UN Human Rights Council 63: UK Statement for the Item 4 General Debate

Thank you, Mr Vice President.

This Council must continue to address grave country situations. In Iran in January, thousands of peaceful protesters were brutally killed in the streets by Iranian security forces. At least thirty protesters have since been executed; many more remain on death row. Reports of torture and ill-treatment of detainees, including women, ethnic minorities, and religious communities such as the Baha'i and Christians, are deeply concerning. We fully support accountability for these heinous acts.

In Hong Kong, the recent convictions of the leaders of the Hong Kong Alliance and Joshua Wong are further examples of how the National Security Law is being used to target individuals for political expression and participation. We call again for this Beijing-imposed law to be repealed, and for the release of Jimmy Lai. We urge China to uphold its international commitments.

And finally, the UK is alarmed by the deteriorating situation in Palestine. In Gaza, basic humanitarian needs remain unmet. In the West Bank, settlement expansion and settler violence is undermining the viability of a two-State solution. The UK has taken recent steps to address this priority. We call on all parties to uphold international law, protect civilians and facilitate humanitarian access. We also condemn abuses by Hamas and other non-state actors.

Thank you.