Stephen Gadd
June 20th, 2018

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Haley doesn’t have much time for the organisation that she accuses of bias and being anti-Israeli (photo: flickr/BMN Network)

Last week Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the UN, announced that the United States is going to leave the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

In her speech she denounced the body as being “a hypocritical and self-serving organisation that makes a mockery of human rights”.

Yesterday, Dansk Folkeparti’s deputy leader, Søren Espersen, came out in support of the US position and urged Denmark to follow the US lead, reports DR Nyheder.

“There are no human rights in that council. It’s a complete farce that it is in the pocket of the most fundamentalist Arab states,” said Espersen.

Get us out
When the Danish Parliament reconvenes in October, DF intends to propose a motion to get Denmark out of the organisation, even though Denmark has announced its candidacy for a seat on the UNHRC for the period 2019-2021.

“We should help people gain their freedoms as much as we can, but not through the UNHRC. That’s just not on,” added Espersen.

The UNHRC was established in 2006 and its mandate is to promote and protect human rights and freedoms. This can include conducting investigations and criticising countries seen as breaching human rights.

The council has been criticised for being dominated by countries that themselves have a less-than-spotless record on human right issues.

Israel bashing
The US has criticised the council several times for being anti-Israel whilst turning a blind eye to human rights abuses in Arab member countries.

Espersen also thinks the council has engaged in “Israel bashing” and he is convinced that the cause of human rights would be furthered if the council was totally abolished.

“The fundamentalist Arab states can boast they are members of the council to deceive their own people, so I think it would be better for our freedoms if the council was abolished – and as quickly as possible,” added Espersen.