Europees Parlement wordt geïnformeerd over Russische rechtsstaat (en)

The state of human rights and rule of law in Russia still raises serious concerns, Eniko Gyori, Minister of State for EU Affairs said during the plenary debate of the European Parliament on 15 February.

Substituting for High Representative Catherine Ashton i, now on a visit to North Africa and the Middle East, the Minister of State said: “In spite of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev i’s highly positive comments last year, the state of human rights is still deeply worrying, especially in the North Caucasian area.”

The number of cases of violence, harassment and intimidation against various activists, lawyers and independent journalists is unacceptably high. Eniko Gyori mentioned the brutal attacks against Russian journalists Oleg Casin and Anatoli Amachuk and environmentalist Constantin Fetisov. She reminded the representatives that in spite of promises by the highest level, the perpetrators are rarely brought to trial and sentenced.

The freedom of speech, assembly and association are prerequisites for modern societies, stressed the Minister of State. Each of these rights is set out in the Constitution of the Russian Federation, and Russia made commitments in the UN, OSCE and the Council of Europe to respecting them. She urged Russia to comply with those commitments and the guarantees assumed for the rights of its citizens.

EU helps Russia in democratisation

Eniko Gyori reminded that Mr Medvedev acted many times against “legal nihilism” in Russia, and stated that the EU is ready to assist Russia in overcoming this situation, starting with the reform of the Russian justice system. The creation of the rule of law has been incorporated in the Modernisation Partnership as a central element, and serious talks are in progress with Russia on human rights, the Minister of State pointed out. Russia has accepted the state of play, but of course also uses it to criticise whatever it finds imperfect in the European Union, added Ms Gyori. She thinks that the EU will continue this work as it has no alternative.

MEPs taking the floor unanimously considered Russia’s management of human rights worrying. They missed transparency and many mentioned the Khodorkovsky case, where the judge was forced to pass a sentence dictated by a higher level. Mention was also made of the 27 thousand actions brought to the European Court of Human Rights from Russia alone.

In winding up the debate, Eniko Gyori found it encouraging that no speaker questioned Russia’s importance for the EU, and that the EU must help Russia in its democratisation efforts.

The visit of the Russian Government to Brussels on 24 February will be an excellent opportunity for the European Parliament to voice its reservations again, said Eniko Gyori. Finally, she promised to inform High Representative Catherine Ashton about the content of the debate.

Substituting for High Representative Catherine Ashton, now on a visit to North Africa and the Middle East, the Minister of State said: “In spite of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s highly positive comments last year, the state of human rights is still deeply worrying, especially in the North Caucasian area.”

The number of cases of violence, harassment and intimidation against various activists, lawyers and independent journalists is unacceptably high. Eniko Gyori mentioned the brutal attacks against Russian journalists Oleg Casin and Anatoli Amachuk and environmentalist Constantin Fetisov. She reminded the representatives that in spite of promises by the highest level, the perpetrators are rarely brought to trial and sentenced.

The freedom of speech, assembly and association are prerequisites for modern societies, stressed the Minister of State. Each of these rights is set out in the Constitution of the Russian Federation, and Russia made commitments in the UN, OSCE and the Council of Europe to respecting them. She urged Russia to comply with those commitments and the guarantees assumed for the rights of its citizens.

EU helps Russia in democratisation

Eniko Gyori reminded that Mr Medvedev acted many times against “legal nihilism” in Russia, and stated that the EU is ready to assist Russia in overcoming this situation, starting with the reform of the Russian justice system. The creation of the rule of law has been incorporated in the Modernisation Partnership as a central element, and serious talks are in progress with Russia on human rights, the Minister of State pointed out. Russia has accepted the state of play, but of course also uses it to criticise whatever it finds imperfect in the European Union, added Ms Gyori. She thinks that the EU will continue this work as it has no alternative.

MEPs taking the floor unanimously considered Russia’s management of human rights worrying. They missed transparency and many mentioned the Khodorkovsky case, where the judge was forced to pass a sentence dictated by a higher level. Mention was also made of the 27 thousand actions brought to the European Court of Human Rights from Russia alone.

In winding up the debate, Eniko Gyori found it encouraging that no speaker questioned Russia’s importance for the EU, and that the EU must help Russia in its democratisation efforts.

The visit of the Russian Government to Brussels on 24 February will be an excellent opportunity for the European Parliament to voice its reservations again, said Eniko Gyori. Finally, she promised to inform High Representative Catherine Ashton about the content of the debate.

Substituting for High Representative Catherine Ashton, now on a visit to North Africa and the Middle East, the Minister of State said: “In spite of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s highly positive comments last year, the state of human rights is still deeply worrying, especially in the North Caucasian area.”

The number of cases of violence, harassment and intimidation against various activists, lawyers and independent journalists is unacceptably high. Eniko Gyori mentioned the brutal attacks against Russian journalists Oleg Casin and Anatoli Amachuk and environmentalist Constantin Fetisov. She reminded the representatives that in spite of promises by the highest level, the perpetrators are rarely brought to trial and sentenced.

The freedom of speech, assembly and association are prerequisites for modern societies, stressed the Minister of State. Each of these rights is set out in the Constitution of the Russian Federation, and Russia made commitments in the UN, OSCE and the Council of Europe to respecting them. She urged Russia to comply with those commitments and the guarantees assumed for the rights of its citizens.

EU helps Russia in democratisation

Eniko Gyori reminded that Mr Medvedev acted many times against “legal nihilism” in Russia, and stated that the EU is ready to assist Russia in overcoming this situation, starting with the reform of the Russian justice system. The creation of the rule of law has been incorporated in the Modernisation Partnership as a central element, and serious talks are in progress with Russia on human rights, the Minister of State pointed out. Russia has accepted the state of play, but of course also uses it to criticise whatever it finds imperfect in the European Union, added Ms Gyori. She thinks that the EU will continue this work as it has no alternative.

MEPs taking the floor unanimously considered Russia’s management of human rights worrying. They missed transparency and many mentioned the Khodorkovsky case, where the judge was forced to pass a sentence dictated by a higher level. Mention was also made of the 27 thousand actions brought to the European Court of Human Rights from Russia alone.

In winding up the debate, Eniko Gyori found it encouraging that no speaker questioned Russia’s importance for the EU, and that the EU must help Russia in its democratisation efforts.

The visit of the Russian Government to Brussels on 24 February will be an excellent opportunity for the European Parliament to voice its reservations again, said Eniko Gyori. Finally, she promised to inform High Representative Catherine Ashton about the content of the debate.