GENEVA (28 November 2017) – The Human Rights Council will hold a special session on “the human rights situation of the minority Rohingya Muslim population and other minorities in the Rakhine State of Myanmar” on Tuesday, 5 December starting at 10 a.m. in Room XX of the Palais des Nations.

The special session is being convened following an official request by Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia, and supported by 73 States, which was received today.

In order for a special session to be convened, the support of one-third of the 47 members of the Council – 16 or more – is required.  This request was thus far supported by the following States Members of the Council (33): Albania, Bangladesh, Belgium, Botswana, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Egypt, El Salvador, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Hungary, Indonesia, Iraq, Japan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Netherlands, Nigeria, Panama, Paraguay, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, Togo, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America.

The request was also supported by the following observer States (40): Afghanistan, Algeria, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, Senegal, Slovakia, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Turkey, State of Palestine.

The list of signatories remains open up to the holding of the special session.  Therefore, the above list of States is to be considered provisional.

In connection with this special session, the Council will convene an organizational meeting on Monday, 4 December, at 10 a.m., in Room XX, where specific details on the special session and its scenario will be announced.  This meeting is also public.

This will be the 27th special session of the Council.  The last special session addressed the situation in South Sudan on 14 December 2016.

View the original press release HERE.