Statement at the 51st session of the UN Human Rights Council
Interactive Dialogue with the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention
Delivered by Nicola Paccamiccio
Thank you Mr. President,
CIVICUS welcomes with appreciation the report of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which highlights the widespread use of such unlawful practice.
Arbitrary and secret detention remains a tactic used by many governments to silence dissent and curtail civil society action. The detention of peaceful protesters, human rights defenders and journalists persistently remains one of the most common violations of civic space. It has a chilling effect on a wide range of other fundamental rights and places individuals outside the protection of the law.
Hundreds of people are arbitrarily arrested and held in incommunicado detention. The crime? Standing up for their rights, for a free press, to protect the environment and equality, campaigning for a government that listens, and more.
This is the case, among many others, of Narsin Sotoudeh from Iran, Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube from Eswatini, Buzurghmehr Yorov from Tajikistan, María Esperanza Sanchez García, Medardo Mairena and Pedro Mena from Nicaragua, Ahmed Mansoor from the United Arab Emirates, Abdul-Hadi al Khawaja from Bahrain, the Viasna Human Rights Defenders from Belarus, Kenia Hernandez from Mexico, Hoda Abdel Moneim from Egypt, Khurram Parvez from India, Kamira Nait Sid from Algeria, Chow Hang-Tung from Hong Kong and Orbert Masaraure from Zimbabwe.
We call upon States to immediately release those already in arbitrary and secret detention and put an end to practices that silence human rights defenders for their work.
We further call upon States to support and adopt the resolution on arbitrary detention this session, and in doing so further protect and support human rights defenders who all too often face this practice.
We thank you.