Human rights

While recognizing the engagement of the Ethiopian Government during recent visits by senior UN officials, we remain very concerned by allegations of serious human rights violations and abuses, the humanitarian crisis in Tigray and its regional implications.

We thank the High Commissioner Madame Bachelet for her reporting on ongoing serious human rights violations and abuses over the past year, and on the devastating impacts of COVID-19 on vulnerable populations around the world. The unprecedented global health crisis has demonstrated the urgent need for a universal commitment to protect the most vulnerable and marginalized and to address structural inequalities and discrimination, which continue to accelerate the pandemic's impact.

Australia is gravely concerned by the accelerating erosion of democratic norms, undermining of the rule of law, and the often violent repression of fundamental freedoms around the world.

Australia is committed to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a universal, global approach to reducing poverty, promoting sustainable development, and ensuring peace and prosperity.

We reaffirm our support for the mandate of the Special Rapporteur and urge the Government of Eritrea to cooperate fully with this mandate.

We reaffirm our strong condemnation of the systematic and massive human rights violations and abuses reported in Belarus. Particularly, we are deeply concerned about the reported use by the Belarusian authorities of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, including sexual and gender based violence, against peaceful protesters and political opponents.

Australia thanks the Group of Eminent Experts for its oral update and we express our ongoing support for your mandate.

We note Sri Lanka’s stated commitment to continue measures of peacebuilding, reparation, and development. We acknowledge progress made by the Office of Missing Persons and the Office of Reparations and encourage the ongoing and independent operations of these and other key institutions.

Australia urges all countries that maintain the death penalty to cease executions and establish a moratorium on the use of the death penalty.

Australian statements from the 46th Session of the Human Rights Council.