Strengthening Technical Cooperation and Advisory Services for Guinea

A/HRC/RES/31/29View PDF

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

A Resolution of the Human Rights Council, under agenda item 10 Technical assistance and capacity-building, published in 2016.

What subjects does this mandate have?

11 subjects

Administration of Justice Advisory Services Conferences Democracy Elections Guinea Human Rights International Cooperation Reconciliation Security Sector Reform Technical Cooperation

What’s in this document?

27 operative paragraphs

Recalling General Assembly resolution 60/251 of 15 March 2006, and Council resolutions 13/21 of 26 March 2010, 16/36 of 25 March 2011, 19/30 of 23 March 2012, 23/23 of 14 June 2013, 25/35 of 28 March 2014 and 28/33 of 27 March 2015,

Reaffirming that all States have an obligation to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms enshrined in the Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenants on Human Rights and other relevant instruments on human rights to which they are party,

Welcoming the report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the situation of human rights in Guinea,² in which he highlighted the progress made by the country in promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms and reforming the justice sector,

²A/HRC/31/48.

Noting with satisfaction the efforts made by Guinea and Guineans, with the support of the international community, particularly the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States, with regard to the establishment of democratic institutions and strengthening of the rule of law,

Welcoming the progress made by the Guinean authorities in consolidating the freedoms of opinion and expression,

Recalling the recommendations made by the Commission of Inquiry established by the Secretary-General and supported by the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States,

Recalling also that it is the first responsibility of the Government of Guinea to protect its population, to conduct investigations into allegations of violations and abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law and to bring those responsible to justice,

Acknowledges the efforts made by the Government of Guinea to strengthen the rule of law and to improve the situation of human rights in the country;

Welcomes the mainstreaming of human rights in the reform of the security sector;

Encourages the Guinean authorities to continue their efforts to mainstream human rights into all government policies and to bring national legislation fully into line with the international commitments of Guinea;

Calls upon the Guinean authorities to continue their efforts to consolidate freedom of peaceful assembly and association and freedom of expression, including freedom of the media and protection of journalists and media workers, and notes in this respect the establishment of the High Communications Authority;

Welcomes the start of the national consultation process for reconciliation, and calls upon the Guinean authorities to make the process of justice, truth and reconciliation fully operational;

Strongly reaffirms its commitment to accession to power through democratic channels, and condemns all incitement to ethnic and/or racial hatred;

Welcomes the holding in October 2015 of fair presidential elections, and calls upon the Government of Guinea to consolidate the democratic electoral framework, particularly in view of the upcoming municipal and local elections, in line with the inter-Guinean political agreement of 20 August 2015;

Urges all political actors to continue to engage actively and in good faith in the political dialogue, and to be actively involved in the process of national reconciliation;

Encourages the Government of Guinea to make operational the national commission for reflection and prevention created in 2013 to tackle the phenomenon of violence;

Welcomes the efforts made by the Government of Guinea within the framework of the reform of the security and defence forces, which includes respect for human rights and guarantees the exercise of civil and political rights, and calls upon the Government to continue the training of security forces in the field of human rights;

Also welcomes the progress made within the framework of the reform of the justice sector and the strengthening of the rule of law, including the establishment of the Supreme Judicial Council, the improvement in working conditions for judges, the creation of the Constitutional Court and the establishment of the Court of Auditors;

Encourages the Government of Guinea to adopt and to implement reforms to strengthen the administration of justice in order to combat impunity and to consolidate respect for human rights;

Calls upon the Government of Guinea to ensure that the national institution of human rights is established in accordance with the principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (Paris Principles);

Encourages the Government of Guinea to continue its efforts in the fight against impunity, particularly court proceedings initiated with respect to alleged violence by security forces, including in 2007 and 2013;

Urges the Government of Guinea to take the following additional measures:

To support the work of the panel of judges appointed to investigate the events of 28 September 2009 and to speed up judicial proceedings against those responsible for the violence, including acts of sexual violence committed against women and young girls;

To ensure that the panel of judges is provided with the means and security conditions necessary to enable it to fulfil its mandate effectively;

To ensure the organization and conduct of the trial relating to the events of 28 September 2009;

To ensure the security and protection of witnesses and victims, and to provide them with appropriate assistance and reparation, including in the form of medical aid and psychological support;

To compensate the families of victims who died as a result of the events of 28 September 2009, and to provide reparations to the injured for physical and psychological suffering inflicted upon them;

Takes note of the report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the situation of human rights in Guinea;1

Strongly reiterates its call upon the international community:

To provide the Government of Guinea with appropriate assistance to promote respect for human rights, the fight against impunity and reform of the security and justice sector, and ongoing initiatives to promote truth, justice and national reconciliation;

To support the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Guinea;

Invites the High Commissioner to report to the Council at its thirty-fourth session on the evaluation of the situation of human rights and the activities of the Office of the High Commissioner in Guinea;

Decides to organize, at its thirty-fourth session, an interactive dialogue in the presence of all interested parties on the implementation of the present resolution, with particular emphasis on the fight against impunity;

Also decides to remain seized of this matter.

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

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