About: human rights
India: Europe’s (un)democratic partner
The European Union has been seeking a strategic partnership with India as a counterweight to the rise of China. A key reason offered for this partnership are the shared democratic values of the two powers.
One Free Press Coalition: ’10 most urgent’ list of May 2021
On May 3, 2021, the annual observance of World Press Freedom Day, the One Free Press Coalition launched the monthly list of “10 Most Urgent” press freedom cases around the world. This iteration focuses on journalists writing about human rights—an...
Russia bars EU officials as latest row escalates
Tensions between Russia and the European Union escalated on Friday (30 April) as Moscow barred eight EU officials from entering the country and Brussels warned it could respond in kind.
Xi urges Europe to ‘make positive efforts with China’ in Merkel call
President Xi Jinping told German leader Angela Merkel during a phone call that he hoped Europe would "make positive efforts with China", Chinese state media reported, following an international row over the treatment of Uyghurs and other minorities in Xinjiang.
EU chiefs press Erdogan on rights while stressing better ties
The European Union's top two officials on Tuesday (6 April) expressed deep worries about human rights in Turkey while voicing hope for stronger ties in their first meeting in a year with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Jailed Kurdish leader calls on Turkish opposition to unite against Erdogan
Former pro-Kurdish party leader Selahattin Demirtaş, jailed since 2016 despite Western calls for his release, said the Turkish opposition should unite against rising oppression and moves to divide them, including a court case to ban his party.
Looking at China: Dazed and confused
China is using its economic and technological force to attack the vital interests of the United States and its main strategic partner, the European Union, writes Vladimir Krulj.
EU nations rebuke China envoys over retaliatory sanctions
France, Germany and other EU nations called in Chinese ambassadors on Tuesday (23 March) to protest at sanctions imposed by Beijing targeting their citizens, as China and Europe faced off over claims of rights abuses against China's Muslim Uyghur minority.
EU chance for ‘Brussels moment’ on human rights reporting, says leading lawmaker
The European Commission is set to propose legislation making it compulsory for companies to ensure that their supply chains are free of human rights and environmental abuse and corruption. And the direction of the debate among national and EU lawmakers, and among companies, is only going one way, says MEP Heidi Hautala.
West hits China with coordinated sanction over Xinjiang abuses
The United States, the European Union, Britain and Canada imposed sanctions on Chinese officials on Monday (22 March) for human rights abuses in Xinjiang, the first such coordinated Western action against Beijing under new US President Joe Biden.
China sanctions 10 Europeans including parliamentarians
China on Monday (22 March) announced sanctions on 10 Europeans including politicians and scholars, as well as four entities, in retaliation against the EU's approval of measures over Beijing's crackdown on the Uighur minority.
Top US, Chinese diplomats clash at start of first talks of Biden presidency
The first high-level US-China talks of the Biden administration got off to a fiery start on Thursday (18 March), with both sides leveling sharp rebukes of the others’ policies in a rare display that underscored the level of bilateral tension.
EU visit to Xinjiang stalls over access to jailed Uighur
A visit by European Union ambassadors to the Xinjiang region of China has stalled over their request for access to jailed Uighur academic Ilham Tohti, a diplomatic source confirmed Wednesday (17 March).
Biden aides to hold first talks with ‘top threat’ China in Alaska
US President Joe Biden's top aides will hold their first talks with China next week in Alaska, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken vowing to seek "tangible" action on concerns with the nation he calls the top threat.
MEPs demand ambitious law on human rights due diligence
MEPs have urged the European Commission to table an ambitious due diligence law obliging EU companies to address all aspects of their value chains that could affect human rights, the environment and good governance.
‘Clumsy’ resolution risks alienating EU from Kazakhstan, MEP says
The European Parliament's recent resolution on Kazakhstan is "clumsy" and detrimental both for the bilateral relations and the credibility of the EU, Bulgarian MEP Ivo Hristov (S&D) told EURACTIV on Wednesday (3 March).
Dozens of Hong Kong dissidents charged with security crime
Dozens of Hong Kong dissidents were charged with subversion on Sunday (28 February) in the largest use yet of Beijing's sweeping new national security law, as authorities seek to cripple the financial hub's democracy movement.
European court demands ‘immediate’ release of Navalny
The European Court of Human Rights on Wednesday (17 February) ordered Russia to "immediately" release jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, saying his life was in danger in prison.
Russia’s EU ambassador: Discussing Navalny is pointless
In a telephone interview on Thursday (11 February) the Ambassador of Russia to the EU Vladimir Chizhov evokes the recent visit of EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell to Moscow, which he helped arrange.
Myanmar faces European push at UN to condemn coup
The United Nations' top human rights body is to consider a resolution on Friday (12 February) drafted by Britain and the European Union that would condemn Myanmar's military coup and demand urgent access for monitors.
Erdogan tells Merkel he wants Turkey-EU summit by July
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told German Chancellor Angela Merkel in a video call Monday (8 February) he hopes for a summit with European Union leaders in the first half of 2021 to ease tensions.
Turkey makes fresh arrests after EU, US censure
Police detained dozens of protesters across several cities on Thursday (4 February) after Turkey brushed aside US and EU condemnation of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's crackdown on a month of escalating student rallies.
Top Chinese diplomat calls for China, US to mend relations
China’s top diplomat called on Tuesday (2 February) for Beijing and Washington to put relations back on a predictable and constructive path, saying the United States should stop meddling in China’s internal affairs, like Hong Kong and Tibet.