US Mission Geneva

The United States and looks forward to transparent, credible, and fair elections in Haiti on November 20.

We note recent reform laws approved by the legislature, including those on prosecutorial reform and judicial independence. We appreciate the delegation’s updates on implementation of these and other reform priorities.

We commend Uganda for its treatment of refugees, which can serve as a model worldwide.

We are encouraged by the steps taken to prosecute those in the security forces who used excessive force or inappropriately treated detainees. We note however that impunity continues to be a problem.

The United States remains troubled by the human rights situation in Venezuela in light of: lack of respect for separation of powers; actions to bypass the elected National Assembly; suspension of the constitutionally-permitted recall referendum and of regional elections; criminalization of dissent; and continuing media restrictions.

The United States commends Lithuania’s longstanding commitment to the promotion of human rights, both domestically and internationally.

We would like to reiterate the importance of adhering to the rights enshrined in the 2013 Constitution of Zimbabwe, and that are protected under Zimbabwe’s international human rights obligations. We are concerned by severe restrictions on the freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly, and association – including the use of excessive force by police, bans on demonstrations, and government threats to crack down on activists.

The United States commends Iceland’s longstanding commitment to the promotion of human rights both domestically and internationally, and especially for its progressive steps in the areas of tolerance, gender equality, and rights of LGBTI persons.

We reiterate our call for an immediate end to all violations and abuses, as well as accountability for perpetrators of them, especially the egregious, widespread, and continued violations committed by the Asad regime.