In a critical and noteworthy move, concurrent with the 50th session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in Geneva, the Organization for Defending of Victims of Violence (ODVV) organized a specialized side event to analyze the human rights record of the United States. This session was held in the shadow of the significant absence of the United States delegation; an absence during the Donald Trump administration that amplified the session’s importance as a resonant voice for civil society. The objective of this expert panel was to examine the profound gap between the international commitments of the US, as one of the founders of the United Nations, and its practical actions, which, according to the speakers, have led to the systematic erosion of legal norms in both the domestic and foreign spheres.
The analyses began with a sharp critique of US foreign policy. Mr. Anouar Al-Gharbi, President of the Geneva Centre for Democracy and Human Rights, highlighted the “fundamental contradiction” of the United States, emphasizing how it has subverted its commitments through arms transfers to Israel, flagrant violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) in Gaza, and the repeated use of its veto power to obstruct accountability. Ms. Helena Cobban deepened this critique, addressing the “simultaneous erosion” of domestic and international norms. Citing the suppression of free speech at home, she labeled the US, due to its support, a partner in the “joint genocide in Gaza” and warned of the dangerous phenomenon of tools of external suppression being repurposed for use against domestic citizens.
Subsequently, the focus shifted to the erosion of rights within US borders. Mr. Amjad Riaz of the Geneva Academy, citing systematic deterrence policies and the violation of the principle of non-refoulement for asylum seekers, presented a picture of “dehumanization” at the borders. He emphasized that the US absence underscores the necessity of the UPR, because “humans are not the property of the state” and accountability is essential. Ms. Amelie D’hausen, a doctoral student, viewed the crisis as more foundational, terming it the “commodification of truth.” She warned that when knowledge is turned into a “private commodity,” “power belongs to those who can afford the truth,” and this eradicates democracy’s capacity to defend rights.
In the final segment, an outlook on the future was presented. Mr. Nathanael Roth Thomas, a former US Army officer, offered a “patriotic critique,” calling America’s “absence and disengagement” the greatest blow to international law and urged a return to “principled multilateralism” for accountability. Finally, Ms. Rashida Abbass, a PhD student in international law, connected the discussion to environmental rights, highlighting the transboundary violation of Mexico’s “right to water” by the US. She stressed the necessity of a “science, law, and justice triad” model to achieve true justice. The session concluded with the consensus that civil society must, in the absence of governments, be the resonant voice of truth and justice.
