A/HRC/17/2
4.
Recognizes the efforts made by countries of destination on the northern
shores of the Mediterranean sea to host migrants and asylum seekers fleeing recent events
in North Africa, as well as the greater efforts made by neighbouring north African
countries, which impose on them a disproportionate burden, and commends, for their
solidarity, the Governments and people of those countries, humanitarian actors, including
the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the International
Organization for Migration, the International Committee of the Red Cross, international and
local non-governmental organizations and those Governments and individuals who have
supported their activities;
5.
Reaffirms the need to respect the fundamental principle of non-refoulement,
including in the context of people fleeing events in North Africa;
6.
Emphasizes that countries of destination should deal with the arrival of
thousands of migrants and asylum-seekers fleeing recent events in North Africa, including
its humanitarian dimension, in accordance with international obligations under international
human rights law;
7.
Calls for a comprehensive inquiry by countries of destination into the very
troubling allegations that sinking vessels carrying migrants and asylum-seekers fleeing the
recent events in North Africa were abandoned to their fate despite the ability of European
ships in the vicinity to rescue them, and welcomes the call made by the Council of Europe
in this regard on 9 May 2011;
8.
Requests the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to pay
particular attention to the situation of migrants and asylum-seekers fleeing recent events in
North Africa described in the present resolution, to report to the Human Rights Council at
its eighteenth session and to provide updates thereon;
9.
Requests the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants and all
other relevant special procedures mandate holders to pay particular attention to the situation
of persons fleeing by sea, including from recent events in North Africa, and who are denied
assistance or rescue when approaching the countries of destination, and to report regularly
thereon to the Human Rights Council.
35th meeting
17 June 2011
[Adopted by a recorded vote of 32 to 14, with no abstentions. The voting was as follows:
In favour:
Angola, Argentina, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cameroon,
Chile, China, Cuba, Djibouti, Ecuador, Gabon, Ghana, Guatemala, Jordan,
Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Nigeria,
Pakistan, Qatar, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Thailand,
Uganda, Uruguay, Zambia
Against:
Belgium, France, Hungary, Japan, Norway, Poland, Republic of Korea,
Republic of Moldova, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America]
64
GE.12-13630
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