A high-level analysis of the 60th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC60), which concluded last week in Geneva, has provided key insights into emerging global human rights priorities and challenges.
The below review highlights significant developments in areas of focus for the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) such as international accountability, climate justice and the protection of lawyers and human rights defenders, while underscoring the need for renewed multilateral cooperation to address escalating humanitarian crises worldwide.
The UNHRC60 was held from 8 September-8 October 2025. Herewith, an outline of key discussions, resolutions passed, the side events held and outcomes of the session.
Under the spotlight
Afghanistan - The establishment of an independent investigative mechanism: a key step towards accountability
The IBAHRI welcomes the adoption, without a vote, of a long overdue resolution on Afghanistan that establishes an independent investigative mechanism (IIM) to collect, analyse and preserve evidence of ongoing and past crimes under international law. For decades, Afghanistan has witnessed cycles of conflict marked by serious violations and abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law committed by various parties. Despite credible allegations of grave violations and abuses, impunity has remained the norm.
Since the takeover of the country by the Taliban in August 2021, the situation has further deteriorated, with women and girls facing unparalleled levels of persecution and discrimination, stripped of their fundamental rights, excluded from public life and subjected to systemic violence. Religious and ethnic minorities are also facing existential threats aimed at erasing their presence. These grave violations and abuses underscore the urgent need for a credible international accountability mechanism to break the cycle of impunity, preserve evidence, support criminal prosecution of perpetrators and lay the foundations for justice.
For over four years, Afghan civil society, international non-governmental organisations (NGOs), UN human rights experts and a number of Member States have called on the UNHRC to establish such a mechanism. Ahead of the 60th session of the UNHRC (HRC60) a group of civil society organisations (CSOs), including the IBAHRI, prepared a questions and answers document highlighting the urgent needs and addressing main questions and concerns relating to the establishment of an accountability mechanism.
The IBAHRI actively participated and contributed to the negotiations on the UNHRC Resolution on the Human Rights situation in Afghanistan. During the Enhanced Interactive Dialogue (ID) with the Special Rapporteur (UNSR) on Afghanistan, the IBAHRI, together with Lawyers' Rights Watch Canada (LRWC), delivered a joint statement raising alarm at forced deportations of Afghan refugees from Iran and Pakistan, including judges, prosecutors, lawyers, human rights defenders and women without male guardians. The statement also addressed Taliban laws erasing women's faces from identification documents and the forced displacement of Hazara families amounting to ethnic cleansing and possibly genocide.
The IBAHRI joined other CSOs in co-sponsoring a side event on the need for an IIM on Afghanistan organised by FORUM-ASIA .
Defending the truth by countering the arbitrary detention of journalists
The IBAHRI hosted a side event to the UNHRC60 with the High-Level Panel of Legal Experts on Media Freedom, the independent advisory body of the Media Freedom Coalition to which the IBAHRI serves as Secretariat. Deputy Chair of the High-Level Panel, Can Yeginsu, chaired the event. The side event was supported by Canada and Belgium, with the deputy permanent representatives of both countries providing opening and closing remarks. Panellists included Secretary General of the International Commission of Jurists, Santiago Canton; Dr Susan Bazilli of the UN Group of Independent Experts on Human Rights in Belarus; and Antoine Bernard, Director of Advocacy at Reporters Without Borders.
The event highlighted the rising tactic of arbitrarily detaining journalists, both in their home State in countries like Belarus, and when working abroad as part of the rising phenomenon of hostage diplomacy. The event brought together legal experts, UN experts, civil society, journalists and Member States to consider practical steps to secure the release of arbitrarily detained journalists and to prevent further abuses. It also highlighted how multilateral initiatives - such as the Media Freedom Coalition and Canada's arbitrary detention initiative - can be harnessed to strengthen global action in defence of press freedom and the truth.
Death penalty - Ensuring fair trial guarantees
The IBAHRI welcomes the adoption of the Resolution on the question of the death penalty aimed at ensuring that criminal justice systems are consistent with international human rights obligations in relation to capital punishment, with a focus on the relation between Article 6 and 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), in accordance with the safeguards guaranteeing the protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty, as set out in the annex to Economic and Social Council Resolution 1984/50 . The IBAHRI further welcomes that attempts by a number of Member States to undermine the aim of the Resolution through the insertion of a so-called 'sovereignty amendment' have been rejected.
In order to counter any attempt of insertion of a 'sovereignty amendment', the IBAHRI supported the core group leading on the Resolution in preparing consistent counterarguments and legal analysis with stringent legal and political arguments to reject any attempt to water down the content of the Resolution. The IBAHRI also actively participated in and substantially contributed to the informal negotiations on the draft UN resolution on the death penalty. The IBAHRI joined Harm Reduction International's statement welcoming reports calling on states to refrain from imposing the death penalty for drug offences - a stance firmly grounded in international human rights law and standards, which limit this punishment to the 'most serious crimes'.
The IBAHRI also co-sponsored the side event 'The Abolition of the Death Penalty in Asia: Emerging Challenges and Opportunities for Reform' organised by Open Society Foundations and Harm Reduction International on national developments in Indonesia, Malaysia and Pakistan within a broader regional and global framework, featuring practitioners from each country to examine drivers and constraints of reform, shared challenges, strategies and strengthened regional solidarity networks. The event was co-sponsored by Hayat (LIFE), the International Network of People who Use Drugs (INPUD), the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Coalition against the Death Penalty.
Russia - Deterioration of rule of law and human rights
The IBAHRI welcomes the adoption of the Resolution extending the mandate of the UNSR on the Human Rights Situation in Russia . Furthermore, the IBAHRI welcomes the introduction of a new standalone paragraph addressing systematic attacks against independent lawyers handling politically sensitive cases, as well as the inclusion of language on the lack of judicial independence in Russia. The IBAHRI actively participated in and contributed to the negotiations.
During the Interactive Dialogue with the UNSR on Russia, the IBAHRI delivered a joint statement , thanking the UNSR for her vital work and condemning the ongoing systematic targeting of lawyers in Russia, including by judicial harassment, arbitrary disciplinary actions, disbarment and criminal charges. Lawyers defending the rule of law are routinely branded as 'foreign agents', simply for performing their professional duties and are subjected to severe pressure, including criminal prosecution and harsh punishment. The IBAHRI deplored the sentencing, following an unfair trial, of the three lawyers who represented Alexei Navalny, and urged Russia to release them unconditionally, and end further persecution. The statement was co-sponsored with The Law Society of England and Wales (TLS), Lawyers for Lawyers (L4L) and LRWC.
The IBAHRI also joined LRWC on a joint statement endorsed by Memorial Human Rights Defense Center and OVD-info addressing the seismic decline of human rights in Russia, with approximately 1,656 individuals, including lawyers and human rights defenders, currently arbitrarily detained. Among them is lawyer Maria Bontsler, who is being prosecuted for her professional legal work in cases involving politically motivated charges.
The IBAHRI co-sponsored a side event organised by Human Rights House Foundation (HRHF) on the deterioration of the human rights situation inside Russia, illustrating the link between the human rights situation within the Russian Federation and the impunity with which it acts abroad, including through acts of transnational repression. The event also explored the ways the UNHRC can seek to address these challenges.
Ukraine - Enhance support to ensure accountability
The IBAHRI, together with the Ukrainian Bar Association (UBA), delivered a statement during the ID with the Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine. The statement condemned the ceaseless attacks on civilians and civilian objects, the indiscriminate use of explosive weapons in densely populated areas, forced deportations and the coordinated 'widespread and systematic' use of torture, incommunicado detention and enforced disappearances by Russian forces. It also highlighted the forcible transfer of Ukrainian children to Russia or Russian-occupied territories, and their subsequent indoctrination and militarisation. The IBAHRI recalled that in March 2023, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant against the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, finding reasonable grounds to believe he bears individual criminal responsibility for crimes under the Rome Statute in connection with Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The IBAHRI and the UBA urged all States Parties to the Rome Statute to fulfil their obligations, support the ICC in ensuring accountability for atrocity crimes committed by Russia and back the work of the Special Tribunal on the Crime of Aggression.
The IBAHRI and the UBA delivered an oral statement during the ID on the High Commissioner's oral updates on Ukraine, stressing the adverse impact of Russia's military invasion in Ukraine on the Ukrainian Justice system and the need for support of the international community. Since February 2022, judicial institutions have sustained varying degrees of damage, up to complete destruction and looting of property. Despite these challenges, the Ukrainian justice system has demonstrated remarkable resilience, continuing to function despite funding shortages and disruptions to regular proceedings. The IBAHRI and the UBA called on the UNHRC to enhance support for Ukraine's justice system, including via technical assistance, capacity-building initiatives and financial resources to ensure the sustainability and independence of Ukraine's judicial institutions as well as to strengthen prosecutorial and investigative capacities, particularly in documenting and adjudicating war crimes cases.
Protecting environmental lawyers and advancing climate justice
The IBAHRI and L4L co-organised a side event addressing the role, challenges and responsibilities of environmental and climate change lawyers. The panel featured Michale Forst, Special Rapporteur on Environmental Rights Defenders; lawyer Catalina Radulescu who witnessed firsthand attacks due to her environmental rights defence; Maureen Harris, Senior Advisor, International Rivers; Sandra Epal-Ratjen International Advocacy Director of the International Commission of Jurists; lawyer Xenia Rivkin, representative of the Geneva Bar Association; and Francesca Restifo, IBAHRI Senior Human Rights Lawyer and UN Representative, who delivered the concluding remarks, emphasising the key role of environmental lawyers in litigation.
Litigation is a cornerstone for advancing environmental case law and jurisprudence, as lawsuits against private companies whose activities threaten the environment or violate environmental law, or lawsuits against governments for inaction on actual or potential harms, establish important legal precedents. Beyond the courtroom, lawyers also contribute to shaping policy, advising governments and legislators on relevant environmental legal frameworks. Most importantly, their expertise is essential in translating scientific findings into actionable legal instruments, ensuring that laws keep pace with rapidly evolving environmental challenges. The IBAHRI coordinated with L4L in delivering a joint statement addressing the role, challenges, and risks faced by environmental and climate change lawyers during the ID with the High Commissioner for Human Rights' update on climate change issues.
UNHRC60 country-specific takeaways - Alphabetical order
Belarus - Lawyers under attack, arbitrary detention and transnational repression of lawyers within and outside the country
During the ID with the Group of Independent Experts on Belarus, the IBAHRI delivered a statement condemning the recent Belarusian State Security Committee's designation of the Belarusian Association of Human Rights Lawyers as an 'extremist formation', and calling for the immediate release of lawyer Maksim Znak, arbitrarily detained since 2020 and held incommunicado. While noting the recent release of some prisoners, the IBAHRI stressed that more than a thousand individuals remain arbitrarily detained on politically motivated grounds and urged Belarus to immediately release all detainees, including lawyers, and to end further persecution.
In addition, during the same ID, the IBAHRI joined the statement of The Law Society of England and Wales addressing attacks against lawyers and calling on the UNHRC to address the situation of lawyers during the upcoming Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Belarus.
Cambodia - Justice system on the brink of collapse
The IBAHRI welcomes the extension of the mandate of the UNSR on Cambodia , which remains an essential lifeline for local civil society and human rights defenders as repression continues to deepen in the country.
During the ID with the UNSR on Cambodia, the IBAHRI delivered a statement , co-sponsored by L4L and LRWC, addressing challenges faced by lawyers and concerns relating to access to justice, disproportionately affecting marginalised groups and undermining fair trial rights. The country lacks enough lawyers to meet the demands, and those who take on sensitive cases are isolated, under-resourced, ostracised and harassed. The absence of a strong, independent legal community erodes trust in the rule of law.
The IBAHRI also joined LRWC in a statement on Cambodia deploring the weaponisation of the judiciary, described by the UNSR as 'judicialized lawfare', used to target human rights defenders, including environmental and land rights defenders, political opponents, journalists, independent media and civil society.
China - UNHRC's failure to address possible Crimes Against Humanity in Xinjiang
The IBAHRI continued to deplore the UNHRC's inactivity and lack of response, three years after the release of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights' (OHCHR) Xinjiang report, which found the possible commission of crimes against humanity by the Chinese government. It is imperative that the UNHRC take action commensurate with the gravity of the report's findings, such as by establishing a monitoring and reporting mechanism on China.
The IBAHRI joined LRWC on a statement denouncing the situation of lawyers in China who have been subjected to incommunicado detention or enforced disappearance while under 'residential surveillance at a designated location', a measure often accompanied by torture and ill-treatment - in particular the situation in Hong Kong - where human rights lawyers are systematically subjected to disbarment or arbitrary detention for publicly upholding human rights and the rule of law.
Democratic People's Republic of Korea - specific concerns on forced labour
The IBAHRI intervened during the ID on the High Commissioner's report on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to raise alarm over the entrenched system of state-organised forced labour, including the exploitation of children. The IBAHRI called on Member States to establish regular reporting and dedicated debates on forced labour and the exploitation of children in the DPRK; strengthen independent monitoring of DPRK labour export and its links to global supply chains; guarantee that survivors can safely provide testimony and participate in decision-making on matters affecting their lives; and implement all relevant recommendations without delay.
Georgia - Crackdown on civil society
Georgia is experiencing the most severe crackdown on civic space since its independence. CSOs, independent media and their beneficiaries are being suffocated by a wave of repressive laws, which stigmatise organisations as 'foreign agents', force disclosure of sensitive data and criminalise non-compliance with heavy prison sentences. As a result, a large part of Georgia's society, including children, survivors of abuse and members of the LGBTQ+ community are being left without essential services. Against this situation, FIDH and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT)'s Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders organised a side event , co-sponsored by the IBAHRI, aiming at amplifying the voices of human rights defenders on the ground and providing a vital platform to discuss strategies to protect and support civil society in Georgia.
Iran - Lawyers under attack
The IBAHRI and LRWC delivered a joint statement on the situation of lawyers in Iran. The statement highlighted that Iran continues to weaponise the legal system against human rights defenders and lawyers, with lawyers imprisoned for political reasons, while others are facing disbarment or exile. At least 20 lawyers have reportedly been killed or have died under state pressure.
The IBAHRI co-sponsored a side event organised by Impact Iran that addressed concerns relating to systematic translational repression against Iranian defenders, lawyers and journalists abroad or in exile. The panel featured, among others: Aida Ghajar, senior journalist at IranWire and survivor of transnational repression; Max Du Plessis, member of the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran; and Mai Sato, UNSR on human rights in Iran.
Myanmar - More efforts required to enhance justice and accountability
During the Enhanced ID on the reports of the High Commissioner and the IIM for Myanmar, the IBAHRI condemned the ongoing systematic atrocity crimes that have been carried out chronically in Myanmar, in a joint statement co-sponsored by the International Commission of Jurists, the Law Council of Australia , The Law Society of England and Wales and LRWC. The statement deplores that, since the 2021 military coup, arbitrary arrests and detention and unfair trials of perceived opponents of the military regime remain widespread, with over 1,800 people having reportedly died whilst being detained by the military junta. The IBAHRI also condemns reports of systematic torture and other ill-treatment of individuals in detention and military-controlled courts sentencing over 170 people to death without due process, fair trials or judicial independence. Lastly, the IBAHRI called on the international community to use and support all necessary and effective means to ensure justice and accountability for all crimes under international law.
In a joint oral statement , the IBAHRI, alongside LRWC, condemned the fact that more than 22,300 individuals are unlawfully detained without access to independent courts or adequate legal representation and called on the UNHRC, and other relevant UN bodies, to halt engagement with the junta. The IBAHRI and LRWC also called on Member States to stop the flow of weapons and to promote a Security Council resolution for a full referral to the ICC.
Nicaragua - Dismantling of the rule of law
The IBAHRI deplores the decision of Nicaragua to discontinue its cooperation with the UPR, a key mechanism through which states can be held accountable for their human rights records by their peers and by civil society. During the ID on the report of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on Nicaragua, the IBAHRI raised concerns about the brutal human rights crackdown in the country, including extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detentions, forced disappearances and arbitrary denial of nationality, to an extent that qualifies as crimes against humanity as part of a campaign to eliminate any form of dissent.
In addition, the IBAHRI deplored constitutional reforms that dismantled the separation of powers with presidential control over the legislature, judiciary and electoral institutions. The IBAHRI called on the international community to use all possible avenues to hold the current government accountable for the international crimes, including before the International Court of Justice , for violations of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and the Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness .
Accountability for crimes in Occupied Palestinian Territories
The IBAHRI is appalled by the findings of the report of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), which found that Israel is responsible for committing genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza since October 2023. The IBAHRI welcomes the update of the UN database on businesses facilitating settlement activities in the OPT.
Sudan - Advancing accountability
The IBAHRI welcomes the UNHRC's decision to extend the mandate of the International Independent Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan (FFM). The adoption of the Resolution, 'Responding to the human rights and humanitarian crisis caused by the ongoing armed conflict in the Sudan', sends a clear message to all parties to the conflict that their actions are being documented. The Resolution aligns with civil society expectations, expressed in a joint letter signed by over 100 organisations, highlighting Sudan's grave human rights and humanitarian situation, including alarming rates of sexual and gender-based violence against women and girls. Against this background, the IBAHRI co-sponsored a side-event, organised by DefendDefenders , where Sudanese human rights defenders shared updates from the ground and discussed the FFM's role in advancing accountability. A representative of FFM participated in the conversation and talked about its latest findings .
Turkey - systematic targeting of lawyers for performing their professional duties
During the UPR adoption of Türkiye, the IBAHRI, L4L and TLS, delivered a joint statement welcoming Türkiye's support for some of the recommendations on judicial independence, the protection of human rights defenders and facilitating favourable conditions for lawyers and human rights defenders to carry out their legitimate professional duties.
However, the organisations expressed concerns at undue political influence in judicial appointments and in admission processes that affect lawyers working on politically sensitive cases, in addition to increasing politicisation of bar associations. In addition, restrictions on lawyer-client confidentiality, denial of access to case files and limitations on defence rights - particularly in terrorism-related cases - continue to undermine fair trial and due process guarantees. Lawyers are frequently associated with their clients' causes, facing arbitrary arrest, criminal prosecution and harassment, with the ongoing criminal and civil proceedings against the Istanbul Bar Association's leadership for issuing statements as an emblematic case. The organisations urged Türkiye to implement the recommendations pertaining to the rights of lawyers, and called on Türkiye to promptly sign and ratify the Council of Europe Convention for the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer .
United States of America - Attacks against the global order
The IBAHRI remains concerned about the deteriorating situation for human rights and the rule of law in the US and deplores the announcement that the US will not participate in its planned UPR. In an oral statement during a general debate, the IBAHRI, LRWC and Judges for Judges condemned the decision of the US government to sanction judges of the ICC and the Special Rapporteur on the OPT. These sanctions are an attack against accountability mechanisms and the global order, they violate international human rights law, encourage impunity for perpetrators and represent undue and unlawful interference in the administration of justice. They also constitute a form of reprisals, and the IBAHRI welcomes that the Resolution on Reprisals acknowledged attacks against mandate holders 'targeted in connection with the discharge of their functions.'
The IBAHRI and LRWC delivered an oral joint statement denouncing US sanctions, which was co-sponsored by TLS and endorsed by Judges for Judges. The organisations condemned the unlawful sanctions imposed by the US against jurists conducting their duties mandated by the UNHRC's Special Procedures, the ICC and human rights organisations investigating and documenting atrocity crimes. These sanctions constitute a flagrant attempt to thwart accountability for alleged perpetrators of atrocity crimes and to withhold justice from millions of victims of appalling atrocities worldwide.
Venezuela - Alarming cycle of repression
During the ID on the High Commissioner's oral update on the human rights situation in Venezuela, the IBAHRI and L4L addressed the persistent and alarming cycle of repression in the country; noting that, since the 2024 elections, ongoing persecution of dissent continues to shrink and close civic space. The IBAHRI stressed the increasingly hostile environment for the legal profession, where lawyers are systematically denied access to clients and case files, and face intimidation and arrest simply for carrying out their professional duties.
