Victory for Truth: Al Arabi welcomes end to GEE probe

­TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

The UN Human Rights Council decision to end the mandate of the UN Group of Eminent International and Regional Experts (GEE) on Yemen has come at the right time, said Isa Al-Arabi, the President of the Arab Union for Human Rights.

He also criticised the European community for dominating the rights council and defeating its true purpose of “protecting and promoting human rights.”

“The rejection ends the use of the UN entity to serve political agendas and objectives far from the lofty values and principles of international human rights,” he said. Al-Arabi also described the move as a “victory for truth” and the pivotal international role Bahrain handles in human rights led by Dr Yusuf AbdulKarim Bucheeri.

“The international community looks to the Human Rights Council to protect and promote human rights across the world,” he said, adding that the Council failed to achieve such noble objectives for civilians in Yemen.

“The work of the international experts over the years mark imbalances and schisms and served political agendas and goals,” he said.

“The international community realised that the GEE, with the support of the European Group, failed to achieve a better reality for civilians in Yemen, after the parties concerned with the conflict in Yemen refused to cooperate with them,” he stressed.

“The international community has recently shown solidarity by confronting the European Community’s domination over the decisions of the Human Rights Council for many years. This domination has contributed to aggravating relations between many members in the Council and made them lose confidence and trust in the Council’s mechanisms and mandate to protect and promote human rights in the world,” he said.