Sous-commission Droits de l'homme (DROI) - Parlement européen

Raif Badawi, this year's Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought laureate, who is a Saudi blogger and human rights activist, still remains in prison. This is why his wife Ensaf Haidar, who lives as a refugee in Canada with their three children, will collect the award in the Parliament on Wednesday, 16 December.

On Monday evening, 14 December, in Strasbourg, members of DROI, AFET and DEVE held an exchange of views with Ensaf Haidar together with Stavros Lambrinidis, EU Special Representative for Human Rights.

During her intervention, DROI Chair, Elena Valenciano, expressed that "Raif's only crime was simply to express his thoughts. His only weapon: his words. And they replied to his words with lashes, prison, harassment and isolation."

Members conveyed their support for Raif Badawi and their hope that he will be pardoned and charges against him will be dropped.They also voiced their concern about the dire situation of human rights in Saudi Arabia and insisted on the need to align the EU foreign and commercial policy to its human rights guiding principles. They also highlighted the high number of human rights defenders in Saudi jails, including the lawyer of Raif Badawi, and that over 150 persons have been executed since the beginning of the year, including juveniles.

Further information
An empty chair
Interview with Ensaf Haidar, wife of Raif Badawi
Extracts from Monday's debate with Ensaf Haidar and Stavros Lambrinidis
Extracts from the Award Ceremony
Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

"I welcome the decision by the Baku Court of Appeal to conditionally release Leyla Yunus following today's court hearing. The European Parliament has always regarded the charges and the court proceedings against Leyla and Arif Yunus as unjust and unfounded and has repeatedly asked for their unconditional release and that all charges against them be dropped."
Full press release
Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

"I welcome the decision by the Baku Court of Appeal to conditionally release Leyla Yunus following today's court hearing. The European Parliament has always regarded the charges and the court proceedings against Leyla and Arif Yunus as unjust and unfounded and has repeatedly asked for their unconditional release and that all charges against them be dropped."
Further information
Full press release
Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

Durée de la vidéo : 77'
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Clause de non-responsabilité : L'interprétation des débats facilite la communication mais ne constitue en aucun cas un enregistrement authentifié des débats. Seuls le discours original ou la traduction écrite révisée du discours original peuvent être considérés authentiques.
Source : © Union européenne, 2015 - PE

Elena Valenciano, Chair of theEuropean Parliament's Subcommittee on Human Rights issued the followingstatement on the International Human Rights Day

"On International Human Rights Day we mustthink first and foremost about those human rights defenders around the worldwho stand up for universal values, speak for the vulnerable and themarginalised or document and monitor abuses. They defy danger, harassment andintimidation."
Full statement
Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

The next meeting of the Subcommittee on Human Rights will take place on Monday 25 January 2016 at 15h00 in meeting room ASP A5E-2.

Representatives of NGOs as well as other organisations are requested to accede to the EU Transparency Register and follow the procedures therein for access to the European Parliament.
Further information
Watch the meeting live
Draft agenda and meeting documents
Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

In view of the increasingly deteriorating human rights and security situation in Burundi, the Chair of the Subcommittee on Human Rights appeals to the Burundian government to prevent further violence, put an end to human rights violations and conduct talks with all parties involved to ensure the stability of the country and region.
Press statement
Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

Urgency resolutions : Cambodia; Bangladesh and Afghanistan

Parliament urges Cambodia to drop all charges brought against opposition leader Sam Rainsy and Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) members; calls on the Bangladesh authorities to restore the full independence of the media; and appeals to the government of Afghanistan to intensify cooperation with the government of Pakistan, in three resolutions passed on Thursday.

Press release
Afghanistan, in particular the killings in the province of Zabul
Cambodia
Freedom of expression in Bangladesh
Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

Durée de la vidéo : 201'
Vous pouvez télécharger manuellement cette vidéo au format WMV (1.8Gb)

Clause de non-responsabilité : L'interprétation des débats facilite la communication mais ne constitue en aucun cas un enregistrement authentifié des débats. Seuls le discours original ou la traduction écrite révisée du discours original peuvent être considérés authentiques.
Source : © Union européenne, 2015 - PE

Durée de la vidéo : 64'
Vous pouvez télécharger manuellement cette vidéo au format WMV (604Mb)

Clause de non-responsabilité : L'interprétation des débats facilite la communication mais ne constitue en aucun cas un enregistrement authentifié des débats. Seuls le discours original ou la traduction écrite révisée du discours original peuvent être considérés authentiques.
Source : © Union européenne, 2015 - PE

Human rights have become an integral part of most donors' development cooperation. In addition to their intrinsic value, human rights are considered instrumental in achieving sustainable development. Implementing the international development goals related to civil and political rights and governance will be challenging. The EU has gradually refined its policy on integrating human rights into development cooperation. The EU approach includes imposing different forms of conditionality, supporting projects and programmes, and mainstreaming human rights across development actions. Aid to governance and civil society has increased in the last decade, reaching 9 % of the EU’s sectorallocable aid in 2013. Implementing a rights-based approach to development will be decisive, but challenging. The European Parliament, a strong supporter of integrating human rights into development cooperation, has its own toolbox to support human rights abroad.
Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

Source : © Union européenne, 2015 - PE

This issue looks at the DROI meetings of September and October, including the joint hearing on Migration Flows, the hearing on the Death Penalty and the joint hearing on Women in Armed Conflict. Also included are the DROI missions to Ukraine, Israel and the Palestinian Territories, and Serbia.
Issue 23
Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

Main points include: Hearing on Sport and Human Rights; Human rights in Central Asia; Exchange of views with Habib Essid, Prime Minister of Tunisia; Human rights situation in Egypt; Human rights in Venezuela; Respect of human rights and international humanitarian law in the Gaza Conflict; Human rights situation in Ukraine and Human rights in Angola;
Issue 22
Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

Main points : Human rights situation in Eritrea with Sheila B. Keetharuth; Discussion with Michel Forst, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders; Situation of Syrian refugees in Lebanon with Ninette Kelley; Sakharov Prize laureate Denis Mukwege; Evaluation of the activities of the European Endowment for Democracy (EED) since its establishment; Exchange of views with the Delegation for relations with the Arab Peninsula (DARP);
Issue 21
Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

Highlights in this issue include: * Hearing on human rights and technologies * Exchange of views with Ambassador Robert King * Update on Raif Badawi in Saudi Arabia * Hearing on freedom of religion or belief


Issue 20
Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

Elena Valenciano, Chair of the Subcommittee onHuman Rights, expresses her shock at the news that Saudi Arabia intends toproceed with the execution of Ali Mohamed al-Nimr and 54 others on death rowand calls on the Saudi Arabian authorities to immediately stop the plannedexecutions of 55 people.
Full press statement
Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

Parliament urges Cambodia to drop all charges brought against opposition leader Sam Rainsy and Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) members; calls on the Bangladesh authorities to restore the full independence of the media; and appeals to the government of Afghanistan to intensify cooperation with the government of Pakistan, in three resolutions passed on Thursday.
Further information
Urgency Resolutions
Press release
Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP