Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands have condemned the reprisals and intimidation that countries are still practicing against human rights defenders on the background of their cooperation with the United Nations.
In a speech delivered by the representative of Luxembourg in Geneva, Mr. Pierre-Louis Lorenz, on 17 March 2021, within the framework of the discussions of the seventh item of the work of the 46th session of the Human Rights Council, the three countries considered that governments must take all necessary measures to ensure that all those who carry out retaliatory actions are held accountable.
The countries indicated that they are still following up on cases that have not been closed and that have been brought before the Council in the past years, including the case of the activist Samar Badawi.
Saudi Arabia arrested Badawi as part of a campaign of arrests of women human rights defenders and activists in 2018. Despite concerns about her being subjected to ill-treatment and torture, and despite repeated calls by states and international bodies to release her, she remains arrested.