UN Watch

Clash at UN: China Tries to Stop Testimony by Daughter of Jailed Democracy Leader Wang Bingzhang

GENEVA, - China today interrupted testimony at the United Nations Human Rights Council by the daughter one of its most well-known political prisoners, prompting a high-profile international clash in the plenary, as the U.S., Britain, France, Germany, Ireland, Hungary, Switzerland and the Czech Republic squared off against China, Cuba, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela on whether she could be allowed to continue her remarks. See full speech below.

Venezuela Objects as Aunt of Jailed Opposition Leader Calls for Urgent Human Rights Council Debate

GENEVA, - Venezuela's representative to the UN Human Rights Council vociferously objected today when the aunt of jailed opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez, speaking on behalf of the non-governmental human rights group UN Watch, called on the 47-nation body to convene an urgent debate on the escalating situation and to dispatch a commission of inquiry. Click here for text and video.

UN Whistleblower: Head of World Intellectual Property Agency Stole Employees’ DNA Samples

GENEVA, - A senior UN official alleges that Francis Gurry, the Australian head of the world body’s intellectual property agency, engineered the theft of personal items from employees to extract DNA samples, and then covered it up by intimidation and by suppressing attempts to investigate it, according to a legal complaint filed recently at a UN tribunal in Geneva.

European MPs: “Suspend Russia and other dictators from UN human rights council”

GENEVA, – Today, as Russia increases its military threats against Ukraine, it also took its seat as one of the newest members of the UN Human Rights Council. This glaring irony has caused a global outcry: In response, a coalition of MPs, non-governmental organizations and human rights activists have launched a global campaign -- spearheaded by Geneva-based human rights group UN Watch -- to suspend the memberships of Russia and its fellow human rights abusers China, Cuba and Saudi Arabia, all of whom took their seats today as the UNHRC’s newest members.

Escaped North Korean Prison Guard to Address Geneva Rights Summit Ahead of UNHRC Debate on Damning Report

GENEVA, Feb. 17 – Today's unprecedented call by UN investigators for North Korea's leaders to be prosecuted by the International Criminal Court will receive a boost when one of the regime's most famous defectors -- a former guard at one of the regime's horrific prison camps -- will testify in Geneva next week, ahead of the critical debate by the 47-nation UN Human Rights Council.

Vietnam blocks journalist from attending UN review of its human rights record

GENEVA, Pham Chi Dung, a respected independent journalist and civil society advocate, was blocked by Vietnamese authorities from leaving the country yesterday evening to attend events in Geneva during the UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on Vietnam. He was to be a featured speaker at a UPR side event on February 4th titled “With Membership Comes Responsibility: Ensuring Human Rights in Vietnam.”

Canada Tells UN to Fire Rep Who Called Israel "Genocidal"

GENEVA, – UN Watch applauded Canada for being the first country to condemn Richard Falk's latest remarks accusing Israel of "genocidal" intentions, and to call for his removal.

Reaction to Israel's Reported Acceptance into UN Human Rights Council's Western Group

GENEVA, Nov. 28 - In reaction to news reports that Israel was admitted into the UN Human Rights Council's Western Group, UN Watch Executive Director Hillel Neuer emphasized that the decision is not yet final, and issued the following comment:

U.N. Must Remove Head of Intellectual Property Agency Implicated in DNA-Taking Scandal, Says Watchdog

GENEVA, -- In wake of a Geneva newspaper’s exposé of major wrongdoing by the head of the World Intellectual Property Organization, an independent watchdog organization today called on United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon to immediately remove WIPO director-general Francis Gurry as chair of the UN’s High-Level Committee on Management, and to ask for his resignation from the UN agency that oversees crucial international matters including global patent protection.

As UN chief visits Auschwitz, rights group urges action against antisemitism & gross rights abuses

GENEVA, - The Geneva-based human rights group UN Watch issued the following statement welcoming Ban Ki-moon's visit today to Auschwitz, the first visit of a UN secretary-general to the Nazi death camp, and urging the world body to do more against mass atrocities as well as to address rising antisemitism in Europe.

U.N. Interpreter Falls Victim to Dreaded Hot Mic

GENEVA, -- In a rare UN moment of candor now going viral worldwide on major news sites such as The Atlantic, on Thursday a United Nations interpreter, unaware that her microphone was on, uttered words of truth in reaction to the General Assembly’s adoption of nine politically-motivated resolutions condemning Israel, and zero resolutions on the rest of the world.

"Black Day for Human Rights": Global Outrage as UN Elects China, Cuba, Russia, Saudi Arabia to Top Rights Body

GENEVA, -- Today the UN General Assembly elected egregious human rights abusers China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Cuba, and Vietnam to the UN Human Rights Council, dealing a severe blow to the credibility and efficacy of a body that was supposed to improve on its discredited predecessor. (See below for reactions from parliamentarians.)

Black Day for Human Rights: UN Poised to Elect China, Russia, Cuba, Saudi Arabia to Top Rights Council

NEW YORK, - Today at 10:00 am in New York the UN General Assembly will hold an election to choose 14 out of 16 countries running for seats on the 47-nation Human Rights Council.

Backgrounder on Tomorrow's Election of China, Russia, Cuba, Saudi Arabia to UN Rights Council

GENEVA, - Tomorrow the UN General Assembly will elect 14 new member states to its 47-nation human rights council.

Comment on Saudi-Jordan Trade of UN Seats

GENEVA, - In reaction to news reports that Jordan's pull-out from next week's UN human rights council election (see below) was part of a deal that will see Jordan obtain the Security Council seat recently rejected by Saudi Arabia, UN Watch executive director Hillel Neuer issued the following comment:

Breaking Development: Jordan Pulls Out, Creating 'Clean Slate' For China, Saudi Arabia & Vietnam

GENEVA, - Top European lawmakers today called on their own governments to oppose China, Russia, Cuba, Saudi Arabia and other "manifestly unworthy" countries running in next Tuesday's election of 14 new member states to the UN's 47-nation human rights council. See text below.

NGOs Release Report Urging EU & US to Oppose China, Russia, Cuba & Saudi Arabia in Next Week's Election to UN Human Rights Council

Maldives, Morocco, Namibia, South Africa, South Sudan, Uruguay are "Questionable" GENEVA, - As the U.N. prepares to elect 14 nations next week to its highest human rights body, a coalition of non-governmental human rights groups sent a letter today to U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power and EU foreign affairs commissioner Catherine Ashton urging them to oppose the candidacies of China, Cuba, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Jordan, and Vietnam, which were found to be "Not Qualified" under the U.N.'s own membership criteria, in a report being presented right now at a UN breifing in New York before media, diplomats and human rights activists.

UN Reports Horrific Human Rights Abuses in North Korea: Now What?

GENEVA, - Geneva-based human rights group UN Watch applauded today’s report by the landmark UN Commission of Inquiry on North Korea, a vehicle that investigates human rights brutalities in North Korea and provides a forum for victims to educate the world about their suffering.

NGO Drives Saudi Women’s Protest the Extra Mile

GENEVA, -- Geneva-based human rights group UN Watch today applauded the dozens of brave Saudi women who got behind the wheel this weekend in protest of the world's only ban on female drivers, and called on world leaders to support their struggle for equal rights by blocking the "absurd" Saudi bid to join the UN Human Rights Council on November 12.

Comment on Israel’s Return to UN Human Rights Council

GENEVA, – The Geneva-based non-governmental group UN Watch today issued the following statement in reaction to Israel's decision to return to the UN Human Rights Council, two days before a scheduled review of the Jewish state's record on Tuesday.