UN watchdog accuses top human rights official of “harassment, censorship and discrimination”


The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) allegedly worked to restrict a surveillance group’s access to officials and press conferences on the orders of its senior official due to the group’s strenuous criticism of a number of topics.

“[Eric] Tistounet has ordered UN Watch to be censored since at least 2005, “Emma Reilly, a former UNHRC officer and whistleblower, told Fox News Digital.

“He moves them down or off the list of speakers, tells council presidents to stop or shorten their speeches on occasions he deigns to let them speak, censors their written statements to isolate himself and his policies from criticism and openly insults Hillel [Neuer] to all his staff “.

UN Watch, the control group and NGO, filed a legal complaint in New York on October 7 based on internal emails leaked by the UNHRC indicating that Tistounet, a French citizen who played a vital role in the creation of the council , had a bias and worked to minimize and limit UN Watch.

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Eric Tistounet, head of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, during the 48th session of the Human Rights Council.

Eric Tistounet, head of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, during the 48th session of the Human Rights Council.
(UN photo / Jean Marc Ferré)

The organization has been a particularly harsh criticism of the HRC, denouncing the council for its dysfunctionality, double standards against Israel and China, and “rule by dictatorships,” the group said. Neuer is the executive director of the group.

The United Nations Human Rights Office told Fox News Digital that “all opportunities to speak to the [HRC] they are generated automatically, through a system that assigns the word spaces according to the order of arrival, according to the priority requested by the NGO and its time of registration.

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“In the same way, the ‘UN Watch’ organizations, together with ‘Ingénieurs du Monde’, an NGO represented by the Executive Director of UN Watch, Mr. Hillel Neuer, were, for example, able to make 26 statements during the 49th session, respectively 17 statements during the 48th session and 17 statements during the 46th session of the Human Rights Council “.

Eric Tistounet, head of the UN Human Rights Council, sits next to Emma Reilly on 21 September 2012.

Eric Tistounet, head of the UN Human Rights Council, sits next to Emma Reilly on 21 September 2012.
(United Nations)

In particular, the HRO stated that during the (most recent) 50th session of the HRC, “there were no general discussions and, as such, the number of opportunities for NGOs to approach the council was reduced”.

But Reilly disputed the HRO version of events, arguing instead that Tistounet’s contempt for UN Watch was no secret to the council.

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“I’m not aware of a single rule of [non-governmental organization] commitment that Tistounet applied to UN Watch, “Reilly said.” And because, as always, he knew he could do it with absolute impunity, much of it is written. He even wrote to me from the Human Rights Council podium when UN Watch was coming.

“All my predecessors and successors as a liaison with NGOs simply followed his instructions,” he added. “I was the only one trying to apply the rules in an objective way. For the 50th session, as the person who designed the computer algorithm, I can say definitively that UN Watch has been deleted from the list of speakers of the Commission. investigation into the Palestinian occupied territories “.

UN Watch group founder Hillel Neuer talks about Iran before the Human Rights Council.

UN Watch group founder Hillel Neuer talks about Iran before the Human Rights Council.
(United Nations)

The Trump administration withdrew from the UNHRC and accused the council of protecting those who violate human rights by allowing them to serve on the council and displaying bias in making decisions. The Biden administration has decided to return to the board as soon as possible, winning a seat in 2021.

UN Watch, which is based in Geneva, specifically persecuted the UNHRC for allegedly handing over the names of dissidents from China to the People’s Republic before speaking to the UN.

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Tistounet also allegedly told staff to work in internet cafes so they could post anonymous negative material against Neuer, adding: “It would be nice if someone (obviously outside the United Nations, and as was recently suggested by an internet cafe, for example) could insert it discreetly next to his videos about the board. “

UN Watch also filed its complaint with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. His office did not respond to a request from Fox News Digital at the time of publication.

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