Today, on 23 February 2028, the 61st Session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC61) kicked off in Geneva. This session marks the twentieth anniversary of the Council, amid ongoing human rights crises, warnings of an ‘imminent financial collapse’ and attacks on the multilateral system. It is more crucial than ever that States use this opportunity to affirm and actively demonstrate their commitment to international law and the multilateralism system.
Over the next six weeks, States will negotiate resolutions and hold debates on major human rights issues, with major implications on the right to freedom of expression. We will be strongly supporting a resolution to renew the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, as well as resolutions related to freedom of religion or belief. At the same time, we will be speaking out on the human rights situation in many countries, including in Belarus, Iran, and Hong Kong.
Freedom of expression
At HRC61, Canada and the Netherlands will take the lead on a technical resolution that will renew the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression.
Created in 1993, the mandate has played a critical role in the protection and promotion of the right to freedom of expression worldwide. Through a wide array of cutting-edge annual reports – on issues from journalists in exile, to gender justice, to artificial intelligence – the mandate has contributed to the creation of a robust set of international human rights standards. At the same time, the mandate’s country-specific work, including communications and country visits, have ensured accountability for violations of the right to freedom of expression.
We will be vocal on the achievements and importance of the mandate at the session and working to ensure its consensual renewal. We will also be encouraging governments to turn their support into concrete action, including by implementing the mandate’s recommendations.
The renewal of the mandate itself is taking place alongside another process to fill the upcoming vacancy of the position. Irene Khan, the current mandate holder, finishes her term in June, leaving behind an incredibly strong legacy. Alongside partners, we have developed a document with criteria for candidates for the position, which we hope can be used as a resource to ensure that the best candidates are considered and appointed as the next mandate holder.
Combating religious intolerance
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation will be presenting its annual resolution on combating religious intolerance, seen as a renewal of Resolution 16/18, a universally agreed-upon framework to address the root causes of hate based on religion or belief in law, policy, and practice. The European Union will also present a parallel resolution on freedom of religion or belief.
These dual resolutions – alongside other frameworks, such as the Rabat Plan of Action – form the bedrock of our work on tackling hate speech. At their heart, they underline that the rights to freedom of opinion and expression, freedom of religion or belief, and equality are mutually dependent and reinforcing, and that open space for dialogue, debate, and dissent is key to preventing religious intolerance.
We will be once again calling for the consensual adoption and protection of these frameworks and encouraging delegations to use this moment to reiterate and actively show their commitment to implementing them.
Belarus
Belarus will be a major focus at the session, with the European Union leading a resolution to renew the mandates of both the Special Rapporteur and the Group of Independent Experts. At the same time, the Group of Independent Experts will be presenting a report on the human rights crisis, followed by an interactive dialogue.
These two mandates play essential, complementary roles in addressing the human rights crisis in the country, when there remains no realistic avenue for accountability at domestic level. In Belarus, over 1,000 journalists, human rights defenders, and other civil society actors remain behind bars on politically motivated charges, including facing ill-treatment and torture. This is facilitated by a repressive legal framework on extremism, with the authorities continuing to brand almost any dissent as ‘extremism’ through overbroad and vague legislation.
Alongside partners, we will vocally support the renewal of the two essential mandates to help ensure accountability for the grave human rights violations and international crimes. We will also make a statement at the session to call for the immediate and unconditional release all political prisoners and all those arbitrarily detained, to put an end to judicial harassment and reprisals against civil society, and to repeal repressive legislation used to criminalise peaceful dissent and freedom of expression.
Hong Kong
While Hong Kong is not formally on the agenda of the Council, the growing human rights crisis demands scrutiny and accountability at the upcoming session.
We are witnessing the growing weaponisation of national security laws against independent media actors and the escalation in transnational repression against overseas human rights defenders. We condemn the sentencing of Apple Daily publisher Jimmy Lai to 20 years in prison, an effective death sentence for the 78-year-old, along with the parallel sentencing of eight co-defendants. We furthermore condemn the arbitrary conviction of Kwok Yin-sang, the father of overseas pro-democracy activist Anna Kwok, an act of reprisal against Anna and her human rights advocacy, including engagement with UN human rights mechanisms.
We will make a statement on Hong Kong alongside partners at the session to call for end to these egregious human rights violations, as well as to urge governments to speak out on the situation and take all measures to prevent and ensure accountability for all acts of transnational repression committed on their territory.
Iran
Iran will remain high on the agenda at the session, with the Special Rapporteur and Fact-Finding Mission both presenting reports and taking part in a joint interactive dialogue. This follows the recent Special Session on Iran in light of the recent deadly crackdown on protests.
Since late 2025, demonstrations driven by deep economic hardship and longstanding demands for accountability and political reform have been met with bloodshed, including the excessive and lethal use of force, mass arbitrary arrests, targeted harassment of journalists and human rights defenders, and widespread digital repression. Internet shutdowns are embedded within the country’s regulatory and infrastructural framework to conceal repeated crimes under international law. According to our recent research, Iran has likely been deploying Chinese and Russian technology to aid its internet blackout and brutal crackdown.
We will be making a statement at the session to encourage all delegations to keep up diplomatic pressure, including through calling for full and unrestricted internet access nationwide, and to consider initiating investigations under the principle of universal jurisdiction. We also continue supporting UN accountability efforts, calling for the Fact-Finding Mission to be allocated all necessary resources required to conduct its investigations.
During HRC61, follow @article19 for live updates and use #HRC61 to join the discussion. You can also check out our full coverage of the session here.