Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2011-03-10-Speech-4-274-000"
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"en.20110310.19.4-274-000"2
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"Mr President, in January, we deplored the murder of the Governor of Punjab, Salman Taseer.
The Council has just adopted conclusions recalling the commitment of the EU to safeguard these fundamental rights and to step up efforts to promote and protect these rights everywhere and for everyone.
A few weeks later, these acts of violence continued with the assassination on 2 March 2011 of Mr Shahbaz Bhatti, the Minister for Minorities in the government of Pakistan.
Vice-President Ashton strongly condemned the murder and expressed deep concern over the climate of intolerance and violence in Pakistan linked to the debate over the controversial blasphemy laws.
Mr Bhatti was the only Christian in the government of Pakistan and a well-known advocate of respect for human rights and religious freedom. He was one of the few voices left who dared to speak out and knew he was under threat after the murder of Salman Taseer. Yet this did not stop him from defending his rights which, after all, are enshrined in the Pakistani constitution.
Vice-President Ashton has called on the government of Pakistan to take its responsibilities and provide adequate protection for those in official functions or in civil society who are threatened.
The EU welcomes Prime Minister Jamali’s declaration that the government will do its utmost to bring the culprits to justice. Our respect goes to Mr Jamali for attending Mr Bhatti’s funeral.
The government must now live up to its commitments and bring to justice the perpetrators and instigators of such crimes. Mr Bhatti and Mr Taseer were outspoken critics of the blasphemy laws and at the forefront of efforts to amend them. However, in the climate prevailing after the Taseer murder, the amendments were withdrawn from parliament.
The blasphemy laws, which carry the death penalty, are incompatible with the common values we seek to promote in our relations with Pakistan. They have also led to miscarriages of justice and discrimination against religious minorities.
While we strongly support Pakistan’s democratic government and will do what we can to assist it as it seeks to cope with an unprecedented wave of terrorist acts, its members should stand up for the principles they subscribe to. Freedom of religion or belief is a universal human right; freedom of opinion and expression is intrinsically linked to it."@en1
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