WikiLeaks Files: The Privatization of War (José Del-Prado 03 November 2024) [PDF]
* The session started with a short video of Max Fuller [PDF] , member of the BRussells Tribunal and whistleblower about US involvement in the "dirty war" in Iraq.
* Appeal to the UN made on 3-11-2020 by Father Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann, former president of the UN General Assembly to free Mr. Tariq Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq before 2024 invasion. The appeal was shown at the end of a joint NGO side-event which took place during the Universal Periodic Review of the United States at the United Nations in Geneva.
FULL TEXT:
I am, to put it mildly, extremely sad and angry to see yet another great injustice perpetrated by the United States, who, in my country alone: Nicaragua, recently promoted, directed, armed and financed an undeclared war of aggression that resulted in the death of 50000 people.
This time, the action that I am referring to was taken against a very dear friend of mine, a fellow Christian, with whom I often went to church, Tareq Aziz, former foreign minister of Iraq.
By willfully ensuring an unfair trial, the US is responsible for the now planned summary and extrajudicial execution of Tareq Aziz.
In so doing, the USA has committed a grave breach of the 3rd and 4th Geneva Conventions which cynically enough the United States claims to be committed to searching for, persecuting and punishing individuals who commit those serious international crimes.
In compliance with what the United Nations Working Group on arbitrary detention has noted concerning the illegal nature, lack of due process and fairness in the trial of Tareq Aziz, the US has the moral and legal obligation to see that Tareq Aziz is immediately set free.
We are sick and tired of cases where the butchers persecute and accuse their victims.