RES/21/25 Situation of human rights in the Republic of Mali

GE.12-18160

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

Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council***

21/25

Situation of human rights in the Republic of Mali

The Human Rights Council,

Guided by the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other relevant international instruments,

Recalling General Assembly resolution 60/251 of 15 March 2006 and Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 of 18 June 2007,

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

Reaffirming also its commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of the Republic of Mali,

Reaffirming further Human Rights Council resolution 20/17 of 6 July 2012, on the situation of human rights in Mali, in which the Council welcomed the communiqués on the situation in Mali dated 6 April 2012 from the African Union, dated 23 March, 3 April, 12 June and 4 September 2012 from the African Union Peace and Security Council, and dated 6 June 2012 from the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States, not least with regard to their condemnation of the coup d’état of 22 March 2012 and the unilateral declaration of independence,

Welcoming the formation on 20 August 2012 of a Government of national unity,

Concerned at the impact of the activities of organized transnational crime networks on the situation of human rights in Mali and in the other countries of the region,

** Second reissue for technical reasons (12 November 2012). *** The resolutions and decisions adopted by the Human Rights Council will be contained in the report of

the Council on its twenty-first session (A/HRC/21/2), chap. I.

United Nations A/HRC/RES/21/25**

General Assembly Distr.: General 19 October 2012 English Original: French

Deeply concerned at the deterioration in the situation of human rights in the northern part of the Republic of Mali and at the humanitarian situation and its consequences for the countries of the Sahel,

1. Condemns the excesses and abuses committed in the Republic of Mali, particularly in the north of the country, by, among others, rebels, terrorist groups and other organized transnational crime networks, and including violence against women and children, killings, hostage-taking, pillaging, theft, the destruction of cultural and religious sites and the recruitment of child soldiers, as well as all other human rights violations;

2. Note the measures taken by the Government of Mali to bring the perpetrators of such acts to justice;

3. Repeats its call for an immediate halt to the abuses and all human rights violations and acts of violence, and for strict respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms;

4. Calls for an immediate halt to the destruction of cultural and religious sites;

5. Continues to support current efforts by the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States to settle the crisis in the Republic of Mali, and to bring about a definitive return to constitutional order, peace and security in that country;

6. Emphasizes the need to pursue humanitarian assistance to the population affected by the crisis, and urges the international community, in conjunction with the Government of Mali and the neighbouring countries concerned, to continue to deliver appropriate humanitarian assistance to refugees and displaced persons and to respond to the challenges posed by the humanitarian crisis in the Sahel;

7. Renews its urgent request to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to submit to the Human Rights Council, at its twenty-second session, a written report on the situation of human rights in the Republic of Mali, particularly the northern part of the country;

8. Decides to remain seized of this matter.

38th meeting

28 September 2012

[Adopted without a vote.]