Resolution S-5/1: Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar

Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
October 2, 2007

Human Rights Council
5th Special Session

The Human Rights Council,

Guided by the principles and objectives of the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenants on Human Rights and recalling General Assembly resolution 60/251 of 15 March 2006 and Commission on Human Rights resolution 2005/10 of 14 April 2005,

Deeply concerned at the situation of human rights in Myanmar, Recalling that everyone has the right to take part in the government of their country, directly or through freely chosen representatives, the right to freedom of opinion and expression and the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association,

1. Strongly deplores the continued violent repression of peaceful demonstrations in Myanmar, including through beatings, killings, arbitrary detentions and enforced disappearances, expresses condolences to the victims and their families, and urges the Government of Myanmar to exercise utmost restraint and to desist from further violence against peaceful protesters;

2. Urges the Government of Myanmar to ensure full respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and to investigate and bring to justice perpetrators of human rights violations, including for the recent violations of the rights of peaceful protesters;

3. Also urges the Government of Myanmar to release without delay those arrested and detained as a result of the recent repression of peaceful protests, as well as to release all political detainees in Myanmar, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and to ensure that conditions of detention meet international standards and include the possibility of visiting any detainee;

4. Further urges the Government of Myanmar to lift all restraints on peaceful political activity of all persons by, inter alia, guaranteeing freedom of peaceful assembly and association and freedom of opinion and expression, including for free and independent media, and to ensure unhindered access to media information for the people of Myanmar;

5. Welcomes the decision of the Government of Myanmar to receive a visit by the Special Envoy to Myanmar of the Secretary-General, Ibrahim Gambari, and calls upon the Government of Myanmar to cooperate fully with him to find a peaceful solution;

6. Urges the Government of Myanmar to engage urgently in a reinvigorated national dialogue with all parties with a view to achieving genuine national reconciliation, democratization and the establishment of the rule of law;

7. Encourages the Government of Myanmar and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to engage in a dialogue with a view to ensuring full respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms;

8. Urges the Government of Myanmar to cooperate fully with humanitarian organizations, including by ensuring full, safe and unhindered access of humanitarian assistance to all persons in need throughout the country;

9. Requests the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar to assess the current human rights situation and to monitor the implementation of this resolution, including by seeking an urgent visit to Myanmar, and to report to the resumed sixth session of the Human Rights Council, and in this respect urges the Government of Myanmar to cooperate with the Special Rapporteur;

10. Also requests the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar to inform the General Assembly at its sixty-second session on progress in this regard;

11. Decides to remain seized of this matter.

Adopted without a vote
2nd meeting
2 October 2007