Allegations of war crimes and human rights violations have been widespread in the aftermath of the Libyan conflict. Earlier this month Middle East rights groups alleged human rights violations [JURIST report] and that all parties involved, including the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) [official website], committed acts ranging from use of excessive force against protesters to cruel and inhuman treatment of prisoners during detention. In September, the Libyan National Transitional Council (NTC) [official website] vowed to investigate allegations of human rights after AI published a report [JURIST report] alleging that both sides of the Libya conflict are responsible for human rights abuses and warning the NTC to act quickly to investigate these allegations. In August, Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) [advocacy website] reported [text, PDF] Libyan troops used children as human shields [JURIST report] to deter attacks by NATO. That same month, the Libyan Prime Minister Al Baghdad Ali Al-Mahmoudi requested that the UN create a "high-level commission" to investigate alleged human rights abuses [JURIST report] by NATO.

The cabinet expressed sorrow in view of the increasingly growing provocative calls which instigate the targeting of security personnel—these provocative calls come from forums, website, social networks or practically during unlicensed demonstrations and gatherings which have nothing to do with peacefulness, calls for reformation, freedom of expression nor democracy.

Protests and demonstrations in Bahrain [BBC backgrounder] have been ongoing since February 2011 [JURIST report]. In response to the BICI report, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa [official profile] swore that reforms would be made. Al Khalifa promised to amend the nation's constitution [text] earlier this month, to allow the National Assembly [official profile] more oversight of ministers and cabinet members [JURIST report]. Earlier this month, a Bahraini court on overturned the death sentences for two protesters convicted of killing two police officers during the demonstrations that took place in the country last year. The original conviction [JURIST report] was rendered by a special security court set up as part of the emergency law in place while the country's Sunni rulers attempted to silence a Shiite-led to effort bolster civil and political rights in the country. In December, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said that the Bahrain government should release prisoners detained during peaceful protests [JURIST report] and focus on rebuilding national trust in the government. Pillay's statement followed a visit by a team of human rights officials to Bahrain at the invitation of the Bahrain government.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a promise to all people in all places at all times. Let me mention one form of discrimination that has been ignored or even sanctioned by many States for far too long-discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. This has prompted some governments to treat people as second-class citizens, or even criminals. Confronting this discrimination is a challenge. But we must live up to the ideals of the Universal Declaration.

In June, the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) [official website] passed [JURIST report] the "Human rights, sexual orientation and gender identity" resolution, the UN's first resolution calling for an end to sexuality discrimination. In March 2009, the US signed [JURIST report] a UN gay rights declaration [text, PDF], which had previously been signed by 66 other nations. The declaration is a nonbinding measure that does not have the full force of a resolution. It urges on states to end criminalization and persecution of homosexuals. In 2008, the UN General Assembly [official website] was divided over the issue of decriminalizing homosexuality [JURIST report] with nearly half the countries calling for decriminalization, while the remaining countries opposed decriminalization.