New Delhi: The United States is set to skip its United Nations human rights review in Geneva on Tuesday, becoming the first country to reject the process altogether since it began in 2008. Washington already boycotted its scheduled review in November 2025, prompting the UN to defer the exercise for a year in the hope that the Trump administration would reconsider.
The universal periodic review (UPR) assesses the human rights records of all 193 UN member states roughly every four to five years. Governments present reports, answer questions from other countries and receive recommendations, which are not legally binding.
Why Washington is refusing
The Trump administration ended US engagement with the human rights council in February 2025, alleging bias against Washington and Israel. Its membership term had expired the previous December, and participation in the UPR is separate from holding a seat on the council.
Washington refuses to recognize the council’s credibility, with a state department spokesperson telling the Associated Press: “We give no credibility to the agency.” The spokesperson accused the body of promoting anti-American rhetoric and failing to condemn some of the world’s most serious human rights violators.
Israel also missed a scheduled review in 2013 but later participated in a postponed session. The US would therefore be the first to completely refuse the review, rather than the first to miss its original appointment.
Human rights concerns awaiting scrutiny
Nearly 200 civil society submissions raised concerns ranging from immigration enforcement to racial discrimination, Reuters reported. Countries had also prepared questions about abortion rights and the death penalty, while campaigners criticized deportations and US strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels.
The administration maintains that deportations comply with US immigration law and that its security operations protect Americans. Those positions are disputed by rights advocates, whose submissions are not equivalent to judicial findings.
Rights groups press for UN response
The refusal threatens the principle that every country must face international scrutiny, rights organizations argue. “This council should hold the United States accountable,” Jamil Dakwar of the American Civil Liberties Union said, adding that rights groups had requested an update from the UN human rights chief, Volker Turk, early next year.
A country’s absence prevents the normal question-and-answer review, leaving the UN to consider what follows. Eric Tistounet, the council’s former first secretary, warned that non-participation by a major power could undermine the mechanism’s credibility.
A draft UN document points towards postponing the review until January 2027, Reuters reported, but no final decision has been announced. Human Rights Watch and other groups have urged the council to address persistent non-cooperation, warning that inaction could encourage other governments to avoid scrutiny.