Gulfshore Business: “US officials and rights defenders gathered at the United Nations in Geneva on Friday to voice concerns over human rights under President Donald Trump’s administration, and denounce Washington’s decision to snub a review of its record.

The US mission in Geneva confirmed this week that the country would skip its so-called Universal Periodic Review (UPR), after first announcing the decision in August, becoming only the second country to ever boycott the process.

All 193 United Nations member states are required to undergo the standard review of their rights situation every four to five years….

‘It’s the Human Rights Council, the United Nations system and a community of nations committed to human rights and democracy who can bring necessary sunlight to these abuses,’ said Chandra Bhatnagar, head of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)’s southern California branch.

Robert Saleem Holbrook, head of the Abolitionist Law Center agreed, insisting that as ‘we see our civil liberties being decimated, these forums are going to take on increasing importance in the future’.”

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