European Parliamentarians Plan to Veto EU-Russia Agreement on Visa-Free Travel for Russian Officials Unless EU Implements Magnitsky Sanctions

PRESS RELEASE

 

4 June 2013 – As the EU-Russia Summit gets under way in Yekaterinburg today, 48 members of the European Parliament said they will veto the agreement for the visa-free travel for Russian officials currently under negotiation between the EU and Russia unless the EU implements Magnitsky sanctions. European parliamentarians have stated their position in a written communication to the foreign affairs ministers of all 27 EU member states.The European Parliament’s consent is required for any such EU-Russia visa agreement to come into force.

“Under current circumstances we will be unable to support any visa facilitation agreements with Russia and will advocate the Parliament to refuse its consent, unless the Council adopts an EU ‘Magnitsky law’ as proposed in the Parliament’s recommendation of October 2012,” said European parliamentarians in their letter.

The letter (http://www.donskis.lt/p/en/1/1_/1495) was signed by a number of influential members of the European Parliament, including Elmar Brok MEP, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Edward McMillan-Scott MEP, Member of the Bureau of the European Parliament, Guy Verhofstadt MEP, former Prime Minister of Belgium, Vytautas Landsbergis MEP, Former President of Lithuania, Kristiina Ojuland MEP, former Foreign Minister of Estonia, Mario David MEP, former Portuguese Secretary of State for European Affairs, and Barbara Lochbihler MEP, Chair of the European Parliament’s Human Rights Subcommittee, among others.

The letter comes amidst the lack of reaction from the EU Council to the European Parliament’s call for sanctions on Russian officials in the Magnitsky case and other human rights violations. In the resolution adopted last October 2012 (http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&reference=P7-TA-2012-0369&language=EN&ring=A7-2012-0285 ), the European Parliament recommended to the EU Council to impose visa bans and asset freezes on those Russian officials who were responsible for Sergei Magnitsky’s false arrest, torture and death, as well as other gross human rights abusers from Russia. In the eight months since that resolution was passed, the EU Council has taken no action.

In the meantime, the European Council has begun active negotiations with Russia to allow visa-free travel for Russian government officials within the EU under demands from Russia. Given that under this agreement, the same persons who were responsible for Sergei Magnitsky’s death, as well as other gross human rights abuses would be provided visa-free travel in the EU, the European parliamentarians felt compelled to use their veto power over the proposed EU-Russia agreement to prevent Russian human rights abusers from slipping into Europe through this visa waiver program.

This development follows reports last week from an EU source(http://euobserver.com/foreign/120333) indicating that the EU leadership will bow to Russian pressure and back down from calling for justice in the Magnitsky case. The EU source stated that the torture and killing of the young whistle-blowing Russian lawyer is a matter of Russia’s “internal legal system.”  The position espoused by an EU official comes in contradiction to the OSCE/Helsinki human rights protocols signed in the 1980s by both Russia and EU member states, which specifically assert that human rights is a matter for the legitimate international concern, and is not to be viewed as an internal matter of each state.

For further information, please see:

Law and Order in Russia

Thousands Gather to Protest Against the Jailing of Journalists and Activists

By Danielle Gwozdz
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia – Around 10,000 Ethiopians gathered in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, on Sunday to protest for the release of jailed journalists and activists.

Hailemariam Desalegn became Ethiopian prime minister after the death of Meles Zenawi last year (photo courtesy of Xinhua/Landov/Barcroft Media)

Some protestors carried banners reading “Justice! Justice! Justice!” or pictures of imprisoned opposition figures. Others chanted: “we call for respect of the constitution.”

Yilekal Getachew, the chairman of the opposition party Semayawi (blue) that organized this protest, stated “We have repeatedly asked the government to release political leaders, journalists and those who asked the government not to intervene in religious affairs.” Further, he said, “If these questions are not resolved and no progress is made in the next three months, we will organize more protests. It is the beginning of our struggle.”

The demonstrators also seek action against unemployment, inflation, and corruption.

The government is able to jail journalists and activists because of the 2009 anti-terrorism law. This law states that anyone caught publishing information that could induce readers into acts of terrorism would be liable to be jailed for terms from 10 to 20 years.

Last year an Ethiopian court sentenced 20 journalists, opposition figures, and others, to jail for conspiring with rebels to destroy the government. In addition, last year 49 Ethiopian journalists were in exile and 72 newspapers had been closed.

However, Communications Minister Bereket denied  the protestors’ allegations. He stated that, “There are no political prisoners. There are only people who have been charged with criminal offenses.”

Further, Bereket said, “We don’t have any qualms about the protesters exercising their rights, but when you see the character of the demands, calls to give up the trials and release persons who are behind bars, convicted of criminal offenses, it is both unethical and unacceptable. Also, the government cannot interfere and release people suspected of criminal offenses. We will have to wait until the courts give verdicts.”

Although Ethiopia’s economy is one of the fastest growing economies in Africa, it is often criticized for preventing opposition and the media.

 

For further information, please see:

BBC News — Ethiopian Protestors Take to Streets — 2 June 2013

The Guardian — Ethiopian Human Rights Protestors Take to Streets in Addis Ababa — 2 June 2013

The Huffington Post — Ethiopia: Thousands Protest Political Repression — 2 June 2013

Reuters — Thousands March for Rights in Rare Ethiopia Protest — 2 June 2013

 

 

 

SNHR: Death Toll in May 2013

Prepared by Syrian Network for Human Rights

The Highest rate of women killed in this month: 303 women, an average of 10 women a day.

The Syrian government’s Armed Forces through the daily shelling, raids, massacres, and torture of detainees to death, in addition to the causalities of armed rebels through clashes, killed 3,379 civilians including 134 people who were tortured to death.

3,379 people were killed, an average of 109 people a day, 5 people an hour.

Among the 3,379 killed: 2,663 civilians, 716 armed rebels.

Among the 2663 civilians SNHR documented:

1-     368 child-victims with an average of 13 children a day.  The proportion of the children killed relative to the death toll is 16%, a very high rate and strict evidence that the Syrian Government’s Armed Forces targets  civilians.

2-      303 female victims.  The proportion of female victims is 11%, also a very high rate and strict evidence that the Syrian Government’s Armed Forces targets civilians.

3-     134 tortured to death, an average of 5 people a day tortured to death in official or unofficial detention centers.

4-     7 people killed by shelling with poisonous gases on their residential areas, all of them in the Damascus countryside:

4-1- Three civilians in Harasta 27-5-2013

4-2- Two in Doma 26-5-2013

4-3- Two in Adra 23-5-2013

An ethnic cleansing massacre also occurred in Baniyas town and in Tartous city.

SNHR documented in Albaiyda village/Baniyas: 265 victims, including 42 children , 28 women on 2-5-2013;

SNHR documented in the Ras Alnabaa neighborhood/Baniyas: 198 victims, including 63 children, 43 women on 4-5-2013

SNHR would like to indicate that this is what we could document from our deployed members in all of the Syrian provinces, classified by names, date, place, and photo or video.

We couldn’t document many cases involving massacres and killing for many reasons, including procedures that are repeatedly and systematically brought about by the Syrian Government’s Armed Forces such as communications disconnection and blockading areas for many days.  This means the actual numbers are likely higher than the ones provided.  Not to mention, the Syrian government has prevented human rights organizations from performing their duty in its territory

 

Total numbers of victims dispersed all across  provinces of Syria is as follows:

Damascus and countryside: 744

Homs: 597

Aleppo: 531

Tartous: 411

Hama: 267

Daraa: 252

Idlib: 219

Deir Alzour:129

Raqqa: 77

Lattakia: 75

Qunaitra: 44

Hasaka: 30

Swidaa: 3

 

It should be mentioned that the work mechanism of the Syrian Network for Human Rights’ Group bases its statistics on precise verification and our documentation method, and on our members who are deployed in the Syrian territory to gather facts and take written testimonies, live images and videos, oral and registered interviews, and audio and video interviews so as to complement the efforts exerted to document human rights violations under the restrictions imposed by the Syrian government on the network members or any other Human Rights organization to work on Syrian territory.  The real number may exceed in the dozens, especially with massacres, where the Syrian government imposes blockage and cuts communications.

 

Legal conclusions

1-     SNHR is assured that the Syrian Government’s Armed Groups and Shabiha violated Previsions of Human Rights International Law, which protect the right of life, along with dozens of cases considered as a war crimes (murder cases)

Undoubted Evidence through hundreds of eyewitness stories, that more than 90% of the expanded and individual attacks directed against civilians, all contrary to the Syrian Government’s claims that they are fighting Al-Qaeda and terrorists

2-     SNHR also indicates that the documented events are crimes against humanity, where the conditions of widespread and systematic direct attacks against civilian population groups in most cases of murder, has been achieved

Condemnation and Responsibilities:

Responsibility of states for internationally wrongful acts, similarly Customary IHL provides that the state is responsible for all acts committed by the members of its military and security forces, thus the states is responsible of wrongful acts committed by its military and security forces including crimes against humanity.

 

SNHR holds the Syrian President Commander in Chief of the Syrian army, Bashar al-Assad, responsible for all acts of homicide, torture and massacres perpetrated in Syria as he holds the primary responsibility for giving the orders for these acts.  SNHR considers all Syrian regime members and heads of the security and military bodies directly complicity in those acts.  Similarly, SNHR considers the Iranian government and Hezbollah as direct partners in the acts of homicide, who shall legally and judicially be held liable for those acts along with all those funding and supporting the Syrian regime, which is systematically committing massacres on a daily basis.  SNHR holds all the above mentioned parties responsible for all consequences and potential reactions from the Syrian people in general and the families of the victims in particular.

 

Recommendations:

Human right council:

1-    Call upon the Security Council and relevant organizations to take upon their responsibility towards what is happening to the Syrian children, who is affected by momentary nonstop killing.

2-    Exert pressure on the Syrian government to stop the random and deliberate shelling of civilians.

3-    Hold the allies and supporter of the Syrian government: Russia, Iran, and China, morally and physically responsible to the killing in Syria.

4-    Serious attention of the disastrous situation, and to give it a high priority, and try to take care of victims’ children and their families.


Security Council:

1-    Decide to refer all the criminals and the involved to the ICC.

2-    Warn the Syrian Government of the repercussions of using brutal methods under the systematic killing and send clear messages about it.


Arab League:

1-    Demand the Human Rights Council and United Nations to give this serious issue the right attention and to follow up with its developments.

2-    Political and diplomatic pressure on the Syrian Government Troops’ main allies – Russia, Iran, and China – to prevent them from continuously providing cover and international and political protection for all the crimes committed against the Syrian people and hold them morally and physically responsible for all the excesses of the Syrian Government Troops.

Britain Battles Brussels on Migrant Benefits

By Ben Kopp
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

LONDON, United Kingdom – The European Commission (“EC”) has alleged that, by applying a “right-to-reside” test in addition to European Union standards, Britain discriminates against EU nationals.

The United Kingdom and European Union will soon battle over EU migrant benefits in the UK. (Photo courtesy of the Guardian)

Meant to be applied in all EU countries, the EU standard ensures eligibility of welfare payments for EU nationals who migrate between EU nations. However, while British and Irish citizens always pass Britain’s “right-to-reside” test, other Union nationals who pass the EU test are denied under the British test.

Additionally, the British test denies EU migrants rights to child benefits, a child tax credit, income based jobseeker’s allowance, state pension credit and income based employment and support allowances.

In a separate statement, the EC claimed that “UK nationals have a right to reside in the UK solely on the basis of their UK citizenship, whereas other EU nationals have to meet additional conditions in order to pass this right to reside test. This means that the UK discriminates unfairly against nationals from other member states. This contravenes EU rules on the coordination of social security systems which outlaw direct and indirect discrimination in the field of access to social security benefits.”

Jonathan Portes of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research stated that while EU migrants pay thirty percent (30%) more in taxes than take out in benefits, the migrants are also “significantly less likely” to claim benefits than British nationals. Additionally, government statistics in the UK reveal that migrants contribute ten percent (10%) of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and are only eight percent (8%) of the total population.

Nevertheless, on May 30, Britain declared that it would fight the EC’s legal action “every step of the way.” Work and Pensions Secretary, Iain Duncan Smith vowed, “I will not cave in and I will continue to work on strengthening our benefit system in the meantime to ensure it is not open to abuse by anyone.” That statement comes amidst fears from the UK Independence Party that Romanian and Bulgarian immigrants will create a surge of benefit claims when EU-imposed restrictions are lifted next year.

Duncan Smith added, “If we do away with our right-to-reside test, what will happen almost immediately is that people from day one will be eligible to income-related benefits.”

British Prime Minister David Cameron has permitted his Conservative Party to draft a bill and commit Britain to an in-out vote on EU membership. However, Cameron claims that he prefers for Britain to remain in a reformed EU. The United States, Britain’s closest ally has expressed a preference for Britain to retain membership.

On May 31, UK Foreign Minister William Hague said, “Too often, the British people feel that Europe is something that happens to them, not something they have enough of a say over.”

Despite economic fears with reform, a reasonable standard exists. After all, thirteen British colonies found a solution to the Articles of Confederation roughly 225 years ago.

For further information, please see:

BBC – UK’s Hague Wants ‘Red Card’ to Challenge EU Laws – 31 May 2013

Reuters – Britain Asks Germany to Help Lead Reform of EU, Explains How – 31 May 2013

BBC – UK Faces European Court over Benefits for EU Nationals – 30 May 2013

The Guardian – Iaian Duncan Smith Accuses European Commission of Benefits ‘Land Grab’ – 30 May 2013

The Guardian – UK Faces Court Action over EU Migrant Benefits – 30 May 2013

The Independent – ‘I’ll see you in court’: Works and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith vows Britain Will Fight Europe over Welfare Benefits for Immigrants – 30 May 2013

International Business Times – UK Taken to European Court over Migrant Benefits: Britain Pledges Legal Fight with EU over Discrimination against EU Nationals Claiming Social Security in UK – 30 May 2013

The Telegraph – Brussels Takes Britain to EU Court over Immigration Benefits – 30 May 2013

The Wall Street Journal – U.K. Plans to Fight EU over Access to Benefits – 30 May 2013