“In view of the deteriorating health and serious condition of Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo, the European Union expects the People’s Republic of China to immediately grant him parole on humanitarian grounds and allow him to receive medical assistance at a place of his choosing in China or overseas” – says the statement of…
Category: Human Rights
EU against death penalty in Belarus
The Belarusian Supreme Court has upheld yet another death sentence, this time against Aliaksei Mikhalenia. “The continued application of the death penalty runs counter to Belarus’ stated willingness to engage with the international community, including the European Union, on the matter” – says the statement of the European External Action Service. “The European Union reaffirms its strong…
Europeans wish migration resolved on EU level
Nearly two thirds of Europeans think decisions on migration should be taken at EU level rather than nationally, according to a Eurobarometer survey commissioned by Parliament. In addition eight out of ten people polled said asylum seekers should be “better distributed among all EU member states”. However, the answers vary considerably from country to…
Uzbek human rights activist dies in prison
The Uzbekistan government should immediately allow an independent investigation into the enforced disappearance and death in prison of a human rights and opposition activist Nuraddin Jumaniyazov, Human Rights Watch said today. On June 16, 2017, Gulnora Rahmonova, his widow, reported that her husband had died in prison on December 31, 2016, from tuberculosis and diabetes-related…
EU concerned about humanitarian crisis in Iraq
In light of recent developments, the Council discussed and adopted conclusions on Iraq. In its conclusions, the Council commends the Iraqi Government of Prime Minister al-Abadi and the Iraqi security forces for the significant advances they have made in the military campaign against Da’esh over the past months. It also reiterates its steadfast support for…
Europarliament concerned with death penalty in Pakistan
Parliament is deeply concerned at the alarming rate of executions in Pakistan following flawed trials, including of minors and persons with mental disabilities, some of which are carried out while appeals are still under way. In a resolution, it calls on Pakistan to reinstate its moratorium on the death penalty, with the ultimate goal of…
MEPs call Azerbaijan to release political prisoners
The European Parliament calls upon Azerbaijan authorities to immediately release and drop all charges against Afgan Mukhtarli (pictured), an investigative journalist exiled in Georgia, from where he was abducted on May 29 and brought to Azerbaijan. He now faces prosecution and possibly a prison sentence of several years “following bogus charges”, say MEPs. Azerbaijani authorities…
EU reminds Russia about international commitments
“The detention of hundreds of peaceful demonstrators and violence used against them by the Russian authorities in Moscow, Saint Petersburg and other cities across the country today threatens the fundamental freedoms of expression, association and assembly in the Russian Federation. These fundamental rights are enshrined in the Russian constitution and we expect them to be…
Anti-corruption protestors jailed in Russia
A Russian court has sentenced opposition leader, and anti-corruption fighter Aleksei Navalny (pictured) to 30 days in jail for staging unsanctioned rallies at which an estimated 1 500 anticorruption protesters were detained. The judge at the Simonovsky district court ruled early on June 13 that Navalny, who was detained outside his home in an outlying…
NGOs assist migrant flows in Mediterranean
A Spanish aid organization has rescued 391 migrants while undertaking the crossing of the Mediterranean Sea. Laura Lanuza, spokeswoman for Spain’s Proactiva Open Arms aid group, said that their ship Golfo Azzurro took on board 243 migrants from two smugglers’ boats intercepted in international waters off the coast of Libya. (10/06/2017). Among migrant gourp one…
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