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

Hearing on Freedom of religion or belief: the situation of persecuted minorities, notably Christians 22 November, 10:3 - 12:30, Meeting room ASP 3E2
Some excellent speakers from a variety of faiths will be taking part in this hearing including Ahmed Shaheed, UN Special Representative on Freedom of Religion or Belief and Jan Figel, Special Envoy for the promotion of freedom of religion and belief outside the EU, who will talk about his recent mission to Sudan. The other speakers will focus on the situation of Christians in the Middle East, the serious but little known discrimination against Christians in China, the discrimination against Shias in Bahrain and elsewhere and the persecution of the Rohingya in Myanmar, including its historical background. Finally the importance of "religious literacy" for securing freedom of religion and also for understanding global politics will be emphasized.
Further information
Draft programme
Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Hearing on Freedom of religion or belief: the situation of persecuted minorities, notably Christians
Some excellent speakers from a variety of faiths will be taking part in this hearing including Ahmed Shaheed, UN Special Representative on Freedom of Religion or Belief and Jan Figel, Special Envoy for the promotion of freedom of religion and belief outside the EU, who will talk about his recent mission to Sudan. The other speakers will focus on the situation of Christians in the Middle East, the serious but little known discrimination against Christians in China, the discrimination against Shias in Bahrain and elsewhere and the persecution of the Rohingya in Myanmar, including its historical background. Finally the importance of "religious literacy" for securing freedom of religion and also for understanding global politics will be emphasized.
Location : ASP 3E2, Brussels
Programme
Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

The Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality is holding an inter-parliamentary committee meeting to discuss the Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence. The meeting is taking place on 21 November 2017, on occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. This Thematic Digest provides selected publications from the Policy Departments prepared to support the committees in their work related to these issues.
Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Human rights: anti-albino attacks in Malawi, persecutions of Crimean Tatars and repression in the Maldives

• Malawi authorities should prevent albinism-related crimes
• Rights of Crimean Tatars have been gravely violated
• Maldives President's authoritarian rule creates a climate of fear

MEPs condemn the rise of violence against albinos in Malawi, persecutions against Crimean Tatars and crackdown on political opponents in the Maldives in three resolutions voted on Thursday.

Situation of people with albinism in Malawi and other African countries
The cases of Crimean Tatar leaders Akhtem Chiygoz, Ilmi Umerov and the journalist Mykola Semena
Situation in Maldives
Press release
Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Addressing shrinking civil society space in developing countries
Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Venezuela's Democratic Opposition are this year's laureates of the European Parliament Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. The award ceremony will be held in Strasbourg on 13 December.
Press release
Extracts from the announcement by the President of the European Parliament
Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

At a time when Saudi Arabia has initiated an ambitious economic and social transformation, a delegation from the Subcommittee on Human Rights concluded its first mission to the country.

The four-Member DROI delegation visited the country together with the European Parliament's delegation for Relations with the Arab Peninsula (29 October-31 October) and was composed of Cristian Dan Preda (EPP, RO), Beatriz Becerra (ALDE, ES), Josef Weidenholzer (S&D, AT) and Lars Adaktusson (EPP, SE).

Press release
Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

The European Parliament's delegation headed by AFET and DROI chairs David McAllister and Pier Antonio Panzeri met with António Guterres, the UN Secretary General, in New York on Tuesday.

Human rights were a recurrent theme throughout the meetings, addressing pressing global challenges: climate change, economic crises, security threats and increasing migration flows. Discussions covered the UN's responsibilities to prevent and respond to serious violations of human rights and humanitarian law; the key role of human rights in peace-building and peace-keeping; and, more broadly, the process of UN reform and the need to mainstream human rights.
Press release
Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

At a time when Saudi Arabia has initiated an ambitious economic and social transformation, a delegation from the Subcommittee on Human Rights concluded its first mission to the country.
The four-Member DROI delegation visited the country together with the European Parliament's delegation for Relations with the Arab Peninsula (29 October-31 October) and was composed of Cristian Dan Preda (EPP, RO), Beatriz Becerra (ALDE, ES), Josef Weidenholzer (S&D, AT) and Lars Adaktusson (EPP, SE). Full press release below.
Further information
Press release
Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

The European Parliament’s delegation headed by AFET and DROI chairs David McAllister and Pier Antonio Panzeri met with António Guterres, the UN Secretary General, in New York on Tuesday.
Human rights were a recurrent theme throughout the meetings, addressing pressing global challenges: climate change, economic crises, security threats and increasing migration flows. Discussions covered the UN's responsibilities to prevent and respond to serious violations of human rights and humanitarian law; the key role of human rights in peace-building and peace-keeping; and, more broadly, the process of UN reform and the need to mainstream human rights. Full text below
Further information
Press release in full
Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Parliament is inviting African leaders to Brussels on 22 November to discuss development ahead of the next EU-Africa summit. The conference is set to discuss issues such as peace and security, human rights, sustainable development and migration. African political leaders, African Union representatives and UN officials will debate with MEPs, Parliament President Tajani and Federica Mogherini, the EU's foreign affairs chief.
Further information
Press release
Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Venezuela’s Democratic Opposition are this year's laureates of the European Parliament Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. The award ceremony will be held in Strasbourg on 13 December. Full press release below
Further information
Press release
Extracts from the announcement by the President of the European Parliament
Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Source : © Union européenne, 2017 - PE

In the light of the Istanbul court ruling on 25 October which resulted in the release of eight human rights activists, including Amnesty International’s Turkey Director İdil Eser, who had been in pre-trial detention since July 5, Chair of the Subcommittee on Human Rights, Pier Antonio Panzeri (S&D, IT) made a statement on behalf of the Subcommittee:
"While I welcome the release of the eight activists, pending their trial, I remain gravely concerned about the arrest and detention of several prominent civil society figures and human rights defenders and stress unequivocally that charges against all human rights defenders in Turkey should be dropped.

I remain disappointed and concerned about many other cases. The continuation of the pre-trial detention of Taner Kılıç, chair of the board of Amnesty International's Turkey section was confirmed. Mr Osman Kavala, a well-known and widely respected leading civil society figure was arrested last week, following meetings in Gaziantep. Mr Kavala is the chair of Anadolu Kültür, a cultural institution. His initial period of detention has been extended by a further seven days, and he should be released forthwith. In all cases due process should be guaranteed. Many others in Turkey are also affected by arbitrary detentions or face limited travel rights and revoked passports."

Further information
Press statement - full text
Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

The Chair of the DROI Subcommittee, Mr Pier Antonio Panzeri (S&D, IT) has welcomed the release of Ibrahim Halawa, an Irish citizen, detained in prison in Egypt for 4 years and stated: “The Egyptian court’s decision to drop all charges against Ibrahim Halawa has reinforced our conviction about his arrest. We have always considered Mr. Halawa to be a prisoner of conscience, detained for having exercised his right to freedom of expression, ..." read more below
Further information
Full press release
Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Source : © Union européenne, 2017 - PE

Alarmed by the reports coming from Kirkuk, the Chair of the Subcommittee on Human Rights, Mr Pier Antonio Panzeri (S&D, IT) made the following statement:

"Just weeks after Kurds voted overwhelmingly for an independent Kurdistan, Kirkuk has become a territory disputed between the government in Baghdad and the Iraqi Kurdistan Region. The Iraqi army has advanced towards Kirkuk, thousands of Kurds have already fled the city and there are even reports of terrible crimes being committed against the population of Kirkuk and the neighbouring villages..."

Full press release
Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP