In June 2021, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a decree “On further measures of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the field of human rights”, which he said represents an important step in the political modernisation of the Central Asian country. “An …
In 2009 the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU entered into force, making human rights a prominent part of EU law. But has the European human rights project developed robustly?
The debate in the EU on responsible business conduct has evolved significantly in the past 5 years. Before the European elections in May, it is time to take stock of where the EU is.
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.
Ethiopia’s Ambassador Teshome Toga Chanaka spoke to EURACTIV’s Georgi Gotev in a video interview: “We don’t believe in imposition of development policies because something that is imposed without your will won’t last long. This is exactly what has happened in the past in Africa and Ethiopia would like to see that come to an end."
As the EU and Azerbaijan begin negotiating a “comprehensive agreement”, the Azerbaijani Ambassador to Belgium, Fuad Isgandarov, provided insight into the way his country sees the future of its relationship with the Union and its member states.
European Commission Vice-President, Maroš Šefčovič said on Wednesday (20 July) that the institution “wants to make sure that the lifting of sanctions could be used for exploring the development of commercial ties" with Iran.
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini stressed on Monday (18 July) that “no country can become an EU member state if it introduces the death penalty”, after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Sunday that the country should reintroduce capital punishment after last week’s attempted coup.
Since the year 2000, SOLIDAR has organised the annual Silver Rose Awards in the European Parliament, in collaboration with the Socialists & Democrats (S&D).
The European Commission’s “Trade for All” strategy aims at increasing the effectiveness and transparency of the EU’s trade policy, as well as promoting the respect of European values and responsible practices among trade partners.
Raif Badawi is the Saudi Arabian blogger imprisoned for ten years and sentenced to 1,000 lashes, after being arrested on charges of insulting Islam on a website.
Turkey, Algeria, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and “other potential suppliers in the Middle East and Africa” were named in yesterday’s (25 February) Commission communication on Energy Union. EURACTIV understands that Iran and Iraq is also part of the Commission’s long-term thinking, as it searches for alternative suppliers of gas to Russia.
“I do not agree with what you have to say, but I will defend to the death, your right to say it.”
Eurovision Song Contest winner Conchita Wurst performed in front of the European Parliament in Brussels on Wednesday, as part of a campaign to fight discrimination and support equal rights across the EU.
European Union Special Investigative Task Force (SITF) Chief Prosecutor Ambassador Clint Williamson said on Tuesday that the SITF has found “compelling evidence” of serious violations of international humanitarian law, including crimes against humanity and war crimes, against former senior officials of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA).
'Unhappily they [rebels] came and there are a lot of people who are dead. They came and stripped us of all our resources, our goods and all that we had. They attacked our children, our young people, and they exterminated them.' said Julienne Yasso, victim of the Central African Republic armed conflict. Julienne Yasso is only one of the thousands of civilians affected by a wave of killings and widespread looting in the Central African Republic, where a sectarian armed conflict erupted almost a year ago.
MEPs urged the Spanish government on Thursday to withdraw a new proposal that will restrict abortion rights in Spain. In a bid to gather conservative support and keeping an electoral promise by Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, the Spanish government backed a proposal for a tougher abortion law earlier in December. The new bill does not allow women to finish their pregnancy at an early stage, with the exception of rape cases or when the mother's health is at risk.
These images secretly filmed show migrants at a reception centre in the Italian island of Lampedusa. They are being sprayed for scabies after being forced to strip-naked in front of others. The release of the footage, shot by a Syrian refugee, has caused outrage across Europe. In Brussels, the Commission threatened the Italian government with legal action on Wednesday if poor conditions at reception centers don't improve.
Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi called on EU leaders on Monday to push Burma's military-led government for greater political reforms ahead of the country's 2015 elections. Before meeting in Luxembourg with European Foreign ministers, Suu Kyi said that changes in the constitution are essential to make Burma truly democratic.
US whistleblower Edward Snowden has been nominated for the EU's top human rights award, worth €50.000. A former US Security Agency employee, Snowden was shortlisted on Tuesday by the Greens in the European Parliament. The nomination comes after he revealed earlier in June that the US government had been carrying out mass surveillance programmes on citizens and governments.
The European Court of Auditors has slammed the EU's development aid to Egypt, saying the bloc's "softly softly approach" hasn't worked and calling for better spending of taxpayers' money.
Thousands of people are falling victim to human traffickers every year in the European Union but most member states have failed to implement tougher new laws agreed to address the problem, the European Commission said on Monday (15 April).
