During the conclusion of the sixth Human Rights Council, the Council responded to the Special Rapporteur on Myanmar's (Burma) report by reiterating its call for Burma to respect human rights.

Below is the Statement by the Human Rights Council

The Human Rights Council,

Guided by the principles and objectives of the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenants on Human Rights,

Reaffirming its resolution S-5/1 of 2 October 2007,

Deeply concerned at the situation of human rights in Myanmar,

1. Welcomes the recent visit to Myanmar by the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, as requested by the Human Rights Council in its resolution S-5/1 and takes note with appreciation of the cooperation extended to him by the Government of Myanmar;

2. Welcomes the report of the Special Rapporteur (A/HRC/6/14) and expresses deep concern regarding its findings;

3. Reiterates its call to the Government of Myanmar to ensure full respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and to investigate and bring to justice perpetrators of human rights violations, including for the recent violations of the rights of peaceful protestors, and, in this regard, strongly urges the Government of Myanmar to implement without delay recommendations vii, viii and ix of the report;

4. Also reiterates its call to the Government of Myanmar to release without delay those arrested and detained as a result of the repression of recent peaceful protests, to release all political detainees in Myanmar, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and to ensure that conditions of detention meet international standards and include the possibility of visiting any detainee and, in this regard, strongly urges the Government of Myanmar to implement without delay recommendations i, ii, iii, iv, v, vi and xiv of the report;

5. Further reiterates its call to the Government of Myanmar to lift all restraints on the peaceful political activity of all persons by, inter alia, guaranteeing freedom of peaceful assembly and association, and of freedom of opinion and expression, including for free and independent media, and to ensure unhindered access to media information for the people of Myanmar, and, in this regard, strongly urges the Government of Myanmar to implement recommendations xv, xvi and xvii of the report;

6. Recalls its appeal to the Government of Myanmar to engage urgently in a reinvigorated national dialogue with all parties with a view to achieving genuine national reconciliation, democratization and the establishment of the rule of law;

7. Requests the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar to conduct a follow-up mission to Myanmar before its seventh session in order to assess in greater detail the human rights violations that have occurred and are occurring as a result of the continued violent repression of recent peaceful demonstrations in Myanmar and to monitor the implementation of the present resolution;

8. Invites the Special Rapporteur to continue to discharge his mandate in a coordinated manner with the Special Envoy to Myanmar of the Secretary-General;

9. Urges the Government of Myanmar to cooperate fully with the Special Rapporteur and other Human Rights Council mechanisms, including other special procedures pertaining to the protection of vulnerable groups or the protection and promotion of civil and political or economic, social and cultural rights, and, in this regard, strongly urges the Government of Myanmar to implement recommendations x, xi, xii and xiii of the report;

10. Requests the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to provide the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar with a support team that will accompany him in his follow-up visit to Myanmar and that has the necessary expertise to facilitate the fulfilment of the mandate entrusted to him by the present resolution;

11. Requests the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar to report to the Council at its seventh session;

12. Decides to remain seized of this matter.