RES/16/25 Situation of human rights in Côte d’Ivoire

GE.A/HRC/16/79. 1-12818

Human Rights Council Sixteenth session Agenda item 4 Human rights situations that require the Council’s attention

Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council*

16/25 Situation of human rights in Côte d’Ivoire

The Human Rights Council,

Guided by the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the other relevant human rights treaties,

Recalling General Assembly resolution 60/251 of 15 March 2006,

Recalling also Human Rights Council resolutions 5/1 and 5/2 of 18 June 2007,

Recalling further Human Rights Council resolution S-14/1, adopted by the Council on 23 December 2010 at its special session on the situation of human rights in Côte d’Ivoire in relation to the conclusion of the 2010 presidential election,

Reaffirming that all States are bound to promote and protect all human rights and fundamental freedoms enshrined in the Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international human rights treaties to which they are party,

Reaffirming also its conviction that the post‐electoral crisis in Côte d'Ivoire requires an overall political solution that preserves democracy and peace and promotes lasting reconciliation among all Ivorians,

Noting the role played by the international community, in particular the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States, in efforts to put an end to violence, halt clashes, work towards a peaceful solution to the ongoing crisis and take action to strengthen the rule of law and improve the situation of human rights in Côte d’Ivoire,

Reaffirming that it is the responsibility of Côte d’Ivoire to promote and protect all human rights and fundamental freedoms, to investigate alleged violations of human rights and international law and to bring to justice the perpetrators of such acts, who are answerable for their deeds before the judicial process,

* The resolutions and decisions adopted by the Human Rights Council will be contained in the report of

the Council on its sixteenth session (A/HRC/16/2), chap. I.

United Nations A/HRC/RES/16/25

General Assembly

Distr.: General 13 April 2011

Noting with appreciation the report presented by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights1 as a follow-up to Human Rights Council resolution S- 14/1,

1. Commends the efforts made by the Economic Community of West African States and the African Union, in particular the decision adopted by the Peace and Security Council of the African Union at its two hundred and fifty-ninth session, held on 28 January 2011, to establish, under the auspices of the African Union, a high-level group for the settlement of the crisis in conditions respecting peace and democracy;

2. Welcomes the decision of the above-mentioned high-level group, endorsed by the Peace and Security Council at its meeting of 10 March 2011, recognizing the election of Alassane Ouattara as President of Côte d'Ivoire;

3. Expresses concern at the seriousness and extent of the abuses and violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law;

4. Reiterates its firm condemnation of all atrocities and other violations of human rights, threats and acts of intimidation, as well as of acts of obstruction directed at the operations of the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire, and deeply regrets the loss of life and destruction of property that has occurred in parts of Côte d'Ivoire;

5. Urges all media outlets in Côte d’Ivoire, in particular the State-owned corporation Radiodiffusion Télévision Ivoirienne and other public and private media controlled by supporters of Laurent Gbagbo, to refrain from inciting violence, hostility and the propaganda of hate speech, and calls for an end to the restriction on media outlets;

6. Calls for an immediate end to the violence, including violence against women, and the respect of all human rights and fundamental freedoms;

7. Notes with concern the deteriorating humanitarian situation on the ground, and calls on all Ivorian parties to cooperate fully with United Nations agencies and other actors working to assist refugees and internally displaced persons;

8. Calls upon States Members of the United Nations, relevant United Nations agencies and international financial institutions to provide technical assistance and capacity-building to Côte d’Ivoire, upon its request;

9. Acknowledges the standing invitation issued by President Ouattara to all United Nations special procedures mandate holders on thematic issues, including the Working Group on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination;

10. Decides to dispatch an independent, international commission of inquiry, to be appointed by the President of the Human Rights Council, taking into consideration the importance of ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women, to investigate the facts and circumstances surrounding the allegations of serious abuses and violations of human rights committed in Côte d’Ivoire following the presidential election of 28 November 2010, in order to identify those responsible for such acts and to bring them to justice, and to present its findings to the Council at its seventeenth session, and calls upon all Ivorian parties to cooperate fully with the commission of inquiry;

11. Decides to recommend that the General Assembly transmit the findings of the commission of inquiry, when available, to all relevant bodies;

12. Requests the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to provide the administrative, technical and logistical support necessary to allow the commission of inquiry to carry out its mandate;

13. Decides to transmit the report of the High Commissioner1 to the General Assembly;

14. Requests the High Commissioner to present a report on the situation of human rights in Côte d’Ivoire at its seventeenth session;

15. Decides to remain seized of the matter.

47th meeting 25 March 2011

[Adopted without a vote.]