HRC43: Oral statement during Agenda Item 3

Agenda Item 3: General Debate

Organisation: Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW)

Speaker: Claire Denman

Thank you Madame President,

CSW wishes to draw the Council’s attention to violations experienced by human rights defenders, particularly those defending the right to freedom of religion or belief.

In Mexico, human rights defenders including journalists and religious leaders continue to experience serious human rights violations.

Religious leaders in Mexico are particularly vulnerable as criminal groups view their influence as a threat. Those working with migrants and asylum seekers are increasingly targeted.

We call on Mexico to launch full and thorough investigations into attacks and for particular concern to be given to the enforced disappearance of Alfredo Castillo de Luna and Pastor Aarón Méndez Ruiz on 3 August 2019, the director of the Casa del Migrante AMAR migrant shelter in Nuevo Laredo who is believed to have been targeted because he was protecting Cubans housed in the shelter from attempts by criminal groups to kidnap and hold them for ransom.

CSW is also concerned by the continued targeting of human rights and religious freedom defenders in Cuba.

Large numbers of women affiliated with the Ladies in White movement continue to be arbitrarily detained by state security agents on a weekly basis.

In July 2019 religious freedom defender Ricardo Fernandez Izaguirre was arbitrarily detained and held incommunicado for a week after state security agents arrested him as he was leaving the headquarters of the Ladies in White, where he had been documenting violations of freedom of religion or belief.

Fernandez Izaguirre was also detained and held incommunicado for 29 hours from 13-15 November.

We call on the government of Cuba to end the targeting of all human rights defenders.

In Vietnam, it is estimated that the State currently holds over 250 prisoners of conscience. CSW is particularly concerned by the continued detention of pastor and activist Nguyen Trung Ton and legal expert Nguyen Bac Truyen, both of whom have been detained since July 2017.

We call on Vietnam to release all prisoners of conscience immediately and without condition.

Thank you