News

Cambodia

Cambodia once again underwent its interactive dialogue through the UN Universal Periodic Review, where the Human Rights Council (HRC) assesses human rights conditions in each of its member states. Cambodia’s human rights situation has worsened significantly since the third-cycle Universal Periodic Review in 2019.  

Under the leadership of former Prime Minister Hun Sen and his son Prime Minister Hun Manet, the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) has been responsible for serious human rights violations including the dissolution of the opposition political party, seizure of independent media, and arbitrary detention. 

The Advocates for Human Rights and the Committee for Paris Peace Accords on Cambodia, Minnesota, submitted a list of recommendations in a joint stakeholder report and advocated in Geneva for States to make our recommendations to Cambodia.  

We were happy to see civil and political rights spotlighted in the recommendations made in the fourth-cycle UPR Interactive Dialogue. Cambodia accepted many recommendations to continue efforts to ensure independence of the judiciary and prevent violations of the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly. Cambodia rejected, however, multiple recommendations that would have obligated Cambodia to take specific actions to guarantee these rights, such as Poland’s recommendation to “Release detained human rights defenders, political dissidents, journalists and media personnel, drop court cases against them and refrain from harassing or attacking them." We are concerned that Cambodia will not meaningfully uphold civil and political rights and instead has accepted recommendations as an empty gesture. 

To urge Cambodia to implement recommendations and fulfill its international obligations, visit Human Rights Tools for a Changing World to learn more about advocacy at the UN. 

Cyprus

“Continue to improve the training of police officers, prosecutors, judges and other legal operators in specific knowledge of gender-based violence.” This recommendation, made by Spain in the 4^th Cycle Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Cyprus, is one of 48 others recommended by States specifically urging Cyprus to protect the rights of women in Cyprus.  

The Advocates and the Mediterranean Institute for Gender Studies (MIGS) advocated for countries to make recommendations on promoting gender equality and ending gender-based violence in Cyprus.  

Cyprus has made advances to promote the rights of women, but implementation is less effective due to lack of adequate capacity, transparency and coordination by the responsible institutions. Furthermore, the lack of harmonization of various laws on domestic violence leaves victims insufficiently protected. 

We were happy to see that States recommend Cyprus to:

• Reinforce Cyprus' laws and policies with respect to combatting gender-based violence against women including trafficking 
• Implement the 2023-2028 National Strategy for Preventing and Combatting Violence against Women and Domestic Violence.  
• Protect the rights of women migrants and asylum seekers. 

We invite you to read our stakeholder report here to learn more about urging Cyprus to implement UPR recommendations.  

Eritrea

Eritrea has not carried out an execution or sentenced anyone to death in many years, however the nation has not officially established a moratorium on executions or abolished the death penalty altogether. 

The Advocates and the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty advocated for States to make recommendations to Eritrea in its Interactive Dialogue of the Universal Periodic Review. We were happy to see States make multiple recommendations addressing our concerns: 

• Advance in the legal abolition of the death penalty 
• Declare an official moratorium on the death penalty with a view to its abolition 
• Tackle impunity for past and on­going human rights violations and abuses and ensure access to independent and qualified justice and due process rights to all 

Read our UPR stakeholder report here. 

The World Coalition Against the Death Penalty has set up a trimestral newsletter on gender and the death penalty, click the link to register and remain informed. 

North Macedonia

In North Macedonia’s interactive dialogue during the 4^th Cycle Universal Periodic Review, we were happy to see many recommendations on ending gender-based violence, including Luxembourg’s recommendation to “Strengthen the capacity of the judiciary and police to combat gender-based violence using a human rights-based and victim-centered approach.” 

North Macedonia received multiple recommendations that reflected suggestions that we made in our stakeholder report, in collaboration with the National Network to End Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence. 

 A few of those recommendations include:

• Strengthen the capacity of the judiciary and police in victim support. 
• Implement training on gender-based violence for all police, prosecutors, judges, and other actors involved in victim support. 
• Provide sufficient financing for the implementation of the Istanbul Convention. 

Join us on UN Web TV between September 26th and 30th to observe our oral statement to the Human Rights Council on the outcomes of the UPR process. We urge North Macedonia to fully implement all the measures of the Istanbul Convention, including the Convention's recommendation that the State Party develop systems across its governmental departments for the collection of data on all forms of violence against women. Finally, we further urge North Macedonia to adopt all bylaws, protocols and programs of the 2021 Law on Prevention and Protection from Violence against Women and Domestic Violence to ensure that women and children across the country may fully realize their human rights, and to enjoy a life free from violence.

Viet Nam

Last spring, Viet Nam underwent its interactive dialogue for the 4^th Cycle of the Universal Periodic Review. During the session, we were happy to see many recommendations on the death penalty. We especially congratulate Viet Nam on accepting Belgium’s recommendation to limit the death penalty to the “most serious” crimes.  We hope in the next five years Viet Nam will indeed restrict its use of the death penalty to the “most serious” crimes and eradicate the death penalty for drug- and corruption- related offences.  

We are concerned that Viet Nam did not accept recommendations to release data about its death penalty practices, particularly due to the absence of information about women sentenced to death. State secrecy hampers accurate monitoring of people in capital cases and ensuring that their rights are protected. 

For more information, read our joint stakeholder report with the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty.

Yemen

The Advocates is deeply concerned that Yemen has not abolished the death penalty, ratified the ICCPR’s Second Optional Protocol, adopted a moratorium on executions, or limited the death-eligible offenses to the “most serious crimes.”   

During its fourth UPR, Yemen asserted its commitment to protecting the right to life. The Government also claimed it takes a cautious approach to the death penalty, with measures in place to limit executions, including a prohibition on executing minors. Despite these assurances, Yemen had one of the highest death sentence rates in 2023. Further, women face discrimination in the judicial system and are often sentenced to death based on unfair trials and spurious charges connected to their spouse or family members. Courts also have sentenced people to death for crimes they committed as children under the age of 18, often due to courts not fulling determining the defendants’ age in the case of inadequate practices in birth registration.  

In the fourth cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) last spring, Yemen received 28 recommendations on the death penalty and related issues in the administration of justice of capital cases, including:

• Impose an official moratorium on executions 
• Limit the death penalty to the most serious crimes 
• Take comprehensive steps to eliminate the use of torture.  

We were pleased that Yemen accepted Czechia’s recommendation to impose a moratorium on the death penalty and ensure that the death penalty is not imposed on persons aged under 18 at the time of the offence, and Italy’s recommendation to reduce the offences punishable by the death penalty, provide official figures regarding death sentences and executions, and consider introducing a moratorium on the death penalty. Later this week, The Advocates will deliver an oral statement to the Human Rights Council on the outcomes of the UPR on UN Web TV.   

To learn more, read our UPR stakeholder report.  

The Advocates and the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty are devoted to advocating for the abolition of the death penalty globally to ensure that every person’s human rights are realized and upheld. To keep informed on the death penalty, register for The World Coalition Against the Death Penalty’s trimestral newsletter on gender and the death penalty, and join us on October 10^th for World Day Against the Death Penalty.    

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