Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2012-04-17-Speech-2-037-000"
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"en.20120417.14.2-037-000"2
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"Madam President, even though we should have adopted this annual report in December 2011, we are discussing it in the spring of 2012. This is justified, however, because we are considering this report in conjunction with the new European policy on democratisation and human rights, which follows from the communication to Parliament by the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton, in December of last year.
There were many developments in the field of human rights in 2010. At the same time, while adopting this report, we are bound to be affected by the impressions made on us by the Arab Spring, which prompted us to revise our view on supporting the processes of democratisation and respect for human rights. It seems to me that the synergy of the Arab Spring experience provides a new approach to support the processes of democratisation, as does the new approach that stems from the provisions of the Treaty of Lisbon.
I welcome the opportunity to comment on the contents of the report prepared by Richard Howitt. On behalf of the Group of the European People’s Party, I would like to express my gratitude for the excellent cooperation. In particular, I want to emphasise the critical reference to human rights violations in Belarus, including the rights of convicted persons. This has also been discussed here in Parliament: persons sentenced to death are entitled to decent treatment, and to a fair trial. In addition, their families have the right to information about their relatives and the right to a dignified burial.
In this context, I also note with satisfaction the positive development in Belarus involving the release of two political prisoners, Andrei Sannikov and Dmitry Bondarenko. Also encouraging is the most recent Euronest resolution adopted in Baku, which relates to human rights in Partnership Countries, including Ukraine. I welcome the very positive reference to the establishment of a European fund for democracy. This is an instrument which will support democratic processes, both before, during and after the process of transition to democracy.
The report deplores the heightened persecution of religious minorities, particularly Christians, across the world. We cannot tolerate the burning of places of worship, murder, or any other type of persecution of Christians and other religions in the world. The report emphasises the special role of the Eastern Partnership Countries Ombudsmen Cooperation Programme, an initiative by the Commissioner for Civil Rights Protection of the Republic of Poland and the Mediator of the French Republic. This promotes good practices which will help to foster respect for human rights.
Finally, reference should also be made to corporate social responsibility, especially in the context of human rights, and most particularly in the context of trade relations with countries that are neighbours of the European Union."@en1
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