In the "new and improved" UN Human Rights Council, the worst human rights abusers are praised and admired. The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is said to be the major innovation offered by the Council over its predecessor, the UN Human Rights Commission. In fact, the UPR has become a place where abusers are applauded and democracies are heavily criticized. When the discussion of a country's human rights record is over, the country involved is asked for a "response" to any recommendations for improvement. Rejections of recommendations by human rights abusing states are routinely ignored. Every UPR ends without the Council taking action to launch an investigation or issuing any condemnation.
Watch HumanRightsVoices videos for the UN's treatment of such countries as Iran, Libya, China, Cuba, and Saudi Arabia.
And compare it to the Council's treatment of Israel, the United States and Canada.
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