Dissidents from around the world convened in Geneva to share their experiences escaping oppressive regimes, shortly before the UN Human Rights Council’s (UNHRC) 58th session in the same city.

At the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy, UN Watch Executive Director Hillel Neuer criticized the UNHRC, stating that its membership includes some of the world’s worst human rights violators who exploit their membership for impunity.

The summit featured accounts from dissidents and their families, with empty chairs symbolizing those unable to attend. Testimonies included those from current UNHRC member states like Sudan, Cuba, and Vietnam.

Human rights attorney Times Wang spoke about his father, Dr. Wang Bingzhang, a Chinese political dissident imprisoned since 2002. Sebastien Lai, son of imprisoned Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai, also shared his father’s plight.

Dissidents from former member states, including Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Eritrea, Afghanistan, and Russia, also participated. Vladimir Kara-Murza, a Russian pro-democracy activist recently released from prison after being jailed for opposing the war in Ukraine, emphasized the power of collective action against dictatorships.

Garry Kas, a human rights activist and critic of the Russian president, expressed deep skepticism towards the UNHRC, suggesting its replacement might be necessary.

Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi called for the removal of the Islamic Republic regime, highlighting Iranian women’s fight for freedom as extending beyond the hijab issue.

The UNHRC did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The upcoming 58th session’s agenda includes topics such as early warning and genocide prevention, the death penalty, and racial discrimination.

President Trump’s 2025 executive order withdrawing the U.S. from the UNHRC echoed Neuer’s criticism, citing the council’s protection of human rights abusers.