Djibouti: Implement UN recommendations on human rights 20 September 2018
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Thursday September 20, 2018 - 19:51:12 in Wararka by
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The Djiboutian government's replies to the recommendations it received during its May 2018 review give rise to doubt, rather than confidence, said the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project (DefendDefenders) and the Djiboutian Observatory for the Promotion of Democracy and Human Rights (ODDH) today. Following the adoption of the report on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Djibouti by the UN Human Rights Council, DefendDefenders and ODDH highlight the government's inappropriate contentment with accepting vague recommendations and the lack of consistency of some of its replies.
"We fear that the inconsistencies we identified in Djibouti's repliesreflect a lack of political will on the part of the government to implement its obligations,"said Hassan Shire, Executive Director, DefendDefenders."It is particularly worrying that the government accepted to'prevent the use of excessive force against civilians,'yet refused to accept a more precise recommendation on'improving training programmes for security forces to put an end to acts of violent repression of peaceful demonstrations'."
Hassan Shire
Executive Director, the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project
on executive@defenddefenders.org or +256 772 753 753
(English and Somali)
Doublespeak may also be evident in the fact that in April this year, Kadar Abdi Ibrahim was briefly detained and his passportconfiscatedby the Documentation and Security Service (SDS) after he took part in UPR "pre-sessions” in Geneva. Since then, he has been unable to leave the country. Before the UN, Djibouti accepted recommendations pertaining to the fight against acts of threats, harassment and intimidation committed against human rights defenders.
"The authorities should immediately return Kadar Abdi Ibrahim’s passport to him,”said Farah Abdillahi Miguil, President, ODDH."In accordance with its human rights obligations, Djibouti should allow all independent actors – including human rights defenders,
journalists, bloggers, trade unions and non-governmental organisations – to carry out their peaceful activities free from hindrance.”
journalists, bloggers, trade unions and non-governmental organisations – to carry out their peaceful activities free from hindrance.”
Additionally, Djibouti accepted to ratify international legal instruments. It should therefore comply with this commitment and ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families. DefendDefenders and ODDH regret that Djibouti refused to extend a "standing invitation” to all special procedures of the Human Rights Council – independent experts who are tasked with assessing and reporting on specific rights and freedoms. Djibouti is one of the few states that have never received any visit from a special procedure mandate-holder.[1]A visit request by the Special Rapporteur on freedoms of peaceful assembly and association, which the latter formulated in 2011, remains unanswered.
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The fact that Djibouti committed to implement nine recommendations already accepted during its UPR, in 2013, can only lead to caution. At the time, Djibouti committed to implement these
recommendations, related to freedom of expression, access to information, and freedom of assembly, however it is yet to comply. We urge Djibouti to walk the talk and implement meaningful reforms in line with its obligations and commitments.
recommendations, related to freedom of expression, access to information, and freedom of assembly, however it is yet to comply. We urge Djibouti to walk the talk and implement meaningful reforms in line with its obligations and commitments.
The UPR is a process set up by the Human Rights Council, the UN’s principal human rights body. The human rights record of every UN member state is reviewed every four-and-a-halftofive years, in Geneva, Switzerland, a process during which the government of the state under review receives recommendations made by its peers. NGOs can participate in the process by submitting alternative reports, such as theoneDefendDefenders co-signed, and engaging in advocacy at the national and UN levels.
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DefendDefenders delivered an oral statement regarding the adoption of the outcome of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Djibouti at the 39th regular session of the UN Human Rights Council: the statement is availablehere.
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Djibouti: Il faut mettre en œuvre les recommandations onusiennes en matière de droits humains
Les réponses du gouvernement de Djibouti aux recommandations reçues lors de son examen de mai 2018 suscitent davantage de craintes que de confiance, ont déclaré DefendDefenders et l’Observatoire djiboutien pour la promotion de la démocratie et des droits humains (ODDH) aujourd’hui. À la suite de l’adoption du rapport sur l’Examen périodique universel (EPU) de Djibouti par le Conseil des droits de l’homme de l’ONU, DefendDefenders et l’ODDH soulignent que le gouvernement s’est borné à accepter des recommandations vagues, ainsi que le manque de cohérence entre certaines de ses réponses.
«Nous craignons que les incohérences relevées dans les réponses de Djibouti ne reflètent un manque de volonté politique du gouvernement de mettre en œuvre ses obligations», a déclaré Hassan Shire, Directeur exécutif de DefendDefenders.«Il est particulièrement inquiétant que le gouvernement ait accepté de‘prévenir l’usage excessif de la force contre des civils’, mais qu’il ait rejeté la recommandation, plus précise, l’appelant à‘améliorer les programmes de formation des forces de sécurité́ pour mettre fin aux actes de répression violente de manifestations pacifiques’».
Signe d’un certain double discours, en avril dernier, après sa participation aux «pré-sessions» de l’EPU à Genève, Kadar Abdi Ibrahim a été́ brièvement détenu et son passeportconfisquépar des agents du Service de la documentation et de la sécurité (SDS). Il se trouve depuis dans
l’impossibilité de quitter le pays. Devant l’ONU, Djibouti a pourtant accepté des recommandations portant sur la lutte contre les actes de menaces, de harcèlement et d’intimidation à l’encontre des défenseurs des droits humains. « Les autorités devraient immédiatement rendre son passeport à Kadar Abdi Ibrahim », a dit Farah Abdillahi Miguil, Président de l’ODDH.« Conformément à ses obligations en
matière de droits humains, Djibouti doit également permettre à tous les acteurs indépendants – défenseurs des droits humains, journalistes, blogueurs, syndicats, organisations non gouvernementales – de mener leurs activités pacifiques sans entraves». Djibouti a en outre accepté de ratifier des instruments juridiques internationaux. Il devrait mettre en œuvre cet engagement en ratifiant la Convention internationale pour la protection de toutes les personnes contre les disparitions forcées et la Convention internationale sur la protection des droits de tous les travailleurs migrants et des membres de leur famille.
DefendDefenders et l’ODDH regrettent queDjibouti ait refusé d’offrir une «invitation ouverte et permanente» aux procédures spéciales du Conseil des droits de l’homme – des experts
indépendants chargés d’évaluer et de faire rapport sur le respect de droits et de libertés spécifiques. Djibouti est l’un des rares États à n’avoir jamais reçu la moindre visite d’un titulaire de mandat de procédure spéciale[2], et la demande de visite formulée par le Rapporteur spécial sur la liberté de réunion pacifique et d’association, formulée en 2011, reste à ce jour sans réponse. Le fait que Djibouti se soit engagé à mettre en œuvre neuf recommandations déjà acceptées lors de son EPU de 2013 doit inciter à la prudence. Djibouti s’était engagé à appliquer ces
recommandations, qui portent sur la liberté d’expression, l’accès à l’information et sur le droit à la liberté de réunion, il y a cinq ans, mais elles sont restées lettre morte. Nous exhortons Djibouti à passer des paroles aux actes et à mettre en œuvre des réformes réelles, conformément à ses obligations et à ses engagements. L’EPU est un processus mis en place par le Conseil des droits de l’homme, l’organe principal des Nations Unies en charge des droits humains. Tous les quatre ans et demi à cinq ans, à Genève (Suisse), la situation en matière de droits humains de chaque État membre de l’ONU est examinée. L’État qui est soumis à cet examen reçoit des recommandations de ses pairs. Les ONG peuvent participer au processus en soumettant des rapports alternatifs, commeceluico-signé par DefendDefenders, et en menant des actions de plaidoyer aux niveaux national et onusien. ***
DefendDefenders a fait une intervention orale concernant l'adoption du rapport sur l’Examen périodique universel (EPU) de Djibouti pendant le 39ème session ordinaire du conseil des droits de l’homme de l’ONU: l'intervention est disponibleici. |
Executive Director, the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project
on executive@defenddefenders.org or +256 772 753 753
(English and Somali)
Estella Kabachwezi
Senior Advocacy and Research Officer, the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project
on advocacy@defenddefenders.org or +256 782 360 460
(English)
Senior Advocacy and Research Officer, the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project
on advocacy@defenddefenders.org or +256 782 360 460
(English)
Nicolas Agostini
Representative to the United Nations (Geneva), the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project
on geneva@defenddefenders.org or +41 798 134 991
(English and French)
Representative to the United Nations (Geneva), the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project
on geneva@defenddefenders.org or +41 798 134 991
(English and French)
East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project
DefendDefenders seeks to strengthen the work of human rights defenders throughout the region by reducing their vulnerability to the risk of persecution and by enhancing their capacity to effectively defend human rights.
DefendDefenders focuses its work on Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia (together with Somaliland), South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. Visit us atwww.defenddefenders.org
DefendDefenders seeks to strengthen the work of human rights defenders throughout the region by reducing their vulnerability to the risk of persecution and by enhancing their capacity to effectively defend human rights.
DefendDefenders focuses its work on Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia (together with Somaliland), South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. Visit us atwww.defenddefenders.org
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Djibouti: Implement UN recommendations on human rights 20 September 2018
Version française ci-dessous The Djiboutian government's replies to the recommendations it received during its May 2018 review give rise to doubt, rather than confidence, said the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defender