Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2013-06-12-Speech-3-665-000"
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"en.20130612.65.3-665-000"2
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"Madam President, I welcome the Council annual report this year, the first since the High Representative steered the European Union to its new strategic framework on human rights. I welcome, too, the work of Special Representative Lambrinidis and repeat in this chamber what I said to him privately, that his significant work in promoting the participation of civil society groups in Russia’s human rights dialogue and championing human rights in the transition in Egypt are excellent examples that his role can make a difference.
I welcome the human rights contact group the EEAS has established with this Parliament, the
debriefings to MEPs following human rights dialogues, and the promise made to improve the follow-up to our urgency resolutions, all of which enable the European Parliament to bring democratic support to Europe’s human rights efforts in the world.
It is not a criticism of the EEAS or indeed the United Nations to say that we must question the assumption that, as the world develops, so will respect for human rights. I agree with the conclusion in the annual report that repression against independent civil society organisations and against free journalism and social media have got considerably worse, not better, in the last year. It is a challenge for us all to do better, and I warmly commend many of the ideas in Ms Schaake’s report for future action.
On specific questions, High Representative, I would like to ask you whether you would take up Parliament’s recommendation that the Foreign Affairs Council makes country-specific conclusions after human rights dialogues, not least to ensure a level of consistency, especially for our strategic partners.
I ask the High Representative to pay particular attention to human rights impact assessments in relation to trade agreements and investment treaties where perhaps we have most to do, but also most to gain.
As the High Representative prepares to go to Bahrain for the Gulf Cooperation Council Ministerial meeting, can I remind her that myself and my colleague Ana Gomes went into prison to meet political prisoners such as Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, whose conviction has now been confirmed for merely taking part in anti-government protests, and that he, and two others, are EU citizens? I ask her to do everything possible to secure their release.
Finally, in relation to the guidelines on freedom of religion and belief, my group believes freedom of religion is a fundamental right and gives our fundamental support to the guidelines. But to Ms Andrikienė and the EPP Group, I urge you to support the indivisibility of human rights.
This Parliament gives unhesitating support to the guidelines on religion and belief, but you must give equal support to the guidelines due to be agreed on the human rights of LGBT people. You should be careful about the denial of the human rights of women through efforts to restrict education for girls, or on issues such as reproductive health. This is why my group has tabled a number of split votes to your report, and is why we could not support it at committee.
These guidelines are on religion and belief. Do not put rights to religion, or indeed to some religions, above other beliefs. As Sigmund Freud wrote, ‘just as no one can be forced into belief, so no one can be forced into unbelief’."@en1
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