Key votes during the 55th session of the UN Human Rights Council

The 55th UN Human Rights Council met from 26 February to 5 April 2024, making it the longest Council session to date. A total of 33 resolutions were adopted, comparatively fewer than in the previous year. This again included numerous country mandates. Among others, the fact-finding mission on Iran was extended, which was set up at the instigation of Germany and Iceland in November 2022 following the death of Mahsa Amini. It came to the conclusion that the subsequent repression of the nationwide protests under the slogan "Women, Life, Freedom" and the pervasive institutional discrimination against women and girls may amount to crimes against humanity. The International Commission of Inquiry on human rights violations in Ukraine stemming from the Russian aggression was also extended. In its latest report, the group focused on evidence on torture against Ukrainian prisoners of wars and concerning the unlawful transfer of children to areas under Russian control. Moreover, a group of three independent experts was mandated for the first time to further investigate the human rights situation in Belarus. The Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan was also extended. And a historic resolution on the rights of intersex people was adopted. However, the spring session focused mainly on the war in Gaza. Among others, a resolution on accountability was adopted, which calls for an immediate ceasefire, the cessation of the sale, transfer and diversion of arms, munition and other military equipment to Israel as well as for a conference of the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention. The text was criticised by Germany and the USA in particular, as although it calls for the immediate release of all hostages, Hamas itself is not mentioned.