Dirk Adriaensens talk in HRC Geneva 03 November 2010
Channel: Dirk Adriaensens
Date: 27/09/2013

The United Nation's Human Rights Council in Geneva reviewed the human rights record of the United States on November 5, 2010, on the occasion of the Ninth Session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), November 1 to 12, 2010. The following is the presentation by Dirk Adriaensens in a "Special Information Session of Extra-territorial Abuses of Human Rights by the United States" on November 3 at the UNHRC Geneva.

The UPR was established to undertake a review of every Member States' obligations and commitments under international human rights law, taking into account the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international humanitarian law. The review process is undertaken in a manner that prompts, supports and expands the promotion and protection of human rights.  

NGOs are not allowed to speak during the official session, but they can exercise influence by bringing relevant information to the attention of Member States. It is for these reasons that a coalition of NGOs  organized three successive side events on Wednesday, 3 November 2010 at the United Nations, Room XXVII.
Other speakers included: 
-Mr. Ramsey Clark, 66th United States Attorney General 
-Prof. Alfred De Zayas, US lawyer and Professor at the Geneva School of Diplomacy and International Relations
-Prof. Curtis Doebbler, American international human rights lawyer and Representative of the NGO Nord-Sud XXI
-Mr. Sabah Al-Mukhtar, President of the Arab Lawyers Network in the United Kingdom 
-Dr. Aziz Al-Kazaz, Iraqi human rights defender
-Mr. Jose del-Prado, Member of the UN Human Rights Council's Working Group on Mercenaries