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EU Parliament takes stock of EU record on human rights protection in 2006

Summary: EU Parliament takes stock of EU record on human rights protection in 2006 (26 April 2007: Brussels)

Today, 26 April, the European Parliament gave overwhelming backing to the EP's 2006 annual report on Human Rights in the World, drafted by Simon Coveney (EPP-ED, IE). MEPs expressed particular concern about the situation in Russia, China and Iran; the EU and its institutions did not escape criticism.

The 2006 report assesses the human rights activities of the Commission and the Council -- and the overall performance of the Parliament in this field. It focuses on EU policies with respect to human rights offenders, submits criticism of EU actions and makes concrete policy recommendations.

Human rights violations worldwide

China's human rights record is still a matter of "serious concern" and should thus "receive more focus in the build-up to the Beijing Olympic games" note MEPs, emphasising, at the same time, the need to strengthen and improve the EU-China human rights dialogue. That said, members urge the Council and Commission "to raise the question of Tibet" in talks with the Beijing government. The Union's trade relations with Beijing, they add, should be contingent upon human rights reform.

Expressing their "deep concern regarding the deterioration of the human rights situation" in Iran -- notably, "the intensification of the repression against human rights defenders" -- the EP "calls on the Council to express concern about the [situation] in all its contacts with the Iranian government". It also calls on the Commission to use the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) to promote contacts and cooperation with Iranian civil society.

The House also reserves strong criticism for the Russian government, "regretting" that the EU has had "only limited success in bringing about policy change as a result of raising difficult issues" -- such as the situation in Chechnya, the treatment of human rights defenders, and freedom of expression. The report goes on to "deplore Russian legislation limiting the activities of NGOs", as well as the fact "that journalists and human rights defenders have been threatened". It remains "appalled" at the murder of Anna Politkowskaja" and is concerned about allegations of Russian involvement in the poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko and of the mistreatment of Mikhail Khodorkovsky while in detention. The Parliament "urges the Commission and Council to raise such cases with the Russian authorities at the highest level and in the new PCA with Russia".

"Regretting" that the EU has not taken "more unilateral action" to persuade the Sudanese government to accept an international peacekeeping force in Darfur, the report urges the EU to back "an international peacekeeping force" and "the enforcement of the no-fly zone over Darfur". The Council, it goes on to say, should agree "a plan of specific, targeted sanctions to be imposed on the Khartoum regime [...] in the event of non-compliance with the demands of the international community."

The report also:

- recognises attempts to set up a human rights dialogue with Uzbekistan, but considers that such a dialogue should not automatically "lead to the lifting of sanctions [...] if no progress is made in the area of human rights and democracy";

- is concerned with the "limited progress" on human rights issues in Turkey and encourages the Ankara government to change Article 301 of the Penal Code;

- urges the adoption of "more effective and targeted sanctions" against the government of Myanmar in light of the country's deteriorating human rights situation;

- proposes that the temporary international mechanism be expanded and ways be explored to resume direct aid to the Palestinian territories;

- urges the Commission "to review its policy tools vis-à-vis Libya" given Tripoli's failure to ensure a fair trial for five Bulgarian nurses and one Palestinian doctor accused of intentionally infecting children with the AIDS virus;

- calls on the Council and the Commission to urge the US government to "charge or release" Guantánamo detainees "in accordance with international law";

- expresses "strong disapproval" of US efforts "to actively prevent other countries from ratifying the Rome Statute [of the ICC]" and urges the Czech Republic, "as the only remaining EU Member State not have ratified the Statute, to do so without delay";

- points to "the need to support the [Belarusian] political opposition";

- asks that the EU include the issue of persecution on the basis of sexual orientation in its discussions on human rights with third countries.
Criticism of EU action on human rights

The report also makes some criticisms of the EU institutions' activity in the area of human rights. It asks the Council to explain "how it was possible for Belarus to be elected onto the Governing Body of the International Labour Organization (ILO) in June 2005" - even though "four major EU countries are permanent members of that Governing Body." It also notes "with total stupefaction" the provisional suspension by ECHO of humanitarian aid for Iraq, despite "the disastrous situation afflicting the suffering Iraqi people and Iraqi refugees"

MEPs note that the Union, in its texts, attempts "to link immigration and development and ensure that the fundamental rights of immigrants are respected". Still, they maintain, "the reality on the ground gives the lie to the texts": readmission agreements are being concluded with third countries that do not have the legal and institutional machinery to handle the readmission of nationals and protect their rights.

The United Nations does not escape criticism, either, particularly with regard to its newly created Human Rights Council (UNHRC). Although "the new UNHRC has the potential to develop into a valuable framework for the EU's multilateral human rights efforts", say MEPs, it has proven "ineffectual in responding appropriately to human rights crises" - this being due to "the use of the UNHRC by many states as a forum for political pressure instead of the promotion of human rights". The EP points to "the need for the EU to make more effective use of its leverage in order to promote important issues on the agenda of the UNHRC".

Recommendations

The report closes with a host of recommendations to the Council and Commission. Both institutions, it insists, should raise the situation of human rights defenders in all political dialogues. EU missions ought to "reach out to local human rights defenders in a more proactive manner", while the Council should take steps "to facilitate the issuing of visas for all human rights defenders".

MEPs also say that EU Presidencies should continue the approach of promoting the abolition of the death penalty; the Council should "reassess the procedure for listing terrorist groups and […] consider a clear method for taking groups off the list"; the Commission, as Chair of the Kimberley Process throughout 2007, should strengthen the mechanisms designed to stem the flow of conflict diamonds; both Council and Commission should act to ensure that Member States move to ban cluster bombs.

  • Ref: EP07-014EN
  • EU source: European Parliament
  • UN forum: 
  • Date: 26/4/2007


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See also
 

European Union Member States