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Mauritius’ Human Rights on Trial: 3 Demands for Change

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Mauritius' Human Rights on Trial: 3 Demands for Change

At the recent Universal Periodic Review (UPR) report adoption by the United Nations Human Rights Council, human rights organizations ISHR and Dis-Moi delivered a joint statement urging the Mauritian government to strengthen support for human rights defenders and expand the mandate of the National Human Rights Commission.

During the review, the Mauritian delegation emphasized that their country is fully committed to promoting and protecting human rights, as enshrined in its Constitution.

Additionally, the delegation reported that Mauritius has submitted its 6th periodic report to the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) and its 11th periodic report on the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights.

The Mauritian government was praised by intervening states and civil society for upholding human rights, including the decriminalization of same-sex conduct by the Supreme Court, a significant step towards achieving human rights.

However, concerns were raised regarding the protection of social, economic, and cultural rights, which are not being adhered to, creating a hostile working environment for journalists and human rights defenders.

In their joint statement, ISHR and Dis-Moi pointed out that while the Constitution of Mauritius guarantees the protection of human rights in Article 2, it only mentions civil and political rights.

This has led to difficulties for human rights defenders working on issues such as socio-economic rights violations, sexual orientation and gender identity rights, or environmental rights to denounce violations. Therefore, ISHR and Dis-Moi called on Mauritius to:

  1. Ensure that the Public Gathering Act is implemented in line with its content and purpose, particularly the notification rule, to guarantee the right to freedom of association and peaceful assembly.
  2. Expand the mandate of the National Human Rights Commission to include all human rights, not just civil and political rights, to ensure protection for all victims of rights violations, including those defending economic, social, cultural, environmental, and LGBTIQ rights.
  3. Conduct prompt, thorough, independent, and impartial investigations into all threats and attacks against human rights defenders, especially those involving law enforcement.

These recommendations aimed to promote a more comprehensive approach to human rights protection in Mauritius and ensure that all individuals can exercise their fundamental freedoms without fear of reprisal or violence.

Source: International Service for Human Rights

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