Brussels 07.04.2022 Today UN’s general assembly on Thursday, April 7, voted to suspend Russia from the Geneva-based Human Rights Council, in a new international reaction to Kremlin over the invasion of Ukraine and alleged atrocities, especially in the town of Bucha near the capital.
The UN voted to suspend Russia from the 47-member Human Rights Council over the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine. The General Assembly, which elects members of the Human Rights Council, has suspended only one other country: Libya, in March 2011.https://t.co/AOJvpNSReh
Ninety-three (93) UN members approved Russia’s suspension — the first imposed on any permanent member of the UN Security Council.
LATEST⚡️UN General Assembly votes to suspend Russian Federation's membership in the Human Rights Council.
UN Members concerned by reports of Russia's gross & systemic violations & abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law in #Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/DLDaThzP52
However, 24 UN members, including China, Iran, Bolivia and Kazakhstan, voted against Russia’s suspension. Another 58 countries abstained, including India, Indonesia and Egypt, showing that a wide range of countries are either siding with Moscow or remaining neutral as the military conflict continues.
NEWS: #UNGA adopts historic resolution suspending the membership of Russia to the Human Rights Council and expressing grave concern at the ongoing human rights & humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. https://t.co/8c6gdOv5ROpic.twitter.com/NwSJ2IfM3V
Reacting upon the news Russian diplomat Gennady Kuzmin from the mission to the UN, said that the Human Rights Council has been in fact “monopolised by a single group of states that exploits the mechanism to achieve their opportunistic goals”.
“These states over years have either engaged in gross and mass violations of human rights or showed indulgence towards such”.
#Kuzmin: 🇷🇺considers the adopted GA resolution on suspension of our rights of membership in #HRC as a politically motivated step designed as a demonstrative punishment of 🇺🇳member that carries out independent internal & external policies.
Brussels 31.10.2021 EP’s Bureau decided that the request to present an EU Digital COVID Certificate to access Parliament’s buildings will be extended to all people wishing to enter, reads the announcement on the site of the European Parliament.
As of November 3, all people entering Parliament’s buildings in its three places will be requested to present a valid EU Digital COVID Certificate, including journalists. The EU Digital COVID certificate proves that a person is either fully vaccinated, has immunity after having recovered from COVID-19 or can show a recent negative PCR test result. Both digital and paper formats of the EU Digital COVID Certificate or of a recognised equivalent certificate will be accepted.
EU citizens' rights are severely violated by the Digital Certificate. We will fight for your right to freedom, which has to be restored in the EU! Full Press Conference 28.10.2021 https://t.co/WDryDuiCXD
A proof of a negative result of a PCR test carried out within the last 48 hours in Belgium, Luxembourg or France will also be accepted.
Please note that the existing precautionary measures like the compulsory wearing of a medical face mask and temperature checks at entrances remain in place.
The measure, taken by the Bureau will enable MEPs the return to in-person meetings for parliamentary activities, while continuing to guarantee safety. The decision takes into account the specificity of the European Parliament, an Institution gathering MEPs and other actors travelling to and from different Member States on a regular basis and the significant differences in vaccination level in Member States, according to the latest ECDC data. Please note that the measure was already in place for all external visitors since the beginning of September.
Personal data retrieved from the Certificate during the scanning process will only encompass the name of the holder, the authenticity and the validity of the Certificate. The personal data will be processed in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 and its use will be strictly limited to granting access to Parliament’s buildings. Personal data will not be stored, recorded or retained locally or externally or transferred to any other Union body or third party.
Whatever view of EU & European Parliament (latter has v little power) the comments of these speakers at Press Confernece are bang on
Coercion no jab no job Green Pass deny freedoms & liberty
Strasbourg 20.10.2021 Sakharov Prize for Navalny is completely justified: “It is quite right that the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought should be awarded to Navalny. Alexei Navalny is constantly opposing Vladimir Putin’s regime, despite the Russian president’s efforts to silence him in every possible way.” That is the reaction of MEP Peter van Dalen (ChristenUnie) to the announcement just now.
By awarding the Sakharov Prize to Alexei Navalny, the European Parliament is giving the Russian opposition a great boost, says Van Dalen: “We are making it clear loud and clear that Putin’s attempts to silence opponents are not working.” Navalny was nominated by the EPP group for the Sakharov Prize more than a month ago, after MEP Peter van Dalen (Christian Union) nominated him. He then justified it as follows: “Navalny deserves this award for his continued resistance to Putin and his regime. For this fight he almost paid the highest price: his life. He has been bullied, harassed, imprisoned, arrested, poisoned and re-arrested countless times since 2006.”
Over the last year, @EPPGroup social media posts on @Navalny have received overwhelming support.
According to Van Dalen, the former opposition leader stands for human rights, open democracy and transparency and advocates reforms against corruption in Russia: “The result of this, however, is that he is now in a Russian prison camp. As far as I am concerned, there is therefore no other person who meets the criteria of this award as well as Navalny. He is truly committed to freedom of thought.” Van Dalen hopes that a large group in Russia may feel supported by this award: “In addition to Navalny, we also honor the enormous list of others who have become victims of Putin’s regime in recent years. Navalny is therefore the icon of resistance against the dictator in Moscow.”
The official presentation of the Sakharov Prize is on December 15 in Strasbourg.
The unnamed protestors gathered to prevent the evening debate “Back from Davos” which is held annually in Brussels, and during which European and national politicians, business leaders and representatives of civil society exchange their views on the main conclusions of the World Economic Forum. The freedom of assembly was violated in the name of disliking of “absence of transparency” of Davos Economic Forum yearly gathering.
Back from #Davos blocked by protestors, who do not allow guests to enter conference @CercleLorraine. Limiting freedom of others is not a way to achieve social justice! pic.twitter.com/yU7DT3XoWg
The activists, who presented themselves vaguely as “defenders of social and climate justice, yellow vests, unionists”, intended to padlock each other to block the entrance to the business club located at Place Poelaert, opposite the Palace of Justice.
Back from #Davos 2020 is at siege. Masked noisy protestors prevent guests to enter building @CercleLorraine: limiting freedom of others is unhealty totalitarian impulse I denounce, especially as press I find it appalling. pic.twitter.com/SdiKkprEgH
The police, apparently informed of the preparation of their action, prevented the troublemakers from storming into the building.
The protestors prvented participants from entering the building, in a brutal violation of the freedom of assembely. Apparently they denied the fundamental rights and freedoms to the guests of the event, imposing their will as only valid reason:
“We do not want you come in! We do not want to allowed anyone in!!” they screamed, unimpressed by the press card.
However the discussion with the President of the European Research Council Mauro Ferrari and Brussels Bureau Chief of the The Wall Street Journal Dan Michaels successfully began at 6:00 pm.
Back from #Davos sharing of impressions: compte rendu. Progress is not to be stopped by barricades! @CercleDeLorraine Talks about science and innovation is my favorite theme. pic.twitter.com/WZ29Immhtu
Mauro Ferrari,59, is a nanoscientist acknowledged for leadership in founding the field of nanomedicine and serving as special expert on nanotechnology for the National Cancer Institute (2003-2005) where he was instrumental in establishing the Alliance for Nanotechnology in Cancer in 2004.
The expulsion of the EU Ambassador Bart Ouvry from the Democratic Republic of Congo is a serious blow to the image of already weakened by Brexit block. In multi-polar world Congo will be not short of friends and those, willing to co-operate with one of the richest African nations. The EU is losing again its positions, due to its outdated foreign policy, inclined to give unsolicited advise and tutorials on democracy and human rights. The price to pay is high – in face of one diplomat, Congolese government turns its back on 28 European states for at least a decay to come.
The EU insistence on prolongation of sanctions on Presidential candidate, Interior ministerEmmanuel RamazaniShadary, who is the incumbent President’s chosen successor, shows a very poor analysis and judgement of the situation in Congo, especially in view of a broader trend of political longevity of African leaders. It is highly likely that Kabila‘s protégé will win the bid, and it is certain, that he will not forgive and forget the position of Brussels diplomacy.
EU renewed sanctions against the ruling coalition's candidate for presidential elections in Democratic Republic of Congo, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, and 13 other senior officials, for violent crackdown on protestshttps://t.co/BTP4O3sbV1
“Africa’s future is also our future,” said the European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said recently at high level Africa-EUForum in Vienna. However, if the course of the EU foreign policy remains unchanged, and rigid, soon Europe will be excluded from African future without reverse, and Africa’ future will be shared with Chinese, Indians, and Arabs.
So far the EU politics of sanctions failed wherever it was applied conducted at costs of growth and jobs, leading to impoverishment of Europeans, whose despair erupted in Yellow Vests protests in France. But who will criticize French Minister of interior for an excessive use of force against the protectors?.. Who will apply sanctions against the Interior Minister?.. Quod licet iovi non licet bovi… (What is allowed to Jupiter is not allowed to a bull – Latin proverb).
Congo’s most important export partners are: China (24% of total exports) followed by South Africa (22%) and the European Union (4%). Main imports are: foodstuffs, fuel, textiles and machinery, and leading partners: Angola(15%), France (13%) and Singapore (10%).
Farewell l to a shy and clumsy man with blushing cheeks, –Viktor Orban, whom once president Juncker was jokingly slapping and calling the“dictator”.
The times of jokes are over, and there are no traces of shyness left.
Vikor Orban showed his true self, answering to the adoption of the Article 7European Parliament resolution with the lion’s uproar, reminding to the EU of a power of a democratically elected leader of a nations state.
The clash between nation and supranational construction as the European Union has never been so dramatic – it is the first time in the history of the bloc that Members of the European Parliament voted to reprimand a state for its independent policy, while Hungarians openly called the action a “revenge” for reluctance to follow the EU migration strategy opening arms to flows of illegals on humanitarian grounds.
Elected upon the resistance of the Hungarians to follow French and German model of hosting flows of illegal migrants from Africa and Middle East, Orban holds mandate from Hungarian nation
to protect “Europan Chrisitan values“, and insists that when
his country joined the club of nations nobody ever mentioned
a obligation to abandon protection of the EU outside borders,
and massively accept illegals.
Orban positioned himself a as true defender of “European values”,
unlike his opponents, who flooded Europe with descendants from
other civilizations carrying different, and often conflicting
with the modern European lifestyle views.
So far Orban didn’t react upon Nigel Farage “invitation” to follow the UKpath and show back to the EU. On multiple occasions Orban underlined Hungarians are the most loyal Europeans and they sill believe in the EU, so at present they don’t consider the exit scenario.
Orbán's Hungary is standing up to George Soros and closing him down, I wish we all did the same. pic.twitter.com/OYh9Vppxn4
In spite of Orban‘s intentions to ‘make peace’ with the EU, it is obvious, that the arrogance of Brussels, imposing the policy of globalists eager to flood graying Europe with cheap labor force, will inevitably push Hungarians
to the exit door, and there is no compromise possible.
The bitter irony of the situation that the EU member-state, which openly and massively abuses human rights – Spain, crushing Catalan attempts to organize independent referendum, and jailing Catalan politicians, – Spain did not receive any criticism from the European Parliament. No resolution in support of the human rights of jailed Catalan politicians has been issued so far, and nobody expects it will be in the nearest future.
Thank you, @judithineuropa, for acknowledging that the pro-independence Catalan leaders in jail are political prisoners, and for rising concerns about the situation of fundamental rights, democracy and the rule of law in Spain @FreeRomeva#FreeThemAllpic.twitter.com/1ZKr6CKmUm
However it is difficult to imagine most unsuitable time for sorting out relations with Orban, than the European Parliament election year.Imposition of illegal migrants, who in public debate already became just ‘migrants’, attempting to make Europeans forget the criminal nature of human trafficking, continues to rise anti-EU sentiment, and pushing Hungariansaway. Ceteris paribus!
“Many victims of the 1998-1999 war in Kosovo*, in particular displaced persons, families of missing persons and victims of wartime sexual violence, are still trying to re-build their lives, find out the truth about their loved ones and access justice.”
“The on-going political deliberations have not focused sufficiently on the needs of victims, leaving them with the feeling of abandonment and hopelessness. A paradigm shift is necessary in order to put the victims at the centre of the political dialogue, and prioritise their human rights,” – said today the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Nils Muižnieks, at the end of his four-day mission to Kosovo.
The Commissioner is concerned that more than 15 years after the conflict around 16 500 persons belonging to all communities remain internally displaced in Kosovo, while some 20 000 displaced persons from Kosovo to Serbia have not yet managed to return home despite their wish. About 470 displaced persons are accommodated in 29 collective centres throughout Kosovo, including the collective centre “Samacki dom”, in northern Mitrovica, that the Commissioner visited.
Nadia Murad (pictured) and Lamiya Aji Bashar, public advocates for the Yazidi community in Iraq and survivors of sexual enslavement by the so-called Islamic State, will receive the European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in a ceremony on Tuesday at noon.
‘On #HumanRightsDay, I call on you to #StandUp4HumanRights. If we all do our small part, in every corner of the world, I believe we can end genocide and mass atrocities against women and children. If we have the courage to stand up and fight for those we don’t know – who live thousands of miles away – we can make a difference. The world is one community and we need to act as such”, – says Nadia Murad post on her page in social media.
A joint press conference with Parliament’s President Martin Schulz will take place immediately after the award ceremony at 12.30.
Also shortlisted for the prize were Can Dündar, former editor-in-chief of the Turkish daily Cumhuriyet, and Mustafa Dzhemilev, former chair of Mejlis of the Crimean Tatars People from Tatar Parliament, a former Soviet dissident and a Ukrainian MP. They will both attend the ceremony.
The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, named after Soviet scientist and dissident Andrei Sakharov, was established in December 1988 by the European Parliament to honour individuals or organizations who dedicate their lives to the defence of human rights and freedoms, particularly the right to free expression.
A long journey of Turkey to the European Union clearly came to a halt
– in the European Parliament’s plenary there were just a few MEPs to
suggest the accession process should continue in spite of the dramatic
developments in the candidate country after the failed coup d’état.
The overwhelming majority of the MEPs called upon freezing the
accession process started back in 1999.They reiterated rhetoric
questions about honesty in evaluating current situation in Turkey as if
fitting the Copenhagen criteria of a democratic society. The
aftermath of the coup turned into tsunami of outrageous violations of
democratic freedoms.
One doesn’t need to refer to the Amnesty International’s annual report
for the numerous evidences of torture, violations of freedoms of
speech, unfair trials, degradation of women’s rights. The laws
offering rapists to marry the victims scandalized the world, and
arrests of politicians and journalist became a left the most ardent friends
of Turkey speechless. The Kurdish issue has been set ablaze
with arrests of the co-leaders of the HDK party.
It looks the card of the significance of the Turkey NATO membership was
overplayed by president #Erdogan to such an extend that even the most
staunch supporters of accession process were running out of
arguments.
The major fear of accession talks halt is the galloping Islamisation
of the Turkish society, which will certainly continue even at higher
speed without the outside stimulus as the EU membership to keep the
society secular. However the accession talks didn’t proof to be
successful so far as a tool of promoting European values in
Turkey, and it make little sense to pretend that keeping accession
formally open would introduce a major change with an exception of loss
of credibility in the eyes of Turkish people, who expect solidarity
from Europeans.
The other issue which brings some hesitations over talks halt is
possibility of Turkey shifting closer to Russia, which is rather bleak
in view of ongoing Syrian conflict were positions of both countries
are difficult to aline.
There were also fears expressed that the freeze might solidify and become
permanent, meaning an end to an entire epoc of EU Enlargement policy.
These sentiments of regrets were challenged by MEP Charles Tannock (UK, ECR),
who reminded the fellow politicians that the accession of #Turkey played
a significant role in #Brexit vote. One can add that French
vote against EU Constitution (2005) was also influenced by an idea
of Turkey joining the EU.
Although overdue the move of taking distance from authoritarian Turkey,
increasingly reminiscent of the Ottoman Empire ruled by ‘Sultan’ #Erdogan,
it might still have a consolidating effect of the EU torn by multiple crisis es.
The decision to freeze the accession talks with Turkey is awaited
at the European Council in December.
End
Brussels-Strasbourg
Nadia Murad (pictured) and Lamiya Aji Bashar, public advocates for the Yazidi community in Iraq and survivors of sexual enslavement by the so-called Islamic State, will receive the European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in a ceremony on Tuesday at noon.
Anna Van Densky blog 