Panel discussion on the issue of intimidation or reprisal against individuals and groups who cooperate or have cooperated with the UN.

On the 13th September the 21^st Human Rights Council held a Panel discussion on the issue of intimidation or reprisal against individuals and groups who cooperate or have cooperated with the UN, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights.

The sad coincidence is that the panel was held the day after the murdered of the U.S. ambassador, Christopher Stevens, by Islamist gunmen who attacked the U.S. consulate in Libya.

Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, General Secretary of the UN, through a video message, expressed his concern on the issue, reporting that episodes of intimidation and reprisals against those who operate with the UN in the field of human rights have increased in the past two decades.

Mrs. Navi Pillay, High Commissioner for human rights and Ms. Mehr Khan Williams, Chair of the board of the international service for human rights, emphasized that Member States have the responsibility and the UN itself should assure the protection of individuals and groups who cooperate with the UN from intimidation or reprisal.

Mr. Takàcs, deputy State Secretary for Global Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Hungary, enlightens the UN leadership on this issue, addressing the problem of impunity and remarking the responsibility of the Member States who have to take position in order to ensure accountability of those responsible and avoid impunity.

Mr. Michel Forst, Chair of the Coordination Committee of Special Procedure, highlighted the need to improve the protection of people involved in special procedures as witness, given their important contribution to the effectiveness of human rights. As a result, Member States have the responsibility to protect human rights defenders, individuals as well as organizations, under the obligation of the UN Charter. It is fundamental to develop a common approach to respond with the equal countermeasures.

What emerged from the discussion is that unfortunately the number of serious cases of people arrested, intimidated, persecuted and even killed is increasing and the failure of protecting them implies the failure of the UN system. While recognizing the seriousness of the problem and the shared responsibility of the UN and national governments,  it was stressed that concrete actions must be taken such as: the adoption of unified procedures to punish the responsible of acts of intimidation and reprisal; as well as rapid remedies for the victims and international programme to protect victims and witness.