Saudi Arabia was appointed to Head the UN Human Rights Council…..
All victims of human rights abuses should be able to look to the Human Rights Council as a forum and a springboard for action. (Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary-General, 12 March 2007, Opening of the 4th Human Rights Council Session.) Article 55 of United Nations Charter includes: “Universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion.”
In diametrical opposition to these fine founding aspirations, the UN has appointed Saudi Arabia’s envoy to the United Nations Human Rights Council to head (or should that be “behead”) an influential human rights panel. The appointment was seemingly made in June, but only came to light on 17th September, due to documents obtained by UN Watch.
Saudi Arabia – that Western-backed bastion of human rights – executed 47 people this past Saturday, including a top Shiite cleric whose death sparked protests in Eastern Province and inflamed sectarian tensions across the region. In neighboring Bahrain scores of protesters marched in protest at the killings requiring the use of teargas to disburse crowds.