Inter-American Commission on Human Rights Holds Hearing on Access to Asylum in the United States
PublishedLetter to Secretary of State Tillerson Urging US to Reaffirm Commitment to Protect and Defend Human Rights
Today, the Women’s Refugee Commission (WRC), along with 14 other organizations and seven individuals, all participants in hearings held during the 161 Period of Sessions of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), sent a letter to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson expressing their deep disappointment in the failure of the United States to participate in those same hearings convened on March 21, 2017. The first hearing was on a case being litigated before the IACHR, regarding acts committed against Japanese-Peruvians by the United States during WWII; the second was convened by the IACHR on the human rights impact of recently issued executive orders; and the third was on policies that prevent access to asylum in the United States.
The United States’ absence at these hearings breaks with at least two decades of uninterrupted participation and calls into question this administration’s commitment to protecting human rights within the United States and abroad.
Instead of embarking upon an isolationist policy of disengagement with regional and international human rights bodies – a tactic used by authoritarian regimes, the undersigned organizations and individuals call upon this administration in today’s letter to reaffirm the United States’ commitment to protect and defend human rights through meaningful engagement with international human rights bodies, such as the IACHR.
Follow-up letter to Secretary of State Tillerson regarding U.S. absense at IACHR Hearing
Supplemental information to hearing request on impediments to access to asylum and other human rights in the US
Follow-up submission on the request for a thematic hearing on measures taken by or at the request of the United States that impede access to asylum in the United States and interfere with the right to family life and other core human rights protections
Request to the IACHR for a thematic hearing on impediments to access to asylum and other human rights in the US
Original request filed with the IACHR by WRC and 13 other organizations for a thematic hearing during its 161 period of sessions, held during March 2017, on measures taken by or at the request of the United States that impede access to asylum in the United States and interfere with the right to family life and other core human rights protections. The hearing request was granted, and by the time of the hearing on March 21, 2017, five additional organizations had joined this request, for a total of 19.
