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Das Land habe „keine Ausrede“, seine Verteidigungsausgaben nicht zu erhöhen, sagte Trump. „Vielleicht sollte man sie ehrlich gesagt aus der NATO werfen.“

The previous brand was said to have lost its sanctity due to its widespread use outside the church.

By Human Rights Watch
NEW YORK, Oct 10 2025 (IPS)

Egypt and Vietnam are on track to secure seats on the United Nations Human Rights Council despite being woefully unfit for membership. The UN General Assembly will elect members to the UN’s premier rights body in a noncompetitive vote on October 14, 2025.

These 2 countries are among 14 member states seeking three-year terms on the 47-nation Human Right Council starting in January 2026. Vietnam, currently a Council member, is seeking re-election.

“Noncompetitive UN votes permit abusive governments like Egypt and Vietnam to become Human Rights Council members, threatening to make a mockery of the Council,” said Louis Charbonneau, UN director at Human Rights Watch. “UN member states should stop handing Council seats on a silver platter to serial rights violators.”

Egypt, along with Angola, Mauritius, and South Africa are running for four African seats. India, Iraq, and Pakistan are joining Vietnam for the four Asian seats. For Latin America and the Caribbean, Chile, and Ecuador are unopposed for two seats.

In the Western group, Italy and the United Kingdom are running for two available seats, while Estonia and Slovenia are candidates for two seats for Central and Eastern Europe.

General Assembly Resolution 60/251, which created the Human Rights Council in 2006, urges states voting for members to “take into account the contribution of candidates to the promotion and protection of human rights.” Council members are required to “uphold the highest standards in the promotion and protection of human rights” at home and abroad and to “fully cooperate with the Council.”

Candidates only need a simple majority in the secret-ballot vote in the 193-nation General Assembly to secure a seat on the Human Rights Council. That makes it highly unlikely that any of the candidates will not be elected. Nevertheless, UN member states should not cast votes for abusive governments that are demonstrably unqualified for Council membership.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s government has continued wholesale repression, systematically detaining and punishing peaceful critics and activists, and effectively criminalizing peaceful dissent. Government security forces have committed serious human rights abuses with near-absolute impunity. These include killing hundreds of largely peaceful protesters and widespread, systematic torture of detainees, which most likely amount to crimes against humanity.

The government also tries to prevent its own citizens from engaging with the Geneva-based Human Rights Council, and punishes those who engage with brutal reprisals. It ignores UN experts’ requests to visit the country.

The ruling Communist Party of Vietnam maintains a monopoly on political power and allows no challenge to its leadership. Basic rights are severely restricted, including freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly, association, and religion. Rights activists and bloggers face police intimidation, harassment, restricted movement, and arbitrary arrest and detention.

Mauritius and the UK, among the countries running. signed a treaty that recognizes Mauritius’ sovereignty over the Chagos islands but fails to address the ongoing crimes against humanity against Chagossians and their right of return to all the islands.

The UK forcibly displaced the Chagossian people between 1965 and 1973 to allow the US to build a military base. Mauritius and the UK should comply with their international rights obligations, including Chagossians’ right of return and should provide an effective remedy and reparations.

Angolan President João Lourenço has pledged to protect human rights, though Angolan security forces have used excessive force against political activists and peaceful protesters. South Africa has taken strong stances for accountability on Palestine and other issues. It should be similarly robust with rights violations by Russia and China.

The Bharatiya Janata Party government in India led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has refused access to UN experts. Modi’s party leaders and supporters repeatedly vilify and attack Muslims and Christians with impunity, while the authorities often punish those who protest this campaign of Hindu majoritarianism.

Pakistan should cease the use of draconian counterterrorism and sedition laws to intimidate peaceful critics, and repeal its blasphemy laws. The government should prosecute those responsible for incitement and attacks on minorities and marginalized communities.

In 2024, Iraq passed a law criminalizing same-sex relations and transgender expression. Violence and discrimination against LGBT people are rampant, for which no one is held to account. Iraqi authorities have increasingly repressed activists and journalists.

In Ecuador, the government has attacked judicial independence and security forces have committed serious human rights violations since President Daniel Noboa declared an “internal armed conflict” in January 2024.

In Chile, President Gabriel Boric’s administration has played a leading role in speaking out on human rights violations around the world. Human rights challenges, including racism and abuses against migrants, remain a problem in the country, however.

In the UK, the authorities should end their crackdown on freedom of assembly. Many peaceful protesters in support of Palestinians or action on climate change have been arrested and some imprisoned after demonstrating.

Italy should stop criminalizing and obstructing sea rescues and enabling Libyan forces to intercept migrants and refugees and take them back to Libya, where they face arbitrary detention and grave abuses. Italy also failed to comply with a 2025 International Criminal Court arrest warrant by sending a wanted suspect back to Libya instead of to The Hague.

The Human Rights Council has played a crucial role in investigating abuses in Syria, Myanmar, North Korea, Russia, Ukraine, Israel/Palestine, and elsewhere. It recently established an investigation into serious crimes in Afghanistan by all parties—past and present —and extended its fact-finding mission for Sudan. Other countries and situations need scrutiny.

Council members should press for investigations of abuses by major powers, such as China’s crimes against humanity against Uyghurs and others in Xinjiang, and take up extrajudicial killings by the US of alleged narcotics traffickers on sea vessels.

For Council investigations to be credible, it needs financing. It is critical for countries to pay their assessed UN dues while boosting voluntary contributions. This will ensure that independent human rights investigations do not become casualties of the UN’s financial crisis resulting from the Trump administration halting virtually all payments to the UN and China and others paying late.

“The Human Rights Council has been able to save countless lives by carrying out numerous human rights investigations that deter governments and armed groups from committing abuses,” Charbonneau said. “All governments should recognize that it’s in their interests to promptly pay their UN dues so the rights Council can do its job.”

IPS UN Bureau

 

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La Commission a exprimé sa préoccupation face aux nouvelles restrictions imposées par la Chine sur l’exportation de terres rares stratégiques, dans un contexte de tensions croissantes entre Pékin et Bruxelles, quelques jours après l’annonce de droits de douane européens élevés sur l’acier chinois.

The post Bruxelles « préoccupée » par les nouvelles restrictions chinoises sur les terres rares appeared first on Euractiv FR.

Willkommen bei Rapporteur! Jeden Tag liefern wir Ihnen die wichtigsten Nachrichten und Hintergründe aus der EU- und Europapolitik. Parlament: Ursula von der Leyen übersteht Misstrauensanträge – doch unter der Oberfläche brodelt es weiter. Exklusiv: Brüssel plant härtere Visaregeln für Nicht-EU-Staaten. Belgien: Polizei vereitelt mutmaßlichen Terroranschlag auf Bart De Wever.   Today’s edition is powered by […]

L’accord sur la première phase du plan de paix pour Gaza, annoncé par le président américain Donald Trump, constitue un grand moment.

L’accord sur la première phase du plan de paix pour Gaza, annoncé par le président américain Donald Trump, constitue un grand moment.

ÄNDERUNGSANTRÄGE 372 - 644 - Entwurf eines Berichts Militärische Mobilität
Ausschuss für Sicherheit und Verteidigung
Ausschuss für Verkehr und Tourismus
Roberts Zīle, Petras Auštrevičius

Quelle : © Europäische Union, 2025 - EP

Rapporteur Jörgen Warborn will brief journalists on changes to sustainability reporting and due diligence requirements for companies, on Monday 13 October at 18.15.
Committee on Legal Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Rapporteur Jörgen Warborn will brief journalists on changes to sustainability reporting and due diligence requirements for companies, on Monday 13 October at 18.15.
Committee on Legal Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Rapporteur Jörgen Warborn will brief journalists on changes to sustainability reporting and due diligence requirements for companies, on Monday 13 October at 18.15.
Committee on Legal Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Rapporteur Jörgen Warborn will brief journalists on changes to sustainability reporting and due diligence requirements for companies, on Monday 13 October at 18.15.
Committee on Legal Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Bienvenue dans Rapporteur. Je suis Nicoletta Ionta, avec Eddy Wax à Strasbourg. Nous aimons recevoir les commentaires de nos lecteurs : envoyez-nous vos réactions et vos suggestions d’actualités. À savoir : Parlement : Ursula von der Leyen survit aux motions de censure, mais les tensions couvent sous la surface Scoop : Bruxelles prévoit des mesures […]

The post Le syndrome de la motion de censure appeared first on Euractiv FR.

In today's edition: Mistral's AI for defence battle cry, AI antennas

Plus EIB notes, SEDE rapporteurs, and Cypriot calendar

Le président américain Donald Trump a suggéré que l’Espagne pourrait être expulsée de l’OTAN si elle continue de refuser de souscrire au nouvel objectif de dépenses de défense de l’Alliance, fixé à 5 % du PIB national.

The post Trump envisage d’exclure l’Espagne de l’OTAN appeared first on Euractiv FR.

In today's edition: EUDR, seeds, animal welfare

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