Thread by @HillelNeuer

BREAKING: The UN Human Rights Council session on Afghanistan just adopted one of the most watered-down resolutions in its history. Text fails to document Taliban atrocities; fails to condemn the Taliban; fails to create a commission of inquiry. Credibility of UNHRC is at zero.

https://twitter.com/HillelNeuer/status/1430171569003827204

Better to have had no UN session at all than this gross dereliction of duty & green light of impunity for the Taliban.

The text was adopted by consensus. We regret the EU declined to call a vote. It did make a strong statement: "We have explained at length why we believe that..

"...there is an urgent need to set up an independent mechanism to investigate all violations and abuses by the Taliban and all other parties to the conflict to promote accountability and to monitor the human rights situation on the ground."

"While we acknowledge that some of our suggestions were taken into account, we strongly regret that none of the core elements that we and many others would have liked to see in this resolution have been integrated."

"The OIC (Organization of Islamic Cooperation) did not want to establish a fact-finding mission, and also turned down our alternative proposal for a special rapporteur."

"The OIC presented a text that doesn't even call the Taliban by their name, contrary to the latest statement by the UN Security Council.

The pen-holders did not want to include any reference to the women, peace & security agenda, while Afghanistan is a meaningful test case..."

"...for this application, and did not react to several other proposals we made to strengthen the language on the rights of women and girls, such as adding a reference to the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, to which Afghanistan is a state party."

"The pen holders furthermore rejected all of our suggestions related to the important work done by UNAMA, the UNSG's special envoy and the UNSG's personal envoy, as well as our proposal to appeal to the ICC and the well-established principle of the responsibility to protect."

"Madam President, we regret that due to the OIC's refusal to allow for a substantive text and a comprehensive, preventive mandate, the resolution falls short of the level of ambition that the situation in Afghanistan demands."

"The Council should be allowed to act in a manner commensurate with the gravity of the situation on the ground."

"If we cannot agree on at least condemning the human rights violations and abuses, if we are not willing to call out the parties involved so that the message that we are watching them is clear, then what is the purpose of this resolution?"

"That said, voting against the resolution is not the right answer, either. The EU stands in solidarity with the people of Afghanistan. We will not vote against the resolution that deplores the many sufferings of the people of Afghanistan and reiterates the Council's unwavering..

"commitment to the rights of Afghan women and girls, as well as persons belonging to ethnic and religious minorities."

"The EU has pledged that it will continue its support to the Afghan people and to democracy, good governance, human rights and social and economic development in the country, and we will honor that pledge."

"We will also continue to strongly support the High Commissioner and her office as well as all UN agencies in Afghanistan.

For that reason, the EU has decided to join consensus.

The EU will continue to seize the attention of the Human Rights Council in Afghanistan."