About: human rights
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights at 70
In 1948, with the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, world leaders launched the human rights project rooted in the inherent dignity of every person.
A US-Russia-China-EU summit? EU is interested
The EU is taking seriously the idea expressed recently by the President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev for holding a four-way summit to defuse global tensions, an EU diplomat told an audience on Tuesday (4 December).
Commission to determine EU tariffs on Myanmar, Cambodia rice
EU countries failed on Tuesday (4 December) to determine whether to impose tariffs on rice coming from Cambodia and Myanmar from the start of next year to curb a surge in imports, leaving the European Commission to take the final decision.
Cambodia eases pressure on opposition, media after EU sanctions threat
Cambodia’s parliament is reviewing a five-year ban on more than 100 members of the main opposition party, which could allow them to return to politics, following threats by the European Union to deny duty-free trading access to the Southeast Asian...
The double standards of EU’s dialogue with Cuba
By talking only to the Cuban government, and ignoring civil society groups, the EU is allowing the Cuban state to continue its programme of repressing democracy and human rights, write Ariadna Mena Rubio, Rosa Maria Payá and Erik Jennische.
Brussels ministerial paves the way to launching EU Central Asia strategy
The European Union is expected to define its strategy for Central Asia in early 2019. A preparatory meeting between the EU and the foreign ministers of the five Central Asian countries (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan) took place in Brussels on Friday (23 November).
At tense Ankara news conference, EU rebukes Turkey over detentions
Top EU officials rebuked Turkey on Thursday (22 November) over its arrests of journalists and academics and the long pre-trial detention of a Kurdish politician, holding a forthright press conference with Turkey’s foreign minister in Ankara that quickly turned tense.
Spain’s premier breaks ice in Cuba after three decades
Spanish premier Pedro Sánchez has embarked on the first official bilateral visit by a Spanish leader to Cuba in 32 years on 22-23 November, at a time when the Communist-run island is looking towards Europe as its ties with the United States fester.
Commission: Only ‘economic considerations’ could lead to tariffs on rice imports
An alliance of EU rice producers has called for restoring tariffs on rice imports from Myanmar and Cambodia, in part due to human rights concerns, but Commission sources clarified that the EU executive's ongoing safeguard investigation is linked to purely economic considerations.
European court says Navalny was a political prisoner
The European Court of Human Rights ruled on Thursday (15 November) that Russia’s repeated arrests and detention of opposition leader Alexei Navalny were politically-motivated and breached his human rights, a decision certain to displease the Kremlin.
In rare coordinated move, Western envoys seek meeting on Xinjiang concerns
A group of 15 Western ambassadors in Beijing, spearheaded by Canada, are seeking a meeting with the top official in China’s restive, heavily Muslim Xinjiang region for an explanation of alleged rights abuses against ethnic Uighurs.
Opposition chief Navalny barred from leaving Russia, departs on second try
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny said Tuesday (13 November) he was prevented from flying out of Moscow for a European court ruling on whether his recent detentions have been politically motivated.
Climate litigations set to rise globally on back of IPCC report
Climate-related litigations are set to break new grounds following a landmark report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) earlier this month, which provided lawyers with new evidence that limiting global warming to 1.5°C is still possible.
EU is as comfortable as China with the African thugs and dictators
The EU has long frowned at China’s action in Africa for not requiring respect for human rights as a condition for aid and thus promoting a Chinese-inspired authoritarian Africa. But in recent years the EU is not better, writes Fabian Wagner.
The EU doesn’t have to settle for a bad deal with Vietnam
Some argue that we should tread carefully and refrain from asking too much in terms of human rights from the Vietnamese, because if we do so we could end up pushing Vietnam into China’s orbit. But this doesn’t hold, writes Jude Kirton-Darling.
EU spearheads multilateralism at ASEM summit
European leaders sought to build support from Asia on Thursday (18 October) in defence of free trade and the fight against climate change, to counter the growing protectionism of President Donald Trump's America.
Nine UN Security Council members ask to discuss Myanmar inquiry
The chair of a United Nations inquiry that accused Myanmar's military of genocide is likely to brief the Security Council this month after Britain, France, the United States and six other members requested the meeting, diplomats said on Tuesday (16 October).
Hungary takes fight against NGOs to EU level
At a Luxembourg meeting of EU foreign ministers on Tuesday (15 October), Hungary called on the EU to stop funding for NGOs that undermine the sovereignty of neighbouring countries such as Israel and Egypt or states that contribute to illegal migration.
Kazakh families torn apart in China’s Xinjiang crackdown
When he looks back on his youth in China's far-west Xinjiang region, Akikat Kaliolla, an ethnic Kazakh, recalls the place's natural beauty and the big, colourful weddings typical of his majority-Muslim community.
Sakharov Prize nominees include NGOs in the Mediterranean
The nominees for the 2018 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought have been announced on Thursday (27 September), including Oleg Sentsov, the Ukrainian film director imprisoned in Russia and NGOs saving lives of migrants in the Mediterranean. Since 1988, THE...
Russia is undermining Europe’s key democratic institution
Russia’s possible return to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe would mean that even institutions created to defend European values are no longer able to do so, writes Volodymyr Yermolenko.
Salvini hits out after UN migrant criticism, threatens to cut funding
Italy’s far-right leader Matteo Salvini lashed out at the UN’s new human rights commissioner Michelle Bachelet on Monday (10 September) after she criticised the country’s treatment of migrants. “Italy has over the last few years accepted 700,000 immigrants, including many...
EU demands freedom for two Reuters journalists jailed in Myanmar
The European Union called today (3 September) for the immediate and unconditional release of two Reuters journalists handed jail sentences in Myanmar for their reporting of the Rohingya crisis.