UNHRC Adopts Measures for Continuing UN Action to Promote Human Rights

          
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          NATiO ':LS JJNiES LTN1TE'D ..NA IIONS
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          SERViCE DE LINFOI 'JAT1ON - OFFICE DES NATJON. UVIES 4 GENE YE
          INFORM 1 ITION SERVICE.. / 1Jj IJ / 4. .TJO? 's OTHCE 4 T GE.VEVA
          ROUND—UP OF SESSION Press Release HR/1359
          . ‘‘‘ . 11 March 1983. .
          HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION ADOPTS WIDE'RANGING MEASURES FOR CONTINUING .
          ,: UNITED NATIONS ACTION TO PROMOTE k SPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS ‘
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          l9 Anhual Session Lasts from 31 January to 11 March
          The Commission on ,Human Rights today concluded its 1983 session, bringing
          to a o debate,'study' and tonsultations iii which the members
          agreed .on wider ngiflg,meaSureS for continuing United Nations action to ,
          promote resp cr fpr h &tL n rights and fundamental freedoms world—wide.
          The 43_nation* Commission provides over—a11'policy guidance for United
          Nations human rigits programmes and activities, and began this year's session
          on Monday, 3lt nLIIry ' .. 1• ' . “ . . . ;
          Some of the measures agreed at the session oncern the human rights ,
          situations in specific regions ard untries,'.inciuding dccupie d Arab ‘ ,
          territories, southern Africa, Kampuchea, Afghanistan, Iran, El Salvador,
          Poland, Guatemala, thile, Weste n Sahara, East Timor and Equatorial Guinea
          . OEe Commission voted toclo'ge siderati6nof the situation in: Bolivia,
          declaring that the situation there had, imp oved and continued to dd so since
          the change of Government in hat countryof ;Oc ober 1982. .
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          • Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, ‘Bulgaria, Canada, China,'
          Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Finland, Fiji, France, Gambia, Federal ‘.
          Republic of Germany, Ghana, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Libyan Arab
          Jamahiriya, Mexico, Mozambique, Netherlands, Ni aragua, Pakistad, Philippines,
          Poland, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Fogo, Uganda, Ukrainian SSR, Union of
          Soviet Socialist, Republics, United Kingdom ‘ f Great Britain and'Northern
          Ireland, United States of America, Uruguay, Yugoslavia, Zaire, and Zimbabwe. .
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          Les cornniuni ues sont destin s a l'inforrnation: us ne constituent pas des documents offficiels
          For use of information media: not an offficial record
          BP000664
          
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          Press Reiease -. 14R/1359 .
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          It strongly reaffirmed its call to parties to the present conflict in ,
          Kamp chea.tocease.all hostilities. forthwtih arid for the immediate and
          unconditional .wit ,hdrawal.-o.f foreign forces from Kampuchea to enable the'- ‘ -
          Kampuchean people to choose and dpterinirte their own po1itical. process-.throihgh
          free and fair elections under the United Nations supervision.
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          It st essed4h.at effQrts towards a , cornprehensive political ‘solution tothe
          KarnpucJat;prob1e.rrL-s .hou] d lead .t-o:IIe estabLishment of an independe ,nt, :free .
          and non—aliga , d-Kampuchea and .ther by achieve durable peace for Southeast--
          Asia,, It. 4ecided ‘.to.'keep the situation-in Kampuchea under
          of priority,..at.jts .1,984-session. - ,- . - .-‘.
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          It called--fc r. the 1 imjnediate thdrawal of foreign troops from 'Af.ghanistan
          arid for a political settlement of the situation there on the basis of the
          wi.thi. awl,-forejgn-troops,. full -respect !for its independence, sov xeignty,
          territorial integrity and non—ali-gnedstatus and of strict observance;'of tue
          principle of non—intervention and non—interference. It affirmed the right of
          the - ghan-,re-fugees c-to, ret-urn to-thei homes in. safety and honour.':-• - . :
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          It urged all concerned to work towards a settlement which would ensure
          that th ,,Afgban peaple -determine their destiny free from-outside- :•
          interference.-, .It . expressed its appreciation and support for-the ff rts and -
          constrpctive steps taken by the Secretary—General, in.the searII- or a solution
          to the prohlen , an d. reques ted him to continue these efforts.-., It : ,pp l .d -fo --.
          humanitarian -relie ' assi tance, with a view to- alleviating the hardshi p' of-.
          Afghan refugees, , in ,:corordina.tion-with ‘the..Unit-ed.Nations U-igh Cohimissiorker .
          for Refugees (UNHCR).
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          Iqcided .to, ons.ider this matter -atits 1984 session as-a matter:-of high
          prior .ty... :.- - .. .‘ ‘‘ : .... ..-
          ,.Or East Ti .mor, i reaffirmed the .,ina.lieaable right of the people. of this
          .trrit.o y. - o s f—determination and independence, in accordance- with the- - . -
          relevant General Assembly resolution.... It -declared that: its,, people must. be
          enabled freely to determine their own future on the basis of the relevant
          Gep era ,1 ,. ssecn ly -resolutions., and United. ations.-huinan rights instruments;;
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          . - -.-Itca11ed upPn all interested parties, namely .Portugal,..as, the.. ‘,:- :.
          administeririg; ower,,, .. .and-the representatives of -the..Eas Timor se --'people -.- :as-
          we1l ,.as.Iridonesia,.to co—operate fully -with. the United -Nations with -a.vie o;
          gute i,ng:.t he free. and ful— exercise of the -right. t e1.f—determinat'ion---by ,
          the people of .s,t, Timor. , - - . ..- - - - . : . - :4 . .
          bn Iran , it expresses its profound concern at, the continuing- grave -‘
          violations of human rights there as reflected in the re-port of the
          Secretary—General on that country. It voiced profound concern in particcular
          with the evidence of summary and arbitrary executions, torture, detention
          without trial, religious -intolerance and persecution, especially of the
          Baha'is, and the lack of an independent judiciary and other recognized
          safeguards for a fair trial.
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          Press Release HR/1359
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          It urged once -more. the Iranian Government to ensure for all individuals :
          within its territory the rights recognized in the Covenant onci .'il -and-
          political rights subject to its jurisdiction. . .
          It requested the Secretary—General or his representative to continue
          direct.contacts with the Iranian Government on the grave human rights
          situation.prevailing in that country, including the situation of the Baha is.
          It requested-the Secretary—General or his representative to prepare a
          c oniprehensive report-on the direct contacts and the human rights situation.
          there.. It directed that this report should include conclusions and'
          suggestions as regards the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms
          in .thatcountry, and that it should be submitted to it next year. .
          The Government of. Iran was requested once more to extend its co—operation
          to the .Secretary—Genexal or his representative. . . .. .
          The Commission decided to continue its consideration of the human rights
          situation in Iran next year.
          On El Salvador the Commission expressed “deepest concern”, that “human
          rights violations of the most serious nature”. continued in that country and'
          -tha.t,a a result its people continued -to suffer. It deplored the fact that-
          appeals for the cessation of violence had not -been heeded, citing in
          particular the appeals made by the-United Nations General Ass embly, the
          Commission itself .and the international community in general.
          It renewed for another year the mandate of the Special Rapporteur who has
          been studying and reporting on. -the situation for the United Nations, and
          decided to consider the question again next year as a matter of high pribri y.
          It expressed alarm at-the recent reportsdf-b'bmbings and- indiscriminate
          rocketing f urban areas in El Salvador, which were not military targets, such
          as in the city of Berlin in -the department of -Usulut n. - - .: . :
          It- noted that the El Salvadoran- situation clearly had its -root causes in
          internal political, economicand social factors, and reaffirmed the right of
          the Salvadoran people to--freely determine thei'r p-olitical, economic and social
          futura without interference from outsid.e and-i-n an-atmosphere free from
          intimidation:and terror.- --It- reiterated once more its ‘app al to all States to
          abstain from-interv ning in the international. situation in El Salvadorand t6”
          suspend all supplies of arms and any type of military assistance, so ‘s to
          allow the political forces in that country to restore peace and security and
          the establishment of-; a democratic -system. - . . . - - -; -
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