HRC61 - EU statement - Item 2 Annual report of the UN High Commissioner for the Human Rights and report of the Office of the High Commissioner and the UN Secretary-General
European Union
UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL
61st Session
(23 February – 31 March 2026)
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Item 2
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Statement by
H.E. Mr. Michele Cervone d’Urso
Ambassador, DeputPermanent Representative of the European Union
Geneva, 2 March 2026
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HRC61 Item 2 Annual report of the UN High Commissioner for the Human Rights and report of the Office of the High Commissioner and the UN Secretary-General
EU Statement
Mister President,
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union.
The candidate countries North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania and Republic of Moldova, and the EFTA country Liechtenstein, member of the European Economic Area, align themselves with this statement.
We thank the High Commissioner for his oral update and all the reports submitted to this session. We strongly support your principled leadership in advancing human rights, particularly in the face of grave violations and abuses that require justice and accountability.
The EU reaffirms its steadfast support for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to operate independently and with adequate, predictable resources. The European Union and its member states collectively remain the largest voluntary contributors to the OHCHR budget. However, the liquidity crisis cannot be solved through extrabudgetary funding alone. In this regard, the EU and its Member States will continue to pay their assessed contributions in full and on time. We call on all other States to do the same, so as to ensure predictable and sustainable funding.
We remain firmly committed to upholding and strengthening the UN’s human rights pillar, and underline the importance of safeguarding it in the UN80 process. The human rights pillar must remain at the heart of the UN, and the human rights mandate must be safeguarded.
High Commissioner,
The EU supports your role in steering and mainstreaming human rights work across the United Nations system. We support your efforts to improve efficiency and impact while firmly promoting the centrality of human rights.
The EU welcomes the election membership of new members in the Human Rights Council and looks forward to increasing cooperation to advance and protect human rights, building on the pledges presented as part of their candidacy.
The EU welcomes the High Commissioner’s oral update and his reports on Colombia, Guatemala, and Honduras, and thanks the Secretary General for the oral update on the Independent Investigative Mechanism on Afghanistan
On Colombia, the EU reiterates its full support to the invaluable work of the High Commissioner and his Office. We acknowledge and encourage the Government’s efforts to achieve a comprehensive and sustainable peace and protect human rights, especially of the most vulnerable groups in society including women, girls children and ethnic minority groups. The EU is concerned about persisting high-levels of violence, including the increased recruitment and serious abuse of youth as noted in the recent findings of the Child Rights Committee. We call for the effective protection of human rights defenders including environmental human rights defenders, social leaders, journalists and former combatants. With the upcoming election period, we also call for particular attention to be given to the protection of political candidates. The EU underlines the importance of continued comprehensive implementation of the 2016 Peace Agreement, including transitional justice, alternative economic development and security guarantees in the violence affected regions of the country.
The EU supports the efforts of the Government of Guatemala to improve the promotion and protection of human rights, despite significant challenges. In that respect, we share the concerns of the OHCHR about the misuse of criminal law and its negative impact on human rights, including the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, in particular the criminalisation of journalists, Indigenous leaders and human rights defenders for their legitimate activities. The EU calls for the full respect for democracy and the rule of law. (NB based on report by High Commissioner: https://docs.un.org/en/A/HRC/61/18)
The EU recognises the many remaining human rights challenges in Honduras, as identified in the report of the High Commissioner, including the need to strengthen protection for human rights defenders, migrants and women. The EU is also concerned by the high level of violence affecting LGBTI persons. We also noted the end of the State of Exception, marking a potential turning point for human rights improvements. We encourage the new administration of Nasry Asfura to take decisive steps to address the country’s most pressing human rights concerns. The EU stands ready to support the efforts of the Honduran authorities/government, including through the implementation of recommendations of the 2025 UPR review, and will continue to work closely with independent civil society organisations across Honduras.
The EU strongly condemns the ongoing, widespread and systematic human rights violations and abuses committed by the Taliban in Afghanistan. in particular the violations of women’s and girls’ rights. The EU condemns the deliberate rollback of their human rights and fundamental freedoms and calls for their full, equal and meaningful participation in Afghan society. The human rights situation in Afghanistan continues to deteriorate, as the Taliban introduced Criminal principles for the courts in January 2026, in clear violation of international human rights standards. The EU also calls for the protection of the rights of persons belonging to minorities including ethnic and religious minorities, such as the Hazara, and persons in vulnerable situations as well as LGBTI persons, and to uphold the rule of law, freedom of expression and media freedom, with particular attention to human rights defenders.
The EU is firmly committed to accountability for human rights violations and abuses in Afghanistan. The operationalization of the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Afghanistan, will be a decisive step for victims and survivors of Taliban repression.
We call on all actors for immediate de-escalation and a halt of hostilities following the sharp increase of violence in Afghanistan and Pakistan, including cross-border attacks and reported strikes over the past 24 hours, which could have serious implications for the region. Afghan territory must not be used to threaten or attack other countries. We call on the Afghan de facto authorities to take effective action against all terrorist groups operating in or from Afghanistan. We urge both sides to engage in dialogue. International law, including international human international humanitarian law and international human rights law, must be fully respected by all actors. The protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure must be ensured, and all feasible precautions must be taken to prevent further civilian harm.
The European Union follows developments in Iran and the Middle East with utmost concern. We call for maximum restraint, protection of civilians and full respect of international law.
Regarding the situations in Afghanistan, Myanmar, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, South Sudan, and Sudan, we would like to refer to our statements during the respective interactive dialogues.
While noting progress made in the sphere of economic and social rights in Eritrea, including documented advances in combatting female genital mutilation, the EU remains highly concerned about the situation in the country with regard to a wide range of human rights violations. These include restrictions of freedom of expression, the practice of indefinite national service and arbitrary conscription as well as arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, torture, and inhumane prison conditions, together with widespread impunity. The whereabouts of those disappeared in the past decades must be revealed and those held arbitrarily must be released immediately. The EU reiterates its call for Eritrea to end the continued practise of obligatory and indefinite national service, including the reported conscription of children, and hold the right to the right to conscientious objection. The EU will continue to call on Eritrea to uphold the UN Charter and to fulfil its international obligations. The EU encourages Eritrea to continue strengthening its partnership with the United Nations, including engaging in constructive dialogue on the full range of human rights.
The EU is concerned with the widespread human right violations in Tanzania in the context of the general elections, including allegations of excessive use of force, of extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and mass arbitrary detentions targeting protesters, opposition figures, and civil society across the country.. The EU takes note of the establishment of the Commission of Inquiry and calls for the implementation of credible measures leading to accountability and efforts for reconciliation. The EU encourages Tanzania to engage constructively with UN human rights mechanisms and stresses the importance of of developing a fully-fledged multi-party system and of open and inclusive dialogue with all stakeholders, in particular opposition parties and civil society.
The continued offensive by the M23 armed group in eastern DRC has further deteriorated the humanitarian and human rights situation in eastern DRC. The EU condemns violations against international humanitarian law and human rights law in the strongest terms and stresses the importance that all these reports be thoroughly investigated, victims recognized and perpetrator be held accountable. The EU welcomes the decision by the Human Rights Council to establish a Commission of Inquiry, which now must be given access by all parties to fulfill its mandate. The EU categorically condemns the offensive of the M23. Respect for DRC’s territorial integrity must be upheld. We call on Rwanda to end all support to the M23, and on the DRC to cease cooperation with the FDLR, the Wazalendo and other armed groups and to tackle hate speech.. The EU calls upon all parties to respect international humanitarian law and human rights law. The EU calls on the DRC to abolish the death penalty, the use of which the EU opposes unequivocally in all cases and in all circumstances.
The EU closely follows the human rights situation in Azerbaijan. The EU stresses that Azerbaijani authorities must ensure compliance with international human rights obligations, including applicable Council of Europe instruments, including the European Convention on Human Rights. The EU continues to support a sustainable and lasting peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The EU recalls Georgia’s obligation to enable the exercise of fundamental freedoms and urges Georgia to repeal or substantially revise legislation that runs counter to Georgia’s obligations under international human rights law and unduly restricts or violates the freedoms of assembly, association or expression, including the freedom and pluralism of media. The EU is concerned about the politically motivated use of the justice system and the criminal investigations against Civil Society Organisations. The EU continues to strongly condemn arbitrary arrests and the increasing repression and persecution, including the imprisonment of opposition leaders, independent journalists and media workers, and civil society actors, which contributes to the backsliding of democracy and the rule of law in Georgia. We continue to call on the Georgian authorities to immediately and unconditionally free all arbitrarily detained persons and recall the absolute prohibition of torture and ill-treatment and stress the importance of ending impunity for violations committed by law enforcement. The EU reiterates its support for Georgia’s territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. We continue to be seriously concerned about the deteriorating human rights and humanitarian situation in the occupied breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The EU regrets the continued lack of access of the OHCHR and UN human rights mechanisms to Abkhazia and South Ossetia and urges access to be granted without further delay.
In Sri Lanka, the EU is following closely preparations for a new legislative proposal to replace the Prevention of Terrorism Act. We welcome that the draft Protection of the State Against Terrorism Bill was open to public consultations for two months, until 28 February 2026. We call on Sri Lanka to ensure that any new law is strictly aligned with international human rights standards, and to consider seriously the comments received from the UN Special Rapporteurs.
The EU remains deeply concerned about the ongoing gang violence in Haiti and the inability of the national authorities to protect the civilian population, above all women, children and other vulnerable groups. We hope that the newly mandated "Gang Suppression Force" (GSF) can help the Haitian security and defence forces restore peace and public security in the country. This is also a prerequisite for the long overdue elections to be held on August 30, 2026. Haiti must be enabled to return to democracy and the rule of law as soon as possible to put an end to violence and human rights violations.
The EU deplores the further deterioration of the human rights situation in Yemen, particularly in Houthi controlled areas. The EU strongly condemns the continuing arbitrary detention of personnel from the UN, diplomatic missions and international and non-governmental organisations by the Houthis since June 2024 (73 UN personnel are currently detained, alongside NGO staff), and reiterates its call for their immediate and unconditional release. The detention of aid workers worsens an already dire and rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation in Yemen. The EU firmly opposes the death penalty in all cases and circumstance and insists that detainees must not be tried in special courts where they risk capital punishment. The EU will repeat its condemnation of the death sentence issued against three UN personnel. It remains deeply concerned about increasing restrictions on humanitarian access, especially those affecting female aid workers, and calls for the removal of all administrative and bureaucratic obstacles to ensure safe, non-discriminatory aid delivery across the country. The EU also follows with concern continuous restrictions on rights of women and girls, targeting of civil society actors, journalists and human rights defenders.
We welcome recent improvements of the human rights situation in Bahrain, including on women’s rights, and the pardons of more than a total of 5000 prisoners in Bahrain in 2024 and 2025. We encourage Bahrain to continue along this path and to further align its policies with international human rights law, especially with regard to human rights defenders.
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North Macedonia, Montenegro and Albania continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.