The UN Human Rights Council marked the adoption of the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide on March 7, 2014. The "high-level panel discussion" featured the representative of Sudan, whose president has been indicted by the International Criminal Court for genocide but remains at large. The Sudanese diplomat thought this was an ideal time to champion her country's commitment to the prevention and punishment of genocide.
She said: "The Islamic Sharia and respect for human beings and to God means that we must respect all human beings, in particular their rights. Furthermore, God has forbidden us to kill or take a life from anyone. For that reason, genocide remains one of the most serious crimes that exist. Sudan reiterates the need to respect human dignity. We have built a state based on the promotion of human rights and the noble and eternal values. We have several cultures in our country and we have bolstered cohabitation and coexistence among various groups in our society...The Universal Declaration on Human Rights and other instruments all guarantee right to life and we acceded to that without exception."
The Council President thanked the speaker for her remarks.
And while states guilty of genocide professed their innocence, others thought the occasion was an opportunity to fabricate charges of genocide. Venezuela, a member of the UN Human Rights Council despite its abysmal human rights record, suggested Israelis were like Nazis and guilty of genocide. Venezuela told the Council: "65 years ago the United Nations committed itself to preventing genocide... However, as we see such atrocities continue to be committed in the 21th century with utter impunity, such as those suffered by the heroic Palestinian people."
The Council President thanked the speaker for his remarks.