US Boycotts UN Human Rights Review for Second Year Running

The update

The United States failed to appear on Tuesday for its scheduled Universal Periodic Review at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, the second year running it has skipped the process. Council President Sidharto Reza Suryodipuro announced the US delegation was not present, and the council postponed examining the US record until January. The review is obligatory for all 193 UN member states every four to five years. Washington withdrew from the council in February 2025, and a State Department spokesperson said participation would imply endorsement, accusing the body of anti-American rhetoric.

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Why it matters

Rights groups say the absence is unprecedented: no member state had ever failed to appear twice, and even North Korea takes part. Jamil Dakwar of the American Civil Liberties Union said violations were continuing and warned the administration wanted to dismantle human rights. Member states had prepared questions on the death penalty and abortion access, and nearly 200 submissions covered topics from migration to racial discrimination. Experts warned the walkout could undermine the credibility of the whole review system.

What to watch

The council will revisit the postponed examination in January, including whether to proceed without US participation — a step UN insiders fear could encourage other states to stay away, leaving the process unavailable to US citizens for now.

Sources

• npr.org — confirms the second consecutive boycott, the obligatory review and the January postponement
• aljazeera.com — confirms the empty US delegation, the State Department response and rights groups’ criticism

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