General debate item 10, delivered by Senior Advisor Anna Envall
Mr. President,
Sweden fully aligns itself with the statement by the European Union.
Sweden highly values the work of the Office of the High Commissioner in providing technical assistance and capacity building at the country level. We call upon States to provide the Office unhindered access to monitor and report on the human rights situation on the ground. We thank the [Deputy] High Commissioner for the oral update on Georgia and Nicaragua.
Sweden commends Georgia’s efforts to advance human rights. Ensuring democratic and transparent elections, independent judiciary and increasing gender equality are key to continued democratic development. We particularly emphasize the need to ensure full enjoyment of human rights for LGBTI persons.
We see continued violations of human rights of the people living in Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
We call on Russia to immediately withdraw its troops from Georgia and to allow the OHCHR and other international human rights and humanitarian actors unhindered access to the Georgian regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
Sweden welcomes the release of political prisoners in Nicaragua, yet regrets the continued limitations to civil and political rights in the country, not least for women and human rights defenders. We call on the government to allow unhindered access to the OHCHR as well as regional bodies.
I thank you Mr President