Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-12-18-Speech-4-309"
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"en.20081218.40.4-309"2
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"Russia is a member of the Council of Europe and of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), and is, or at least it should be on the basis of its membership, fully committed to a respect for human rights. The country’s actual human rights situation, however, is poor. Xenophobia and homophobia are on the increase, according to the Moscow Bureau for Human Right, and in 2008 have led to the death of 100 people on the grounds of race, nationality, religion and sexual orientation. In October Otto Messmer, leader of the Russian Jesuit order, and the Ecuadorean priest Victor Betancourt were brutally murdered in their Moscow flat. The problem is that the Russian authorities do not in practice condemn such crimes as these.
Furthermore, if you defend human rights in Russia it means putting yourself in a particularly dangerous situation. The situation for human rights activists is a serious concern, as are the problems that NGOs that promote human rights have to face. The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg has handled numerous cases brought by Russian citizens. The judgments suggest that many cases involve serious breaches of human rights and oppression on the part of the Russian state authorities.
We now have to take a serious view of these matters as we negotiate a new framework agreement that provides a comprehensive context for relations between the EU and Russia. The talks that were initiated at the EU-Russia summit in November must recognise the key status of human rights, the rule of law and democracy. We must also insist that the Russian authorities comply with all the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights without delay.
Human rights lawyers that deal with allegations of abuse and at the same time take enormous personal risks investigating cases deserve the greatest respect for the valuable work they do. They should be guaranteed the protection of the state and adequate support by the international community."@en1
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