Thank you Mr. President.

The Kingdom of the Netherlands aligns itself with the EU statement, echoing the strong support to the work of the High Commissioner and of his office, and thanks the High Commissioner for his update.

The Netherlands is deeply concerned about shrinking civic space worldwide, as also mentioned in yesterday’s update of the High Commissioner.

Governments and other powerful actors employ a range of tactics to suppress dissent and curtail public participation. We are worried about the criminalization of peaceful protests or transnational repression, including proxy punishment, through which state actors target political opposition, journalists and human rights defenders within and beyond their borders, all under the guise of national security.
Additionally, the rise of Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation, (SLAPPS) is contributing to a climate of fear and self-censorship on issues of public concern and thereby restricts freedom of expression.

Mr. President,
We are particularly worried about the civic space situation in Afghanistan, Belarus, Eritrea, Iran and Nicaragua. We need to defend the defenders of our international human rights architecture.

The Netherlands will continue to advocate for protection of all defenders in this multilateral space and beyond. 

Thank you.