The Czech intervention emphasized the human rights and humanitarian ramifications of the crisis in Ukraine. “We are mostly worried about targeting civilians by armed groups, which left behind hundreds of deaths and hundreds of thousands of displaced people,” the Czech Republic said in the debate. Speaking on Libya, the Czech statement encouraged national reconciliation and respect for the country’s legitimate institutions. The Czech Republic also mentioned “appalling abuses committed by ISIL” in Iraq and welcomed the OHCHR mission to be dispatched to investigate abuses and violations of human rights in the country.

Besides addressing human rights crises, the Czech Republic drew attention to violations of the right to freedom of expression, abuses of media outlets for propaganda purposes, and to the shrinking space for civil society in Iran, Russia and China. As in previous debates, the Czech statement could not omit mentioning systematic, widespread and gross human rights violations in North Korea. Pyongyang should implement the recommendations by the Commission of Inquiry to improve its dire human rights record, urged the Czech Republic.

Full statement is available.