South African Vote in the United Nations Human Rights Council regarding the UNHRC monitoring of the Human Rights Violations in Uzbekistan and Iran

QUOTE

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

FOR WRITTEN REPLY

QUESTION NO: 232

PUBLISHED IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO 4 OF 25 FEBRUARY 2008

Mr A J Leon (DA) to ask the Minister of Foreign Affairs:
I. Whether the South African representative to the United Nations Human Rights Council in March 2007, voted in favour of discontinuing UNHRC monitoring of the human rights situation in (i) Uzbekistan and (ii) Iran; if so, what were the relevant factors which informed this decision; if not, what were the factors that informed this vote? 697

REPLY:

During March 2007 the United Nations Human Rights Council decided without a vote (i. e. by consensus) to discontinue consideration of Uzbekistan and Iran under the Complaints Procedure. In most cases, the Human Rights Council’s decision is informed by lack of verifiable information constituting grave violations of human rights. If there was compelling evidence that there were grave human rights violations in Uzbekistan and Iran the majority members of the United Nations Human Rights Council would not have joined the consensus on the proposal for the discontinuation of these two countries from the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Complaints Procedure mechanism.

Therefore, for the information of Honourable Leon, there was no question of voting by the United Nations Human Rights Council whatsoever on Uzbekistan and Iran.

UNQUOTE