[Human Rights] UPR/13th Session, Statement to Indonesia

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Geneva, 23 May 2012

Statement by AUSTRIA 

Thank you, Mme President. 

Austria welcomes H.E. ..... and the delegation of Indonesia to the UPR and thanks them for their presentation.

We commend the Government for actively engaging with civil society in the UPR process as well as for enacting legislation aimed at improving the human rights protection in the follow-up to the first UPR round, including the ratification of the CRPD and the signing of the CED.

However, Austria remains concerned about agitation and violent attacks against religious minorities, such as Ahmadiyyah, Hindus and Christians, as well as against their places of worship.

Could the Government explain which measures it has taken, with regard to reports about the use of excessive force and torture by the security forces and widespread impunity?

Austria offers the following recommendations to the Government of Indonesia:

Ratify the Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances, OP-CAT and the Rome Statute of the ICC;

Issue a standing invitation to all UN Special Procedures;

Take legislative action and effectively prosecute the incitement of hatred and acts of violence against all religious minorities;

Take effective measures to end impunity in cases of police violence and torture;

And finally, consider abolishing the death penalty and, as a first step, establish a moratorium on executions.