Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-03-14-Speech-2-232"
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"en.20060314.26.2-232"2
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".
Mr President, speaking on behalf of the Council, I would like to reply in the following terms to Mr Ryan’s question about opposition figures in Ethiopia.
The Council is observing the situation as regards the detained opposition leaders, representatives of civil society organisations, newspaper publishers and journalists with close attention. Following their arrest, the European Union, on 6 November last year, made a statement expressing its concern and calling for the release of all political prisoners. The EU also demanded the immediate release of all detainees against whom no charges had been laid in a proper manner complying with certain minimum standards. It also urged that all the detainees should be given the right to receive visits from their family members and from the International Red Cross and/or other appropriate representatives of the international community. A similar demand was made in a joint statement by the ambassadors of the European Union and the United States of America in Addis Ababa on 6 November 2005.
Since the arrests at the beginning of November 2005, representatives of the European Union have regularly raised the case of these detainees in meetings with the Ethiopian Government and also brought it directly to the attention of the Prime Minister, Meles Zenawi, in the course of the political dialogue under Article 8 of the Cotonou Agreement. The diplomatic representatives of the European Union in Addis Ababa have agreed to raise the subject of respect for human rights and the rule of law as central elements in the political dialogue with Ethiopia, together with the demand that all those persons detained after the political demonstrations in June and November be set at liberty and that their relatives, their lawyers and humanitarian organisations be guaranteed access to them.
Let me take this opportunity to mention that I have myself discussed these issues with Lord Triesman and with Mr Hilary Benn, since we know – as I have indeed mentioned – that the various steps taken under the British Presidency were of great significance in this respect and I do of course regard continuity in this area as important.
The diplomatic representatives also agreed that they would insist on the relatives of the detainees being informed as to their whereabouts, and on the detainees being given access to legal counsel and being treated in a humane manner.
We are also giving particular attention to guaranteeing the presence of local and international observers at the trials of opposition leaders and of other persons. The intention is that an observer should monitor the trial of the opposition leader Hailu Shawel and other persons and report back to the EU representatives in Addis Ababa.
The European Union will continue to raise these issues with the Ethiopian Government and to monitor the situation of the detainees with close attention."@en1
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