[UPR Trax] No36: Next UPR of Israel without Israel?

10/12/2012

From 21 January to 1 February 2013, the Universal Periodic Review Working Group will hold its 15th session, reviewing the following countries: Bahamas, Barbados, Botswana, Burundi, France, Israel, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Mali, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Tonga and the United Arab Emirates.
 

However, last May, Israel suspended “its cooperation with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Human Rights Council and its subsequent mechanisms” and as a consequence, will not participate in its own UPR scheduled on 29 January 2013. Such decision is a threat to the UPR process as a whole and its universality and could open the door to non-participation by other countries.

Therefore UPR Info calls on the Human Rights Council (the Council) to take a decision regarding the review of Israel before 29 January 2013, and to provide the conditions of the review. If the Council does not manage to reach a decision, the review should take place without the presence of Israel, in order to maintain an equal treatment of all States.

UPR Info also calls on the Council to adopt a resolution in March 2013 defining the meaning of “persistent non-cooperation”, aiming to avoid any loophole in UPR modalities.

Finally, UPR Info calls on the State of Israel to fully cooperate and to resume without delay its relationship with the Council.

Read our full statement here.

On 14 January, the Council will proceed to the drawing of lots to select the troikas of countries to be reviewed at the 15th Working Group session of the UPR from 21 January to 1 February.


At UPR Info, we held the third round of our pre-sessions from 28 to 30 November. 41 organisations, including two national institutions and 23 national NGOs, made presentations to 43 Permanent Missions about the human rights situation in Botswana, Burundi, France, Israel, Luxembourg, Mali, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia and the United Arab Emirates.

Finally, our follow-up programme has published new Mid-term Implementation Assessments on Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, Iran and Kazakhstan.


Happy Human Rights Day to all.

Quote of the month

“As a democratic country, Israel surely values this kind of tool set up by the universal system of human rights […]. Israel was first reviewed on 4 December 2008, and its second review is scheduled on 29 January 2013, as per the applicable rules. I am thus writing to you, Excellency, to remind your authorities of this commitment, hoping to have a delegation from your country at the 15th session of the UPR Working Group”

H.E. Ms. Laura Dupuy Lasserre, President of the Human Rights Council, in her letter to H.E. Mr. Eviatar Manor, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of Israel to the United Nations.

Video of the month

Ms. Alice Mogwe, Executive Director of Ditswhanelo was invited by UPR Info to speak at our pre-session on Botswana held on 29 November. She explains to us her experience in participating at our pre-sessions:

http://youtu.be/EqBsPHj_VJQ

Deadlines for NGO participation in the UPR

- 7 January 2013: Deadline to book room to organise side events during the 15th Working Group session of the UPR (21 January – 1 February 2013).

- 21 January 2013: Deadline for submission of National reports for countries under review at session 16 (22 April – 3 May 2013).

- 4 March 2013: Deadline for submission of information by civil society on Saudi Arabia, Senegal, China, Nigeria, Mexico, Mauritius and Jordan.

- 11 March 2013: Deadline for submission of information by civil society on Malaysia, Central African Republic, Monaco, Belize, Chad, Congo and Malta.

Deadlines for the entire second cycle (sessions 13 to 26) are available by country and by session.

Latest documents on www.upr-info.org

- Timetable for UPR Working Group Session 17 (21 October - 1 November 2013).

- James Jolley, A study of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) from the perspective of Children’s Rights, September 2012.

Latest Mid-term Implementation Assessments

- Bosnia and Herzegovina

- Egypt

- Iran

- Kazakhstan

News on the UPR

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The Universal Periodic Review is at a decisive stage. Firstly, the second cycle began earlier this year, in May, and as most stakeholders know, it has to focus on the implementation of recommendations. It is time to take a qualitative leap forward, and collaborate together further. Secondly, for the first time in the short history of the UPR, one State has decided not to participate in its own review, namely the State of Israel. More...

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The troika members for countries under review at sessions 15 (21 January - 1 February 2013), 16 (22 April - 3 May 2013) and 17 (21 October - 1 November 2013) will be selected on 14 January 2013 during a Human Rights Council meeting.

  • Timetable for UPR Working Group session 17 available - 8 December 2012

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights just issued the timetable for UPR Working Group 17th session.