Speech 39th Universal Periodic Review of human rights: UK statement on Greece

Simon Manley, UK Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva delivered the statement on Greece at the 39th UPR, sharing recommendations to improve their human rights record.

From:

Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and Simon Manley CMG

Location:

Geneva, Switzerland

Delivered on:

1 November 2021 (Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered)

The UK welcomes Greece’s commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights. We welcome the steps taken by Greece to implement the recommendations from its last UPR, and the progress made in response to the humanitarian challenges presented by irregular migration – this includes efforts to speed up asylum processes, reduce overcrowding, and increase investment to improve facilities.

We recommend Greece:

• accelerate efforts to implement its 2019 National Action Plan to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings and continue to provide training on the new National Referral Mechanism to all frontline responders and relevant officials

• ensure that allegations of forcible eviction of irregular migrants from its territory without

  due process are credibly investigated

• adopt an open, merit-based process when selecting national candidates for UN Treaty Body elections. Greece is one of our oldest and closest friends. Just last week we signed a new Strategic Bilateral Framework that will enable even stronger cooperation between us

Thank you.