CIVICUS at the 60th Regular Session of the Human Rights Council

60th Session of UN Human Rights Council (8 September–8 October 2025)

• Overview
• Structural Challenges at the Human Rights Council
• Thematic Priorities
• Country-Specific Priorities

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Overview

As civic space continues to shrink globally, amid funding challenges and a UN liquidity crisis, the Human Rights Council remains a vital space for defending human rights and amplifying the voices of those most affected.

At the 60th session (8 September–8 October 2025), CIVICUS will focus on protecting civil society and fundamental freedoms, especially public participation and freedom from arbitrary detention. We will advocate for the release of activists, defenders, and citizens held unlawfully.

We are deeply concerned by the growing use of reprisals against those engaging with UN mechanisms. These tactics, used by both governments and non-State actors, are becoming more sophisticated and can lead to serious rights violations.

The Council must maintain scrutiny on Sudan and continue investigations into abuses in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It should renew mandates for Afghanistan, Burundi, and the Russian Federation, and make a critical decision on Cambodia, where technical support and capacity building are needed to address the rights crisis.

CIVICUS also urges the Council to address urgent human rights concerns in countries not currently on its agenda, including Kenya, Indonesia, and Turkey.

Human Rights Council Elections (2026–2028): Upholding Standards

As countries with poor human rights records seek seats on the UN Human Rights Council, CIVICUS calls for genuine progress on rights, justice, and accountability. States must:

• Protect civic space through strong legal frameworks
• Release unjustly imprisoned human rights defenders
• End transnational repression of political dissidents

Council members are expected to uphold the highest human rights standards, as set out in the 2006 UN General Assembly resolution. While civil society has helped block some unsuitable candidates, reforms are needed to prevent violators from gaining seats. This includes strengthening election processes and giving civil society a meaningful role.

Concerns for the 2025 Elections

Closed slates across all regional blocs mean the election of candidates with poor records is likely. In Asia-Pacific, India and Pakistan (repressed civic space) and Iraq and Vietnam (closed civic space) are expected. The African bloc includes two MENA countries with repressed civic space, an alarming trend.

CIVICUS and other civil society actors stress the need for competitive elections and independent scrutiny of candidates. Structural reforms should allow for open contests and empower civil society with a soft veto to uphold human rights standards.

 

Structural Challenges at the Human Rights Council

• Liquidity crisis: Safeguarding the UN Human Rights Pillar

The UN’s financial crisis is undermining the Council’s work, with a 10% cut in meeting time since the 59th session. This has affected key mechanisms, including investigations and the work of Special Procedures such as the Special Rapporteur on peaceful assembly and association.

The human rights pillar receives just 5% of the UN’s regular budget. It must be protected from further cuts, and civil society’s role within the system must be fully safeguarded.

Special Procedures and investigative mechanisms are vital. Any changes to mandates should be carefully assessed for their impact and made in consultation with civil society at all levels.

• Protecting Civil Society Space

Civil society participation in UN processes is shrinking due to funding constraints and repression. Engagement in interactive dialogues, especially with Special Procedures, has dropped significantly, with only 194 interventions in the last session compared to 303 in summer 2024.

Safe, inclusive, and effective civil society access is essential. The UN must implement existing recommendations on access, protection, and participation, including those in the UN Guidance Note on Civic Space and the UNMute Civil Society Recommendations.

The UN should also strengthen efforts to prevent and respond to reprisals, including maintaining a public database and improving transparency in its Annual Report on Reprisals.

• Innovation & Analytics: strengthening collaboration across mandate

We welcome the new interactive platform launched by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). It helps civil society and other stakeholders navigate Council mandates, reports, and mechanisms more easily, especially those without a presence in Geneva.

Though limited to the past six years, the platform improves transparency and supports planning and engagement by offering forward-looking insights and mapping Council initiatives.

However, there is a clear need to improve how the human rights system works in practice. Stronger cooperation between mechanisms and more consistent approaches, such as aligning working methods and linking relevant thematic and country-specific recommendations, can help turn UN documents into real-world action. It is also crucial for the OHCHR to take up a more prominent role in bridging the gap between various mechanisms and for country teams and UN agencies to be engaged in the implementation of recommendations on ground.

 

Thematic Priorities

At this 60^th session, the Council will discuss a range of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights through dedicated debates with the mandate holders and the High Commissioner. CIVICUS will mainly make interventions related to the following thematic areas: 

1. Arbitrary Detention

Arbitrary detention remains one of the most widespread violations of civic freedoms globally. Protesters, human rights defenders, journalists, and ordinary citizens are being detained in at least 76 countries, often to suppress dissent, especially during elections. Nearly 10% of documented violations relate to Israel, Palestine, and solidarity protests.

CIVICUS calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all individuals detained for exercising their rights to peaceful assembly, association, and expression. Our Stand As My Witness campaign highlights urgent cases and the need for a clear action plan to end arbitrary detention. Read about the latest developments in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Arbitrary detention is not limited to activists, human rights defenders, journalists, and ordinary citizens; in specific country situations it can also target high-level government officials from Indigenous groups (see our recent statement here).

We encourage States to:

• Renew the mandate of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detentions
• Use dialogues to spotlight specific cases and call for releases
• Ensure those found to be arbitrarily detained are freed by end-2025
• Investigate all allegations and ensure justice and accountability
• Address detentions linked to cooperation with UN mechanisms

2. Reprisals against Civil Society

Reprisals against those engaging with the UN, whether defenders, activists, or citizens, are escalating. These include intimidation, surveillance, travel bans, and even torture. Such acts undermine civic space and threaten the integrity of the UN human rights system.

There is an urgent need to step up efforts towards the development of benchmarks to monitor actual patterns of reprisals, to develop a methodology to monitor self-censorship and to better understand the patterns of reprisals that can lead to most severe human rights violations. 

We call on States to:

• Guarantee unhindered access to UN bodies
• Treat reprisals as early warning signs of civic space deterioration
• Adopt a strong resolution condemning new forms of reprisals, such as smear campaigns and travel bans, and supporting prevention of reprisals carried out by States and actors outside their own jurisdiction
• Establish civil society focal points on reprisals across UN entities
• Strengthen monitoring and reporting of intimidation and harassment
• Highlight cases during dialogues, especially where reprisals link to arbitrary detention
• Address laws and policies that deter cooperation under the guise of national security or counter-terrorism

 

Country-specific Priorities

At this 60th session, CIVICUS will spotlight country-specific situations where civic space is under threat or where urgent action is needed to protect fundamental freedoms. Our interventions will focus on the following countries:

Country situations on Council agenda

Several country situations are scheduled for discussion during this session of the Human Rights Council. CIVICUS will engage in these discussions to highlight civic space violations and push for stronger Council action. These include:

Country	Civic Space Rating	Key Issues	Recommended Actions for States
Cambodia	Repressed	Civic space in Cambodia remains repressed under Hun Manet’s government, marked by: Criminalisation of activism Judicial harassment and denial of bail Targeted action against environmental defenders Citizenship revocation and expanded repression Convictions of opposition leaders on incitement charges	Demand the release of all activists facing politically motivated charges Oppose constitutional changes enabling citizenship revocation Urge legal reforms to prevent judicial abuse targeting civil society
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)	Repressed	The DRC faces worsening human rights conditions due to: Escalating conflict and displacement, especially in Goma Widespread sexual and gender-based violence Attacks on journalists and activists Internet restrictions and limited humanitarian access	Ensure funding for international investigations and accountability Call on the government to protect civic freedoms and press rights Support local civil society and victims, especially in eastern DRC
Sudan	Repressed	Since the civil war outbreak in April 2023, Sudan’s civic space has deteriorated: Arbitrary arrests, torture, and enforced disappearances Extreme media repression, including violence against journalists Targeting of humanitarian workers and civic actors	Call for an end to violent crackdowns and media repression Urge the release of detained activists and journalists Support independent investigations into mass atrocities Ensure safe access for monitors and humanitarian organisations Strengthen support for Sudanese civil society and grassroots efforts

 

Country situations that require Council attention

Beyond the countries officially on the Council's agenda, there are critical civic space crises that remain unaddressed. CIVICUS urges the Council to consider these overlooked or emerging situations:

Country	Civic Space Rating	Key Issues	Recommended Actions for States
Indonesia	Obstructed	Civic space has sharply deteriorated under President Prabowo: Over 100 human rights defenders (HRDs) faced arrest, intimidation, and attacks in 2025 Legal changes expanded military and police powers without transparency Peaceful protests met with excessive force and arbitrary arrests Online expression restricted through the Information and Electronic Transactions (ITE) Law and surveillance Journalists face threats and new clearance requirements	Urge Indonesia to end repression of HRDs, protesters, and journalists Repeal or amend repressive laws and halt intrusive surveillance Ensure accountability for security force abuses Support protections for civil society, especially in Papua
Kenya	Repressed	Following the #RejectFinanceBill protests: At least 65 killed, hundreds injured, and 1,500 arrested since June 2025 Activists face terrorism-related charges and torture Online dissent is criminalised; art and expression censored HRDs and civil society organisations (CSOs) face harassment, deportation, and disruption	Urge Kenya to end lethal force, arbitrary arrests, and abductions Ensure accountability for sexual violence and torture Reject repressive digital laws and protect civic freedoms
Turkey	Repressed	Civic space continues to deteriorate: Over 2,000 peaceful protesters detained and subjected to rushed trials Journalists and lawyers face arrests, assaults, and censorship Protest bans, including Pride and May Day rallies, intensify repression	Urge Turkey to release arbitrarily detained protesters, politicians, and journalists Demand an end to protest bans, censorship, and excessive force Support independent investigations and accountability for violations

 

Click here to download the full overview of CIVICUS Advocacy Priorities at #HRC60.

For additional information on CIVICUS’ engagement during the 60th session of the Human Rights Council or any related queries, please contact the Geneva team at .