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GENEVA: Civil society organizations on Monday slammed Washington\u2019s expected boycott of its regular UN review of human rights, urging the international community to hold the United States accountable for what they described as serious rights violations.<\/p>\n
Rights advocates, civil society organizations and US elected officials gathered in Geneva ahead of the scheduled US review on Tuesday, although few expected representatives from US President Donald Trump\u2019s administration to show up.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe United States government, for the second year, will not show up before the world to answer questions about systemic violations of human rights,\u201d said Jamil Dakwar, head of the ACLU\u2019s human rights program.<\/p>\n
He called for the UN Human Rights Council to help \u201cput an end to US impunity and hold the United States accountable.\u201d<\/p>\n
Last November, the United States became only the second country ever to boycott the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), which all 193 UN member states undergo every four to five years, amid criticism from rights groups over policies pursued by the Trump administration.<\/p>\n
The Human Rights Council subsequently postponed the review for a year in the hope that Washington would participate.<\/p>\n
– \u2018Irredeemable\u2019 –<\/strong><\/p>\n But when contacted by AFP, the US State Department said the Trump administration had no intention of taking up.<\/p>\n A spokesman noted that Washington had formally withdrawn from the council last year, describing it as an \u201cirredeemable body\u201d that \u201cmakes a mockery of human rights\u201d and that \u201cpushes anti-American rhetoric.\u201d<\/p>\n Before the United States, only Israel had previously boycotted a UPR review, in 2013, though it later underwent a delayed review.<\/p>\n Some countries have sought postponements since the UPR process began in 2008, while Nicaragua only partially cooperated after its most recent reviews had already taken place.<\/p>\n Among those gathered in Geneva was Noor Abdalla, the wife of Mahmoud Khalil, the prominent pro-Palestinian protest leader and green card holder whom the Trump administration sought to deport last year.<\/p>\n \u201cAccountability is important,\u201d she told reporters.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen the most powerful government in the world is not held accountable, they think that they can do whatever they want to do… We saw that with my husband\u2019s case.\u201d<\/p>\n – \u2018A big F.U.\u2019 –<\/strong><\/p>\n Washington\u2019s expected boycott is \u201cjust a big F.U.,\u201d said Joseph Bell, a former life-without-parole prisoner who campaigns against such sentences.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not right,\u201d he told AFP. \u201cI did double my time, so how come (Trump) is not being held accountable?\u201d<\/p>\n Philadelphia City Council member Kendra Brooks described the administration\u2019s expected absence as \u201cvery disappointing, but to be expected under this administration.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPeople are living in fear.\u201d<\/p>\n During panel discussions on Monday, rights advocates highlighted concerns ranging from immigration policies and reproductive rights to freedom of expression, arguing that journalists, independent media, universities and cultural institutions had increasingly come under pressure.<\/p>\n Civil society groups have urged countries to take a stronger stance against US non-cooperation.<\/p>\n They have called for greater scrutiny by UN rights chief Volker Turk and for the Human Rights Council to take a more active role in examining the situation.<\/p>\n However, when countries meet on Tuesday, they are expected only to consider another postponement of the US review.<\/p>\n \u201cThis has to stop,\u201d Dakwar said, accusing the council of \u201cjust kicking the can.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe international community and members of the Human Rights Council have an important role in stemming this backsliding.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n