TodaysNetworkNews: 25 February 2011 -- UNTV: Geneva, Switzerland -- A Special Meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) was held here today (25 February) regarding the allegations of grave human rights abuses in Libya; statements were presented by United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay who called for the immediate cessation of the grave human rights violations committed by Libyan authorities and for an independent international investigation into the violent suppression of protests in the country. Libyan delegate Abdel Shalut called for a minute of silence "in honor of those martyrs who fell." He added that the Libyan delegation at the UN in Geneva has "categorically decided to serve as the representatives of the Libyan people and their free will."
The United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council (HRC) today (25 Feb) held a special session in Geneva on the recent violence in Libya.
Addressing the 47-member Council, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay called on the Libyan Government to meet its responsibility to protect its population, immediately end all human rights violations, stop any attacks against civilians, and respect the popular will, aspirations and demands of its people.
Pillay called the "crackdown in Libya" and "reported mass killings" a "continuing breach of international law." She added that, according to some sources, "thousands may have been killed or injured."
The High Commissioner also recalled that under international law, any official carrying out atrocities "can be held criminally accountable and that widespread and systematic attacks against the civilian population may amount to crimes against humanity."
Libya, as a member of the Council, had pledged to respect human rights, and is also a State party to various international human rights treaties.
Ambassador Peter Gooderham from the United Kingdom asked Council members to consider if a State party like Libya "that has such a blatant disregard to the right to live be allowed to sit on the Human Rights Council?"
Similarly, representative from United States Eileen Donahoe called on the General Assembly to "suspend the membership rights" of Libya adding that the continued participation of the country "in this forum undermines the core mission of this Council and its mandate and goals."
According to several accounts, the killings in Libya have also been carried out by foreign fighters who were and reportedly continue to be brought into the country and equipped with small arms and light weapons by the Government to suppress the protests.
In this connection, the High Commissioner's Office has received reports that some Libyans are turning on refugees and migrants from other African countries, suspecting them of being mercenaries fighting for the Libyan Government.
During the session, Libyan delegate Abdel Shalut called for a minute of silence "in honor of those martyrs who fell." He added that the Libyan delegation at the UN in Geneva has "categorically decided to serve as the representatives of the Libyan people and their free will."
On the international inquiry into alleged abuses, Mojtaba Amiri Vahid from the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) said that his organisation "backs the call for establishing a fact-finding mission to perform on the ground an assessment of the human rights situation in Libya."
At the end of the special session, the Council unanimously adopted a resolution calling on the Libyan Government to meet its responsibility to protect its population, immediately end all human rights violations, stop any attacks against civilians, and respect the popular will, aspirations and demands of its people.
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