During the second week of the 63rd Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, the Brussels International Center (BIC) continued its active field engagement at the Palais des Nations. The Center’s team attended and covered a broad range of official discussions, side events, expert panels, and exhibitions addressing key regional and international human rights priorities.

Throughout the week, the Center followed substantive discussions on freedom of religion or belief, minority rights, women’s rights, access to water, environmental and climate justice, nationality and statelessness, international accountability, and cooperation between United Nations and African human rights mechanisms. This diverse program enabled the delegation to deepen its understanding of emerging policy debates and the practical challenges facing communities in different regions.

The BIC also held valuable exchanges with United Nations Special Rapporteurs working on minority issues, freedom of religion or belief, and violence against women and girls. In addition, representatives of the Center engaged with international experts, non-governmental organizations, civil society representatives, researchers, and members of official diplomatic missions. These professional interactions helped strengthen dialogue, exchange perspectives, and identify opportunities for future research and institutional cooperation.

Beyond the formal meetings, the Center monitored the active diplomatic and civil society engagement taking place throughout the Palais des Nations and visited exhibitions highlighting accessibility, technological inclusion, public-interest litigation, cultural heritage, the rights of persons with disabilities, and the importance of placing victims at the heart of human rights action. The Brussels International Center remains committed to constructive participation, independent field monitoring, evidence-based research, and meaningful engagement with international institutions and partners.

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BIC expresses its deepest sympathy and solidarity with the people of Spain and France, who are currently severely affected by the devastating wildfires sweeping across the two countries.

We are witnessing with great concern and sadness the destruction of vast territories and the hardship of the thousands of people who have been forced to leave their homes due to this emergency. Our thoughts are with them, their families, and all BIC team members living and working in the affected areas.

We wish to extend our heartfelt and rightful thanks to all the firefighters, Civil Protection personnel, first responders, and local authorities. These women and men are working tirelessly, putting their own safety at risk to tame the flames, protect communities, and defend our ecosystem.

BIC stands in spirit and in action alongside those facing this severe calamity. We will continue to monitor how the situation evolves, united in the hope that the emergency will be brought under control as soon as possible.

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The Brussels International Center (BIC) continued its participation in the 9th World Congress Against the Death Penalty by attending a series of discussions that focused primarily on the situation in Iran and the international response to the increasing use of capital punishment. The sessions brought together representatives of international organizations, human rights defenders, legal experts, and civil society actors to examine recent developments and explore avenues for strengthening international advocacy and accountability.

A central focus of the day's programme was the side event "Mass Executions in Iran: What Can NGOs, States and the UN Do?", which examined the significant rise in executions in Iran over recent years. Presentations highlighted statistical trends showing a sharp increase since 2022, with speakers arguing that executions are increasingly used not only as criminal sanctions but also as instruments of political repression. Discussions emphasized the use of capital punishment against political opponents, protesters, and members of ethnic minorities, while calling for stronger engagement by the United Nations, governments, and international NGOs to increase diplomatic pressure and improve documentation of human rights violations.

Participants also examined the humanitarian and social dimensions of executions by presenting case studies illustrating the impact of capital punishment on economically marginalized communities. Particular attention was devoted to the situation of Kurdish and Baluch minorities, with speakers describing patterns of discrimination, allegations of unfair trials, torture, coerced confessions, and the expanding use of broadly defined national security offences. Several interventions also linked the recent increase in executions to broader regional tensions involving Iran, arguing that geopolitical considerations have sometimes weakened international condemnation of Tehran's execution policies.

During the congress, Yousif Kharoubi, Office Administrator and Media & Communication Manager at the Brussels International Center, continued monitoring the proceedings and engaging with participants from international organizations and civil society, contributing to the Center's documentation and coverage of the event.

The Center also attended a session dedicated to cooperation within the Francophone community in response to the global resurgence of the death penalty. Discussions emphasized the role of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, national human rights institutions, parliamentarians, and regional organizations in promoting legislative cooperation, supporting moratoriums, and strengthening international coordination to preserve abolitionist achievements and advance common human rights standards.

The Brussels International Center's participation was further supported by Yasmine Akrimi, Projects and Research Lead, who contributed to the analytical monitoring of the congress by following policy discussions and collecting research material on emerging legal and diplomatic trends related to capital punishment.

Overall, the second day of the congress enabled the Brussels International Center to closely follow high-level discussions on Iran's execution policies and the broader international movement to abolish the death penalty, while strengthening its engagement with experts and organizations working in the fields of international law and human rights.

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