The Finnish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Elina Valtonen, addresses global human rights issues at the High-Level Segment of the United Nations Human Rights Council’s 55th session on 26 February 2024 and says Finland is committed to promote universal human rights in cooperation with everyone. She mentions fighting for human rights in Myanmar and calls on China to participate in dialogue with the international community on human rights issues in China. Elina Valtonen elaborates that the Muslim Uyghurs in China require international attention and that she has followed with concern how the Chinese authorities are limiting civic space in Hong Kong.
Furthermore the Finnish Minister for Foreign affairs claims Russia should be held accountable for the crimes the country has allegedly committed in its war with Ukraine that has been ongoing since 2022. She calls for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza and for Israel not to take military action in Rafah in order to uphold international humanitarian law. She also mentions that Finland will continuously call for respect for human rights globally in Sudan, Yemen, Afghanistan and Nicaragua.
