Mr. President,
Cuba reiterates its support for human rights procedures and mechanisms that are universally applicable and non-selective.
We invite all delegations to participate in the Social Forum, which will take place on 29 and 30 October.
It will be an inclusive and participatory space for debate between States and various stakeholders. It will address the role of education in the promotion and protection of human rights.
Special procedures must verify information and not rely on sources of questionable or no credibility, which are in no way reliable or objective. They must not make biased or selective statements or use social media to disseminate manipulated information or biased and prejudiced opinions.
Such actions not only reflect the lack of professionalism of those responsible, but also damage the cause of human rights and the credibility of the Council.
We reject the falsehoods and misrepresentations spread by some actors who abuse the Council's procedures to promote agendas that have nothing to do with human rights.
An illustrative example of this is the organisation ‘UN Watch’, which is conducting a campaign of harassment against the Special Rapporteurs on unilateral coercive measures and on the human rights situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
The arbitrary sanctions imposed against the latter by the United States Government not only constitute unacceptable acts of blackmail and intimidation that hinder the performance of its mandate, but are also a flagrant breach by the United States of its obligations as host country of the United Nations.
Thank you very much.