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

The report on addressing human rights violations in the context of war crimes, and crimes against humanity, including genocide (2016/2239(INI)) by Cristian Dan Preda (EPP, RO) was approved in the AFET Committee today by 50 votes to 2, with 6 abstentions. It will be put to a vote by Parliament as a whole at the July plenary session in Strasbourg.

Press statement
Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

During the first quarter DROI held exchanges on Syria, Angola, Belarus, Drones and International Women's Day. Find out more in Issue 29.
Issue 29
Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

A Delegation composed of three members of the EP's Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI) has just concluded its visit to Uzbekistan.

The DROI delegation was composed of J. Weidenholzer (S&D, AT), J. Zeller (EPP, DE) and K. Buchner (Greens/EFA, DE). The Chair of the delegation, Mr Josef Weidenholzer, stated:

"The European Parliament has had concerns about the human rights situation in Uzbekistan and for several years therefore postponed its consent to include textiles in the 1999 EU-Uzbekistan Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA)..."

Press statement
Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

A Delegation composed of three members of the EP's Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI) has just concluded its visit to Uzbekistan. The Chair of the delegation, Mr Josef Weidenholzer, stated: "The European Parliament has had concerns about the human rights situation in Uzbekistan and for several years therefore postponed its consent to include textiles in the 1999 EU-Uzbekistan Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA)...."
Full press statement below
Further information
Press statement
Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Source : © Union européenne, 2017 - PE

Source : © Union européenne, 2017 - PE

A delegation of the European Parliament's (EP) Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI), led by Josef Weidenholzer (S&D, AT) will visit Uzbekistan on 22-24 May 2017 to address concerns regarding the human rights situation, the situation of the representation of civil society and the political opposition, and the progress being made towards the eradication of child labour and forced labour.

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

Human rights: H. Hichilema in Zambia, Dr Gudina in Ethiopia, South Sudan

The European Parliament expresses concern about arrests of opposition leaders in Zambia and Ethiopia and calls for an end to the war in South Sudan, in three resolutions voted on 18 May.

Zambia, particularly the case of Hakainde Hichilema
Ethiopia, notably the case of Dr Merera Gudina
South Sudan
Press statement
Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

A delegation of the European Parliament’s (EP) Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI), led by Josef Weidenholzer (S&D, AT) will visit Uzbekistan on 22-24 May 2017 to address concerns regarding the human rights situation, the situation of the representation of civil society and the political opposition, and the progress being made towards the eradication of child labour and forced labour.
Further information
Press statement - full text
Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

The Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Committee on International Trade will hold a joint hearing on 'Business and human rights in EU External Policies: due diligence, non-financial reporting and access to remedies'
Human rights has become a topic of importance for the European Union in relation to trade and is ever more present when the EU is negotiating new agreements with third countries. Notwithstanding the positive achievements realized to date there are still several challenges ahead if we are to fully integrate the human rights perspective into the business dimension. The joint hearing is divided into three panels: the first panel on Corporate Social Responsibility and global value chains, the second will analyse the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and access to remedies, while the third will focus on the UN intergovernmental working group on a legally binding instrument on transnational corporations.
Programme
Presentations of the guest speakers :
     Roel Nieuwenkamp
     Maria Alexiou
     Olivier De Schutter
     Beata Faracik
     Surya Deva
     Zulfiqar Shah
     Luis Espinosa Salas
     Carlos Lopez
Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

The European Parliament urges the Russian authorities to release opposition politician Alexei Navalny and other detained demonstrators, condemns the crackdown on peaceful protestors and arrests of human rights defenders and journalists in Belarus, and calls on the government of Bangladesh to close loopholes in new legislation that provide legal authorisation for child marriage, in three resolutions voted on Thursday 6 April.
Russia, the arrest of Alexei Navalny and other protestors
Belarus
Bangladesh, including child marriages
Press release
Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Pier Antonio Panzeri (S&D, IT), Chair of the Subcommittee on Human Rights made the following statement today on the situation of human rights activist Yuri Guaiana, detained by police in Russia:

"I am extremely concerned for the safety of Yuri Guaiana, an Italian activist, who was detained by police in Moscow on his way to the General Prosecutor's Office to hand over signatures collected in a petition against the treatment of gay men in Chechnya. I urge the Russian authorities to release him as soon as possible..."
Press statement
Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

"I urge the Nicaraguan authorities to refrain from continuing to harass Francisca Ramirez and her family. The latest ambush against her son, Maynor Lopez, who was injured as a result of driving into a trap where barbed wire was strung across the road, has to be investigated, and those who have committed this act must be brought to justice", said the Chair of the Subcommittee on Human Rights, Mr Pier Antonio Panzeri (S&D, IT).
Press statement
Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

"Defending the right to freedom of expression and the right to receive information is paramount in times like today when verifiable news and information are in decline and fake news is on the rise," declared the Chair of the Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI), Pier Antonio Panzeri (S&D, IT).

Press statement
Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

World Press Freedom Day is marked every year on 3 May, but there is little reason to celebrate as journalists continue to be repressed and persecuted all over the world. The challenges facing the press are discussed by Parliament's human rights subcommittee on Thursday morning 4 May, with a special focus on the growing threat of disinformation. Check out our handy guide on how to spot fake news.
Media file
Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Pier Antonio Panzeri (S&D, IT), Chair of the Subcommittee on Human Rights made the following statement today on the situation of human rights activist Yuri Guaiana, detained by police in Russia: "I am extremely concerned for the safety of Yuri Guaiana, an Italian activist, who was detained by police in Moscow on his way to the General Prosecutor's Office to hand over signatures collected in a petition against the treatment of gay men in Chechnya.
I urge the Russian authorities to release him as soon as possible..."
Further information
Press release
Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

I urge the Nicaraguan authorities to refrain from continuing to harass Francisca Ramirez and her family. The latest ambush against her son, Maynor Lopez, who was injured as a result of driving into a trap where barbed wire was strung across the road, has to be investigated, and those who have committed this act must be brought to justice", said the Chair of the Subcommittee on Human Rights, Mr Pier Antonio Panzeri (S&D, IT).
Further information
Press release - full text
Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP