Debate Over Humans Rights Council

Author: Reilly Hummell

The Human Rights Council (HRC) of the UN reviews the human rights of individual countries three times a year. This council consists of 47 member states including the Germany, Italy, China, and Saudi Arabia. Each time the HRC is in session, 14 countries are reviewed and then given suggestions on how to improve their situation. However, despite the good intentions of the HRC it has, recently, been under fire for its hypocritical tendencies.

Allegations about bias in the Human Rights Council have been circling since early October when some questionable decisions were made as to what countries would be serving on the council. Countries such as China, Saudi Arabia, Cuba, and Egypt were the most concerning considering they all have a history with violating human rights. Not only does having these countries on the council sacrifice the integrity of the HRC, but it also begs the question; is the HRC going to be able to fairly evaluate countries in terms of human rights? Many member states of the UN don’t think so, in fact the United States has decided to resign from the Human Rights Council this year in light of the corruption allegations referring to the HRC as, ”a cesspool of political bias.” Of course with this statement the United States is not only referring to the general bias of the council, but more specifically to the council’s treatment of Israel.

The HRC has only one permanent agenda item dedicated to an individual state, that state being Israel, and the agenda item referring to the Israel-Palestine dispute. This item has been a part of the council since 2007, the council having first been created in 2006, and it has created controversy within the UN since. Many claim that the agenda item is inappropriate and actually causes more harm to the situation than it helps, it’s also the cause for many questioning the legitimacy and professionalism of the HRC. In addition to the United States, Britain has also spoken out about the unfair treatment of Israel when saying, “We share the view that the dedicated Agenda Item 7 [the Israel-Palestine dispute] focused solely on Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories is disproportionate and damaging to the cause of peace, and unless things change we shall vote next year against all resolutions introduced under Item 7.”

If this kind of behavior continues in the Human Rights Council the UN might find itself under investigation. The Office of International Oversight Services (OIOS) is incharge of examining international organisations such as the UN but as of right now the HRC is not under investigation.

The Unfreedom of Speech in Russia

Author: Melina Nguyen

Russia has maintained an image of conservative media and a stifled climate of speech and protest through the 20th century and Cold War era, stretching into the Putin Era. With the Russian Parliament’s persistent advances to restrict civil society group participation, online freedom, and slanderous political protest, the Russian population are increasingly suppressed by Russian  authority and Putin administration.

Russia is officially a federal semi-presidential republic, made of 83 political units including oblasts, republics, okrugs, etc., and headed by an elected president and a prime minister. Contrary to the legitimacy (a government’s right to govern) established by the inclusion of a bicameral legislature – the upper house, the Federation Council, and the lower house, the State Duma – the Russian government seems somewhat corrupt; the executive branch consists of a elected president and a prime minister who is appointed by the president and confirmed by the Duma. Currently, Vladimir Putin is the president alongside prime minister Dmitry Medvedev. These two executive leaders have shared power and switched positions between terms since 2008. Many Russian citizens have expressed outrage concerning Putin and his tyrannical policies and rules, i.e. media and internet surveillance.

The extent of media and press freedom in Russia has been at a violent nadir, especially for freelance journalists condemning the President, Vladimir Putin, and normal citizens participating in protests. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, 58 journalists were murdered since 1992. Many were independent or foreign journalists, mysteriously deported, targeted, and attacked by Russian government officials. Furthermore, Russia is 148th out of 180 countries on a scale measuring World Press Freedom Index as of 2018 and is continually worsening in this regard. And Russia is ranked 131st place out of 176 countries on the Corruption Perception Index. These low rankings cause a general distrust in the country’s belief in their freedom and liberty concerning free speech and expression.

In 2017, a man displayed a poster painted with “Putin Lies” and was arrested at a Moscow protest about freedom of speech. The protest was ignited by a bill passed by the Duma that would reduce online anonymity by banning proxy servers and VPNs. Later, the man was detained and released for the poster.

In the same year as the man with the “Putin Lies” poster, a video blogger named Ruslan Sokolovsky was arrested with the basis of hatred towards religious feelings and practice. The charges were founded in the blogger’s prank video recorded in a Russian Orthodox Church in Ekaterinburg and shared on social media.

The FIFA World Cup in the summer this year also highlighted the group Pussy Riot, a political activist group consisting of female performers and advocates. They attempted to convey their message to the government – “allow political competition, to free political prisoners and to stop detentions at political rallies.” Their attention-grabbing police officer  disguises caught the eye of Putin in the audience, showing that a bit of expression may even reach the acknowledgement of a president.

The People are Numb: A Poem by Jaela Smith

 

The folks are numb

Nothing seems to phase them

A cat cries

And the people do nothing to save them

Thousands of kids die

No legislation passed to change them

The guns laws, I mean

Easy access to instruments meant to protect

Instead objects meant to oppress and impress

Send the kids into distress

Topic of discussion are those deaths your form of

Press? But i digress because the topic obviously

Leaves me a mess, make a mess of me

Unhinged men leave me with chattering teeth

Trembling knees

Tees with faces of a friend’s mother’s sister

A golden-hearted mister

People say she’s lucky he missed her

But she’s living a life of grief

She’s awestruck the massacre happened

A couple months ago

Yet still there’s disbelief

May she and I implore

Why there’s hatred in every sector of society

Why equally places of great sanctity and secularity are harbors of hatred

May I instead

Ask you

Why you wish us dead

Because by giving anyone access to guns

Creates a watershed between

The middle and the first

And there’s always gonna be a monopoly on our heads.

Caravan of Refugees Seeking Asylum

Author: Evelyn Salmeron

On October 12, hundreds of immigrants from Honduras gathered to go to the U.S. After media coverage, many more immigrants joined the movement from Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala. Some were looking for better lives and more opportunities. Others were fleeing their homes because of violence and seeking asylum. Honduras has substantial problems with gang violence and drugs. They have one of the highest murder rates in the world. Many migrants are often kidnapped and forced by traffickers and gangs to work for them. A large group is harder to target and offers more protection, as well as saving people from paying thousands of dollars to smugglers. Many in the caravans are women and children who say they are fleeing rampant gang violence in Central America.

The main caravan is estimated at about 5,000 people, not including the other two  smaller groups. The journey is difficult and has several challenges because of the hot weather, which can cause sunburn and dehydration. There have been at least two deaths when two people slipped off a vehicle and were run over.

The U.S. government has a legal obligation to hear asylum claims from migrants if they fear violence in their home countries. People seeking asylum must be fleeing due to a serious threat of brutality. Under international law, these people are considered refugees. Even if migrants enter the U.S. illegally, they are still entitled to an asylum hearing. However; those only seeking a better quality of life, are not seen as refugees, and do not have the same protections. In June, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said that victims of domestic abuse and gang violence would no longer qualify for asylum.

Trump has zeroed in on the caravan of immigrants from Central America making their way north through Mexico toward the U.S. border. Trump has sent 15,000 troops to the border to meet the slow-moving migrant caravan. More than 3,500 troops have been staged at bases along the border, including about 1,000 Marines in California. There are only about 100 troops at the border working near a bridge leading to Texas with a population of about 140,000. In total, Trump’s military deployment to the border could cost more than $200 million. Although the troops cannot actually apprehend undocumented immigrants, they will act as extra eyes and ears for Border Patrol.

Anhhuy Do: GA VP Candidate Profile

Author: Linda Takacs

Anhhuy Do is a junior at Hillwood High School, here for his third year at Model UN. In his opinion, the most important part of MUN is the ability to “address international issues” as a teenager and “share these ideas in a respectful, professional setting.” This year he has decided to run for General Assembly VP because he wants to provide a fun experience for delegates and be someone to look up to, while at the same time being a fun-loving VP and ensuring everyone enjoys MUN as much as possible. Outside of MUN, Anhhuy plays flute for orchestra, loves rap (Cardi B being one of his favorites, although he also likes Adele), and enjoys spending time with his friends and family.