This article is part of the GA Monitor for November 2013, reporting on human rights developments at the General Assembly's 68th session.

Several Special Procedures have come under attack for allegedly exceeding their mandates or disregarding the Code of Conduct for Special Procedures Mandate Holders (the Code of Conduct).

Juan Mendez, the Special Rapporteur on Torture, was admonished by Russia for expanding his interpretation of the UN Convention Against Torture. Russia criticised the Special Rapporteur for not abiding by the Code of Conduct and also drew attention ‘to the fact that the Special Rapporteur’s recommendations and comments are not legally binding’, asking Mr Mendez ‘to be careful in his statements about commitments of States’.

The Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Iran faced threats from Iran, Russia and Belarus. Iran rejected the mandate, calling it ‘counter-productive’. Iran criticised the Special Rapporteur for not dedicating enough space in his report to the responses provided by the Iranian government, which Iran said was contrary to the Code of Conduct. Russia and Belarus said the mandate was politically-driven, not objective, and operates on double-standards.

Eritrea attacked the Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Eritrea, claiming there is no human rights situation in Eritrea that calls for an interactive dialogue in the Third Committee. Eritrea also emphatically stated that the mandate was spearheaded by the same countries that are ‘holding Eritrea hostage’ in a state of ‘no war, no peace’, with sanctions. They categorically rejected the picture painted of Eritrea by the Special Rapporteur.

China stated its general opposition to country-specific mandates during the interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar.

During the interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Belarus, the delegation of Belarus attacked the Special Rapporteur, saying it recognised neither the mandate nor the reports submitted to General Assembly. Belarus accused the Special Rapporteur of a clear political agenda to punish Belarus for implementing its own model of development. Belarus called the mandate ‘pointless and useless’. Belarus reaffirmed its cooperation with impartial mechanisms such as the UPR. In that regard, Iran, speaking on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and in its national capacity, Uzbekistan, Russia, Nicaragua, Laos, Turkmenistan, Cuba, and Azerbaijan all supported the UPR as the appropriate mechanism to address human rights situations on an ‘even basis’. Zimbabwe and Syria said specific country mandates are tantamount to interfering with national sovereignty.

The Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) also faced threats, from the DPRK, Laos, Cuba, Venezuela, and China. The DPRK stated its rejection of the Special Rapporteur’s mandate as well as that of the Commission of Inquiry in the DPRK. China expressed its hope that the international community would be more practical with regards to the DPRK to ensure political stability and economic and social development.

Article image: UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferré. Juan Mendez, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture.