The Weaponization of Human Rights at the Human Rights Council

By Alfred de Zayas July 3, 2023



Photo: Lorenzo Tlacaelel
The fifty-third session of the UN Human Rights Council meeting now in Geneva could provide a perfect opportunity to advance peace as a human right and to meaningfully support the many roadmaps and blueprints for peace in Ukraine and proposals for peace in all conflict areas in Latin America, Africa and Asia.

Alas, the Human Rights Council has become predominantly a platform for those who engage in war-mongering and incitement to hatred. Notwithstanding the clear language of Article 20 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, many states practice flagrant Russophobia, Sinophobia and other phobias. Article 20 stipulates:

“1. Any propaganda for war shall be prohibited by law. 2. Any advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence shall be prohibited by law.”

The collective West, however, rejects this crucial provision of the ICCPR. Most Western states, including the US, even formulated “reservations” against this article, so that they could happily continue their demonization of rivals, pre-war incitement to hatred and mid-war fake news and bellicose propaganda.[1]

More:
https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/the-weaponization-of-human-rights-at-the-human-rights-council/