Turning Their Backs On U.S. Rep

A majority of about 140 participants protested 18 October against a US ambassador speaking at the United Nations Human Rights Committee meeting held in Geneva, Switzerland. The silent protest involved activists standing up and turning their backs while US Permanent Representative to the UN Human Rights Council Michèle Taylor gave her final remarks. The activists, hailing from all over the world, claimed Taylor had provided insufficient explanations for their human-rights concerns. This meeting was the first review of US compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

This protest comes in the wake of the United States voting down a second UN Security Council resolution that failed this week. The Brazilian draft on 18 October called for humanitarian aid to be delivered to the more than 2 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, as well as a condemnation of Palestinian resistance group Hamas. That came after Russia's 16 October resolution was rejected. It called for a ceasefire in the military escalation that began 7 October in the occupied Palestinian territories, as well as delivery of aid.

Let us know what you think of the silent protest.

Video credit: @ShaykhSulaiman