UN panel approves sidelined report praising Gaddafi's human rights record

Washington, Mar 15 (ANI): A United Nations panel has adopted a report praising the human rights record of the former government of deposed Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, a year after it was sidelined amid international objection.

The report initially came before the UN Human Rights Council during the time of the uprising against the Gaddafi regime.

At that time, the U.N. had just voted to suspend Libya from the rights council, under pressure to maintain a consistent message toward Libya. The council later postponed consideration of the report.

But the Human Rights Council on Wednesday returned to the document, and approved it, Fox News reports.

According to the report, UN Watch Director Hillel Neuer blasted the council for the move, saying the panel should have called a new session entirely to review Gaddafi's "heinous crimes."The council should have set an example of accountability by acknowledging that its original review was deeply flawed," he said in a statement.

He claimed that the report served to "falsely praise Gaddafi's oppressive regime, insult his victims and harm the reputation of the UN".he UN report, put together after a November 2010 session, months before protesters challenged Gaddafi, includes dozens of recommendations as to how Libya could improve human rights.

But it also included pages of commentary, mostly positive, from the dozens of delegations to the controversial Human Rights Council. (ANI)