United States of America Statement at the
Universal Periodic Review of Djibouti
44th Session
Delivered by Kelly Billingsley
Thank you, Mr. Vice President,
The United States welcomes the delegation of Djibouti, led by Ali Hassan Bahdon, Minister of Justice.
The United States recognizes Djibouti’s recent efforts to increase the credibility of legislative elections and empower national human rights organizations. We remain concerned about restrictions on the media, the suppression of opposition political voices, and limited progress on confronting trafficking in persons.
In the spirit of cooperation, we recommend that Djibouti:
1. Guarantee the rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly for journalists, human rights defenders, and all other persons. This includes a guarantee that they are not prosecuted, detained, or refused entry to the country for exercising these rights.
2. Protect political opposition by allowing all groups to form legally recognized political parties. Protect the ability of citizens to criticize the government, without fear of harassment, abuse or detention, and allow unrestricted access to the Internet, including social media.
3. Increase public awareness of human trafficking and investigate and prosecute human trafficking crimes, including improved victim identification and protection.
I thank you.
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