UN human rights stalemate

The UN Human Rights Council, successor to the UN Human Rights Commission where the United States and Cuba fought their annual springtime battle, adopted new rules last week whereby it will now look at all countries’ human rights records, and it eliminated the special rapporteur for Cuba.

Cuba claimed victory.

This result has political importance to the governments that engaged in the debate. But it remains the case that if you want independent, thorough reporting on human rights in Cuba or other countries, you can go to Amnesty International and other human rights monitors, whose work is stronger than anything that could be produced by a consensus-bound UN body.

Meanwhile, Spain and Cuba prepare for a second round of bilateral talks on human rights questions.