Mensenrechten: Rusland, journalist BBC in Gaza, en de Fillipijnen (en)

In three human rights resolutions adopted at the end of the Stasbourg plenary session, Parliament condemns the use of force against demonstrators by the Russian police and the lack of free speech in the country; it issues a heartfelt appeal for the release of BBC journalist Alan Johnston, who has been kidnapped in Gaza; and it calls for an end to the politically motivated killings in the Philippines.

Russia: free speech under further pressure as elections approach

Looking ahead to the upcoming parliamentary and presidential elections in Russia, today's resolution focuses on the recent demonstrations in Moscow and St. Petersburg and related free speech issues.  It follows Parliament's resolutions of 25 October 2006 on the murder of journalist Anna Politkovskaya and of 13 December 2006 on EU-Russia relations.

Attacks on demonstrations part of deteriorating climate for free speech in Russia

The resolution, adopted by 65 votes to 0 with 2 abstentions, refers to the rally of Russian opposition members - including Garry Kasparov and former prime minister Mikhail Kasyanov - in Moscow's Pushkin Square on 14 April, which was broken up by security forces. Demonstrators and journalists were beaten and detained. A protest held on 15 April in St Petersburg was also broken up.

Parliament believes that "the Russian authorities, in the run-up to the parliamentary and presidential elections, are increasing pressure on opposition groups and non-governmental organisations to refrain from any activities directed against the president and the government and to prevent the media from reporting any such activities".

It argues that "democracy has been weakened in Russia, in particular by the bringing of all major TV stations and most radio stations under government control, the spread of self-censorship among the print media, new restrictions on the right to organise public demonstrations and a worsening climate for NGOs".

Police repression condemned

Parliament therefore "strongly condemns the use of excessive force by the Russian anti-riot police during last weekend's peaceful demonstrations in Moscow and St Petersburg and calls on the Russian authorities to comply with their international obligations and to respect freedom of expression and freedom of assembly". It "condemns in particular the repressive actions used by the security forces against journalists doing their professional duty".

More broadly, MEPs are "deeply disturbed by an emerging pattern of use of excessive force by the Russian authorities towards opposition activists", which "raises deep concern about the situation of democracy and respect for human rights in the Russian Federation".

Investigations demanded

Russia's human rights ombudsman said police in both cities had exceeded their authority and the governor of St Petersburg ordered an investigation into human rights violations at the rally in her city.  Backing these moves, the EP urges "the Russian State Duma to set up a working group to investigate why such force was used against peaceful demonstrators". It also "calls on the Council of Europe to investigate the human rights violations at the rallies".

With a view to the elections, Parliament calls on the Russian leadership to "guarantee all political parties and movements a chance to take part in the democratic process" and on the Central Election Commission and the Russian judiciary "to be vigilant, objective and impartial in scrutinising the campaign and election processes". The authorities are urged to respect the democratic standards laid down by the OSCE and the Council of Europe.

EU action

The resolution repeats the EP's call for the EU-Russia Human Rights Dialogue to be stepped up "so as to make it more effective and result-oriented", while fully involving the EP at all levels, with a view to strengthening this element in the new Partnership and Cooperation Agreement to be negotiated soon (the current one expires in 2007).

Meanwhile, the resolution asks the Commission and the Council to express the above concerns clearly in their contacts with the Russian Government, in particular at the next EU-Russian Summit to be held on 18 May 2007 in Samara.

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Appeal for release of BBC journalist Alan Johnston

BBC journalist Alan Johnston was abducted at gunpoint on 12 March 2007 whilst returning home in Gaza City and his whereabouts have remained unknown since that date. In their resolution today, MEPs express their support for his family and colleagues and call for Mr Johnston's immediate release. Earlier in the day BBC journalists had gathered in the European Parliament in Strasbourg to read out a letter from their colleagues to MEPs. 

The resolution, adopted unanimously, points out that the Palestinian media community, public and politicians from all sides have condemned the kidnapping and are calling for his immediate release, proving the extent to which his work is appreciated by the local population.

Parliament stresses that press freedom is "of primary importance for democracy and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms". The abduction of Mr Johnston - who has remained in Gaza during a period of increased violence, precisely to report on what is happening there to the outside world - is not an isolated case. As international journalists' associations point out, fifteen foreign journalists have been kidnapped in Gaza since August 2005, and thousands of journalists around the world face the threat of kidnapping, violence and intimidation every day.

Appeal for safe return

The resolution "calls for Alan Johnston to be immediately and unconditionally released unharmed and returned to safety". Parliament "pays tribute to Mr Johnston's record as a journalist of the highest integrity, with a record of sixteen years working for the BBC and, in particular, the past three years spent in Gaza, where he has been the only permanently based foreign journalist from a major media organisation".

Solidarity with family and colleagues

It expresses "warm support for Mr Johnston's family in these difficult circumstances, and for his BBC colleagues and management, who have been campaigning tirelessly to build public and political support for his release". MEPs also express solidarity with the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its member unions, including the Palestinian Journalists' Syndicate, "in their efforts to secure Mr Johnston's release and their campaign for a new global commitment to ending threats to independent journalism". They recall in this regard the appeal delivered by the IFJ to the leaders of the Palestinian Authority on 19 April, with the signatures of 197 Members of the European Parliament.

Efforts must be stepped up

Although "no group has claimed responsibility", President Abbas "has confirmed publicly that there is credible evidence that Mr Johnston is alive, that he is being held in secure conditions and that there is information as to which group is holding him".  MEPs therefore urge the Palestinian Authority to "redouble its efforts to secure Mr Johnston's speedy release". 

Continued and strengthened support is also requested from the European Commission Technical Assistance Office to the West Bank and Gaza Strip, EU Member States' diplomatic representatives and the High Representative for the CFSP.

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Philippines: political killings a growing problem

In a resolution on the Philippines, adopted by 68 votes to 0 with 0 abstentions, Parliament draws attention to the number of politically motivated killings in the country, which it says has risen dramatically in recent years, as well as the general human rights situation in the country.

The local human rights organisation Karapatan has recorded 180 forced disappearances and over 800 killings, most of them by unidentified gunmen, since 2001. Most of those killed, such as opposition party members, church people, community leaders, peasants, journalists, lawyers, human rights activists, trade unionists, have been accused by the government of being front organisations for illegal armed groups and 'terrorists'.

In a positive development, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has appointed a high-level independent commission to examine the problem and a national-level police task force to investigate the killings.  The commission's findings indicate army involvement in the political killings. In response to its recommendations, President Arroyo has issued a 6-point plan to stop the killings. However, MEPs believe all this is far from enough.

Authorities urged to investigate rise in political killings

In its resolution Parliament expresses "grave concern at the increasing number of political killings that have occurred in recent years in the Philippines and "urges the Philippine authorities to make the necessary investigations in a timely, thorough and transparent manner and to bring those responsible to justice". 

It also "condemns in the strongest terms the murder of Ms Siche Bustamante-Gandinao, a dedicated human rights activist_.and is concerned about the lack of any police investigation concerning this important case".

Anti-terrorism measures likely to lead to arbitrary arrests

MEPs believe that "the adoption of the Human Security Act 2007, which will enter into force in July 2007, is liable to further increase the incidence of human rights violations by the Security Forces because it will allow arrest without warrant and arbitrary detention".  Parliament also "denounces attacks on legal opposition groups". 

It welcomes the progress made but says the government must "adopt measures to end the systematic intimidation and harassment of witnesses in connection with prosecutions for killings" and "ensure truly effective witness protection".

It is also important "to stop inciting violence towards certain political or civil-society groups and to restore normal accountability mechanisms to check government abuses". The Ombudsman is urged to "take seriously his constitutional role in responding to extrajudicial killings attributed to public officials".

Abolition of death penalty welcomed

While welcoming the signing by President Arroyo of legislation abolishing the death penalty in the Philippines, the EP calls on the Philippines to ratify the newly adopted UN Convention on Enforced Disappearances.

Call for freedom of political expression ahead of elections

The climate of impunity "has a corrosive impact on public confidence in the rule of law" and the killings are "creating a climate in which people in the Philippines cannot feel free to exercise their rights of political expression and association", says the resolution. The President is urged to "take immediate action in order to prevent the risk of further escalation of violence before and during the upcoming polls".

Lastly, those applying for the redistribution of land under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Programme must be protected and indeed the land reform programme must be accelerated in order to curb one of the root causes of political violence, say MEPs.