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Monitoring protection mechanisms / Statements / European Union (EU) / 2018 / December

European Union (EU): Open Letter from NGOs in support of a targeted, global EU human rights sanctions regime

2018.12.05 EU_Open Letter_Global EU Human Rights Sanctions Regime
3 pages / 60 KB

December 05, 2018

 

Dear EU Ministers of Foreign Affairs,

 

We, the 90 undersigned organizations dedicated to the promotion of universal human rights and/or the fight against corruption, write to voice our strong support for the Foreign Affairs Council to initiate a process aimed at establishing an EU-wide program for the imposition of targeted sanctions on individuals and entities deemed responsible for serious human rights violations. Noting that the Foreign Affairs  Council will  take up this  matter on December 10, 2018 — the 70th anniversary of the  adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights— we urge all state representatives to honor the Declaration by supporting action on such a sanctions regime, and, in so doing, beginning the process of providing the EU with an additional, critical tool to combat impunity and defend human rights worldwide.

 

Today more than ever, we recognize that the promotion and protection of equal and inalienable rights form the basis of justice, peace, and security. Where human rights are violated and corruption is allowed to flourish, individuals are less safe and communities are less stable and secure. With universal human rights and the rule of law under significant challenge globally, now is thus an opportune moment to take an unmistakable step forward in defense of our common values.

 

As we have seen in countries that have enacted and utilized “Global Magnitsky” sanctions laws to date, a global human rights and anti-corruption sanctions program can serve as a vital addition to the diplomatic and legal toolkit essential to upholding human rights and the rule of law. In a relatively short period of time, governments such as those in the United States and Canada have used their human rights and anti-corruption sanctions laws to fight impunity for some of

the world’s most heinous crimes in countries from Myanmar to Saudi Arabia. A similar tool will provide the EU with the ability to shine a spotlight on and compel changes of behavior in some of the world’s worst human rights violators. Robust implementation also has the potential to deter would-be kleptocrats and those that would use violence to silence dissent and maintain their grip on power.

 

We applaud the Dutch government for its demonstrated commitment toward achieving a global human rights sanctions program. We also commend those other EU governments that have voiced their support for this effort and encourage in the strongest terms all other EU member states to likewise support the initiative on December 10.

 

Sincerely,

 

1.            Aditus Foundation

2.            American Jewish World Service

3.            Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain

4.            Article 19

5.            Association UMDPL Ukraine

6.            Boat People SOS

7.            Center for Civil Liberties

8.            Center for Justice & Accountability

9.            Center for Policies and Reforms (Moldova)

10.                 China Against the Death Penalty

11.                 China Change

12.                 China Human Rights Accountability Center

13.                 Christian Solidarity Worldwide

14.                 Citizen Power Initiatives for China

15.                 Citizens’ Watch

16.                 Clean Clothes Campaign International Office

17.                 Committee for Religious Freedom in Vietnam

18.                 Community WatchDog.md

19.                 Council for Global Equality

20.                 CrimeaSOS

21.                 Crude Accountability

22.                 EarthRights International

23.                 Estonian American National Council

24.                 Fair Trials

25.                 Free Press Unlimited

26.                 Freedom House

27.                 Freedom Now

28.                 Heartland Initiative

29.                 Helsinki Association Armenia

30.                 Helsinki Citizens' Assembly Vsnadzor

31.                 Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights (Poland)

32.                 Hivos

33.                 HRM Bir Duino Kyrgyzstan

34.                 Human Rights Center “Memorial”

35.                 Human Rights Club (Azerbaijan)

36.                 Human Rights Concern - Eritrea

37.                 Human Rights First

38.                 Human Rights Foundation

39.                 Human Rights House Zagreb

40.                 Human Rights Matter

41.                 Human Rights Monitoring Institute

42.                 Humanitarian China

43.                 Hungarian Helsinki Committee

44.                 India Committee of the Netherlands

45.                 Institute for Development and Social Initiatives

46.                 Institute for European Policies and Reforms

47.                 Institute of Public Policies

48.                 International Campaign for Tibet

49.                 International Partnership for Human Rights

50.                 Joint Baltic American National Committee

51.                 Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and the Rule of Law

52.                 Lawyers for Lawyers

53.                 Legal Resources Centre from Moldova

54.                 Legal Transformation Center (Belarus)

55.                 Magnitsky Act Initiative

56.                 Media Initiative for Human Rights (Ukraine)

57.                 Mexicanos vs Corrupción e Impunidad

58.                 Moldova

59.                 National Endowment for Democracy

60.                 Netherlands Helsinki Committee

61.                 Norwegian Helsinki Committee

62.                 OMCT - World Organisation Against Torture

63.                 Open Dialogue Foundation

64.                 Pax DRA (Berlin)

65.                 PEN America

66.                 Physicians for Human Rights

67.                 Platform of Human Rights Organisations in Malta

68.                 Project Expedite Justice

69.                 Promo LEX

70.                 Protection of Rights Without Borders (Armenia)

71.                 Public Association “Dignity”

72.                 Religious Liberty Commission, World Evangelical Alliance

73.                 Reporters Without Borders

74.                 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights

75.                 Sova Center

76.                 The Enough Project

77.                 The McCain Institute

78.                 The Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders

79.                 The Sentry

80.                 Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition International

81.                 Transparencia Venezuela

82.                 Transparency International

83.                 Transparency International Moldova

84.                 Truth Hounds

85.                 Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union

86.                 VETO! Human Rights Defenders Network

87.                 Vietnam Coalition Against Torture

88.                 Vietnamese Women for Human Rights

89.                 VOICE

90.                 Zivilcourage und Anti-Rassismus-Arbeit

 

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Date: December 6, 2018
Activity: Monitoring Protection Mechanisms
Type: Statements
Country: European Union (EU)
Subjects: Arbitrary arrests and enforced disappearances, Human Rights Defenders, Police, Military and Paramilitary, Summary executions, extrajudicial killings, Threats, intimidation and harassment, Torture and violence

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