Verbatim report of proceedings

Thursday, 18 July 2019 - Strasbourg

5.1. Russia, notably the situation of environmental activists and Ukrainian political prisoners

  President. – The next item is the debate on seven motions for resolutions on Russia, notably the situation of environmental activists and Ukrainian political prisoners (2019/2734(RSP)).

  Catherine Rowett, author. – Madam President, throughout this week speakers have affirmed our European commitment to the highest democratic principles. And after all, it’s only after trying our hardest to live up to those principles in this House that we earn the right to criticise others. Now, however, we must stand up with equal passion for our sisters and brothers elsewhere who face much greater threats to their democratic rights. And most of all, we must cry out against the oppression of well-intentioned people protesting against environmental crimes, for it is they, not those who suppress them, who correctly discern which are the greatest threats to peace and survival. I invite you, colleagues, to join me in condemning the actions of the Russian authorities against these activists and organisations. Their plight is our plight, and their campaign for a clean place to live is a campaign for our world too. These voices must not be silenced.

(Applause)

  Anna Fotyga, author. – Madam President, I note with satisfaction the fact that we in this Parliament remain in the lead in a balanced and realistic assessment of Russia’s human rights policies vis—à-vis both its own people and other nations and ethnic groups. The situation became particularly grave after the illegal annexation of Crimea and aggression in eastern Ukraine. We are aware that the Ukrainian people monitor our proceedings closely. This debate affects their attitude towards the European Union. It is important that the distinguished spectators are also in our gallery. We remain outspoken. The resolution contains in footnotes the verified list of political prisoners. We appeal for their immediate release and we condemn these actions of oppression against the nation.

  Isabel Santos, Autora. – Senhora Presidente, caros Colegas, a resolução que agora discutimos representa uma tomada de posição clara em nome da defesa dos direitos humanos e dos princípios da democracia e do Estado de direito e a condenação da sua reiterada violação pelas autoridades da Federação Russa.

Condenamos as arbitrariedades cometidas pela Rússia na detenção de cidadãos ucranianos em território russo e nos territórios temporariamente ocupados da Ucrânia e pedimos a rápida e incondicional libertação dos ativistas tártaros, dos ucranianos detidos debaixo de acusações politicamente motivadas e dos 24 marinheiros capturados no estreito de Kerch.

Denunciamos os ataques à liberdade de associação e de expressão de que a sociedade civil tem vindo a ser alvo, nomeadamente através da lei que leva à classificação de algumas ONG como agentes estrangeiros, e condenamos veementemente os atos persecutórios de que têm vindo a ser alvo ativistas da defesa do ambiente.

Apelamos a que estes detidos sejam rapidamente libertados, que a força desproporcionada deixe de ser usada contra manifestantes pacíficos e que a Federação Russa se reconduza rapidamente ao cumprimento dos princípios do Estado de direito e do respeito pelos direitos humanos.

  Michael Gahler, author. – Madam President, the situation of human rights in the Russian occupied territories of Crimea and eastern Ukraine continues to raise our deep concern and outrage. We shed a light on the fate of prisoners that have protested against this occupation, be they ethnic Ukrainians, Russians or Tatars. Inside Russia, civil society activists in different areas of society continue to be harassed, including environmental activists. We therefore call on the Russian authorities to release, without further delay and unconditionally, all illegally and arbitrarily detained Ukrainian citizens, both in Russia and in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, and to provide for their safe return, including Crimean Tatars and the recently detained Red Square peaceful demonstrators of 10 July, Ukrainian citizens detained under politically motivated charges and the 24 crew members of the Ukrainian naval vessel. We urge the Russian authorities to stop curtailing peaceful and legitimate activities of environmental organisations by fabricating criminal cases against local environmental activists, arresting participants of local peaceful protests or imposing disproportionately heavy fines on them.

(Applause)

  Ramona Strugariu, autoare. – Doamnă președintă, Putin nu respectă drepturile omului. Duminica trecută, zeci de persoane au fost arestate din nou la Moscova în timpul unui protest spontan împotriva monopolului politic. Societatea civilă este reprimată sistematic și hărțuită cu instrumente sovietice precum Legea agenților străini, care înregimentează ONG-urile într-un registru public al infamiei, pentru ca apoi să le sancționeze financiar și chiar penal. Abuzuri, violență, arestări politice, tortură. Asta face Kremlinul, nu doar cu proprii cetățeni, ci și cu activiștii ucraineni, reprezentanții minorităților sau presa liberă. În deplina sfidare a dreptului internațional, cetățenii ucraineni au fost capturați, deținuți în condiții teribile și supuși torturii.

Rusia lui Putin nu poate fi un partener pentru Uniunea Europeană, atât timp cât violează brutal drepturile omului și legislația internațională. Ieri s-au împlinit 5 ani de la tragedia MH17. Au murit 298 de oameni. Putin își asumă zero responsabilitate pentru aceste vieți. Respectarea drepturilor omului trebuie să fie nucleul de negociere în toate contactele Uniunii Europene cu Rusia, inclusiv în acordurile economice. Avem nevoie urgent de o lege Magnistky la nivel european, pentru a-i sancționa pe toți cei care încalcă drepturile omului. Dacă nu vor exista consecințe reale pentru oficialii ruși, Kremlinul va continua să se comporte cu dispreț și cu totală impunitate - „Welcome, Ukraine, we are with you!”

  Andrius Kubilius, on behalf of the PPE Group. – Madam President, it’s a very important resolution, and I urge everybody to vote in favour. The issue which the resolution speaks about is crucial for the future of the whole European continent. That future will depend very much on when and how Russia will come back to being a democratic country which respects international law and human rights. For the time being this is not the case, and that is the reason why not only Ukraine and Georgia are suffering but Russians themselves are suffering very heavily also. We in Lithuania have a very special interest in having good relations with Russia, but that is possible only if and when Russia comes back to behaviour based on international law, democracy and human rights.

How can we assist Russia?

First of all, by speaking out very clearly about violations of international law and human rights and staying strong with sanctions and even looking for new instruments to influence the wrong behaviour of Russian authorities. It’s needed for Ukrainians, which are suffering aggression and being political prisoners. It’s needed for Russians themselves. It’s needed for the whole of Europe.

  Sergey Lagodinsky, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group. – Madam President, dear colleagues, what would you say if your son or daughter did not come home one day? She went to a peaceful demonstration and never returned. What would you say if your brother or sister were declared a terrorist, just because they criticised a foreign country’s occupation? What would you say if your mother had to flee your country just because she was fighting for clean air with money from her European partners? These are sad stories that we hear from Russia. Stories of Sinaver Nimetullayev and six other Crimean Tatars, just recently jailed and detained on Red Square for peacefully protesting. Stories of Oleh Sentsov, Oleksandr Kolchenko, Oleksandr Shumkov and Volodymyr Balukh imprisoned for criticising Russia’s occupation of Crimea. Stories of Anastasia Shevchenko, who is under house arrest for months, just because her organisation was declared undesirable under the Russian statute. Some of you here talk about normalising relations with Russia. This resolution is our attempt to normalise relations with Russia. Not hiding behind gas pipes, not hiding behind fake observation missions to Crimea, but talking an honest conversation with Russia for the benefit of their citizens and citizens of Ukraine. This is our offer to this country. This is our offer to Moscow.

(Applause)

  Zdzisław Krasnodębski, w imieniu grupy ECR. – Pani Przewodnicząca! To jest oczywiście bardzo ważna rezolucja i grupa ECR ją poprze. Rzeczywiście od 2014 r., tj. od czasu nielegalnej aneksji Krymu i agresji militarnej we wschodniej Ukrainie, mamy do czynienia z wieloma przypadkami łamania praw człowieka, zaginięć, prześladowań i bezprawnych zatrzymań Ukraińców i przedstawicieli innych mniejszości. Dlatego popieramy sankcje.

Natomiast chciałbym zwrócić uwagę na jedną sprawę. Otóż wiemy wszyscy, że wiele państw członkowskich skłania się raczej ku ochronie własnych interesów handlowych w Rosji niż ku faktycznemu przestrzeganiu sankcji. Jak na przykład jest możliwe, że austriacki koncern naftowy OMV w zeszłym miesiącu porozumiał się z Gazpromem co do wykupu jego udziałów w syberyjskich polach gazowych za 900 mln euro? Jak wytłumaczyć, że niemieckie inwestycje bezpośrednie w Rosji w 2019 r. zanotowały 33-procentowy wzrost w stosunku do ubiegłego roku? Potrzeba zatem większej konsekwencji w polityce unijnej wobec Rosji.

  Sandra Pereira, em nome do Grupo GUE/NGL. – Senhora Presidente, esta resolução insere-se na escalada de confronto promovida pelos Estados Unidos e pela NATO contra a Federação Russa. Uma escalada de confronto que inclui a imposição de sanções e que integra o golpe de Estado de cariz fascista na Ucrânia, em 2014, e com a qual a União Europeia tem alinhado ativamente.

A resolução esconde a política de cerco e belicista que os Estados Unidos e a NATO têm vindo a desenvolver contra a Rússia, nomeadamente a partir de 1999 com sucessivos alargamentos e a instalação de meios militares junto às fronteiras destes países.

É particularmente grave e significativo o branqueamento que a resolução faz do regime ucraniano e da sua política de opressão e de guerra contra o seu próprio povo da violência da ação dos grupos fascistas ucranianos contra populações ucranianas.

Esta situação traz mais isolamento, empobrecimento e insegurança para os povos das duas regiões, com consequências para outros Estados. Por exemplo, como consequência das sanções, os produtores de pera rocha em Portugal perdem cerca de 250 milhões de euros anuais.

Uma política de paz e inclusão numa Europa dos trabalhadores e dos povos é uma urgência de civilização.

  Bronis Ropė (Verts/ALE). – Gerbiama Pirmininke! Kai Europos Tarybos Parlamentinė Asamblėja grąžino Rusijai balsavimo teisę, tokio sprendimo šalininkai tikėjosi, kad Rusija ims pagarbiau žiūrėti į žmogaus teises, o taip pat ir paleis Ukrainos įkalintus jūrininkus ir kitus politinius kalinius. Deja, Rusija ne tik to nepadarė, bet ir toliau intensyvina represijas. Taip vadinami Maskvos miesto Dūmos rinkimai praeitą savaitgalį virto pasityčiojimu iš demokratinių standartų, o bandžiusieji prieš tai protestuoti buvo šiurkščiai represuoti. Savo aplinkosauginę represinę kultūrą Rusija pademonstravo Astravo atominės elektrinės atveju, kur Rusatomas, nepaisydamas aplinkosaugininkų protestų ir išvadų dėl ESPO Konvencijos pažeidimų, baigia statyti nesaugią elektrinę prie pat Europos Sąjungos sienos. Europos Sąjunga turi naudoti visas galimas sankcijas tiems Rusijos atstovams, kurie pažeidinėja žmogaus teises ir persekioja žmones, žurnalistus ir aplinkosaugininkus.

  Christos Stylianides, on behalf of the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. – Madam President, thank you so much for this opportunity to discuss the human-rights situation in Russia and, in particular, the situation of both illegally detained Ukrainians and environmental activists. The European Union has repeatedly expressed concern at the fate of all Ukrainian citizens illegally detained in the Crimean Peninsula and in Russia. These include Crimean Tatars and others who have opposed the illegal annexation as well as other Ukrainians.

We continue to call for the immediate and unconditional release of the captured Ukrainian servicemen and their vessels, as has been ordered by the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. Diplomats from the EU delegations in our Member States’ embassies in Moscow regularly attend the court hearings and are in constant contact with the lawyers.

The European Union also regularly raises individual cases – including those of Oleg Sentsov, Pavlo Hryb and Edem Bekirov, who, as you know, require urgent medical assistance – in bilateral meetings with Russian representatives and in public statements, including in the Council of Europe and also in the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Russia holds special responsibility for respecting human rights in the illegally annexed Crimean Peninsula. The rights to legal counsel, access to consular officers and health care must be fully respected.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has noted that Crimean Tatars continue to be disproportionately affected by police raids and prosecutions in respect of offences related to terrorism and extremism, in proceedings that fall short of human-rights standards. All pending cases of violations and abuses should be thoroughly investigated. The human-rights situation in non-government-controlled areas of eastern Ukraine, where Russia plays a significant role, is also deeply worrying.

The overall environment for human-rights and civil-society activists in Russia is characterised by restriction on fundamental freedoms. At a time of international awareness of climate issues, violent assaults on individual environmental activists, such as Andrei Rudomakha and his colleagues, and the judicial harassment of others, such as the non—governmental organisation Eco-Defence, are deeply troubling. We recall that it is the duty of the Russian authorities to respect and protect the right of all illegally detained Ukrainian citizens and the rights of Russian citizens and activists, in line with Russia’s international human-rights commitments.

I conclude by reaffirming our strong commitment to, and support for, human rights and civil society, including environmental activists in Russia, as well as illegally detained Ukrainians in particular. The European Union has consistently called on Russia to ensure that human-rights violations in Russia and the Crimean Peninsula are investigated and that accountability and justice for victims are ensured. Thank you for your attention.

  President. – The debate is closed.

The vote will be held at the end of the debates.

Written statements (Rule 171)

  João Ferreira (GUE/NGL), por escrito. – Estamos a assistir a uma longa escalada de confronto, promovida pelos EUA e pela NATO e à qual a UE aderiu, contra a Federação Russa. Esta escalada de confronto inclui as sanções que a UE tem vindo sucessivamente a renovar contra este país. Nela se integrou também, é bom não esquecer, o golpe de Estado de cariz fascista na Ucrânia, em 2014.

A resolução oculta a política belicista de cerco à Rússia, que os EUA e a NATO têm vindo a levar a cabo, nomeadamente a partir de 1999, com sucessivos alargamentos da NATO e com a instalação de meios militares junto às fronteiras russas.

Tem sido particularmente grave e significativo o branqueamento feito do regime ucraniano e da sua política de opressão e de guerra contra o seu próprio povo, da violência e da ação dos grupos fascistas ucranianos contra populações ucranianas.

Esta situação comporta diversas implicações negativas. Mais isolamento, empobrecimento e insegurança para os povos. A este caminho torna-se necessário contrapor uma política de paz e inclusão.

  Michaela Šojdrová (PPE), písemně. – Tento víkend ukrajinský režisér a politický vězeň Oleh Sencov oslavil už pošesté své narozeniny v ruském vězení. On i mnoho dalších vězňů svědomí v Rusku se nechce spokojit s ruskou okupací Krymu, od jejíhož počátku letos uplynulo pět let. Oleh Sencov loni obdržel Sacharovovu cenu a zahájil hladovku. S ruským režimem to ale nehnulo. Ani sankce EU, jakkoli musíme trvat na jejich udržení, toho moc nezměnily. Proto se musíme postavit důrazněji proti porušování lidských práv v Rusku. Takový postoj očekávám od nové předsedkyně Komise. Dokud budou v Rusku političtí vězni a Rusko nebude respektovat mezinárodní právo, není pro nás prezident Putin a jeho vláda důvěryhodným partnerem.

IN THE CHAIR: MAIREAD McGUINNESS
Vice-President

  Sophia in 't Veld (Renew). – Madam President, just 20 seconds of colleagues’ time, because this is the last sitting. We’ve all just been elected as representatives of the people and legislators. For democracy it is essential that elected representatives can do their work freely and safely, and that applies to representatives around the world, including in the United States. I note that there are four members of the US Congress who have recently been subject to hate speech and intimidation and harassment, cheered on by nobody less than the President himself. Just last week, there was a rally that was addressed by President Trump himself...

(The President interrupted the speaker)

  President. – Madam in 't Veld, may I just say, could you wind up? It isn’t quite a point of order but I don’t want to disrupt it. There are other speakers who want to come in.

Gentlemen and ladies, could I ask you to show some respect?

(Applause)

You have the floor. And please listen with respect. Please listen.

  Sophia in 't Veld (Renew). – Madam President, one representative in particular was targeted at a rally where President Trump spoke and they were chanting ‘Send her back’, because she has an immigration background. I think it is the duty of this House to condemn those attacks and express solidarity with those representatives.

(Sustained applause)

  President. – As I said, colleagues, it wasn’t quite a point of order. But we are at the... Calm down please. Madam Fox, you have a request?

  Claire Fox (NI). – Madam President, a question and point of order.

Is there a list of offensive banned words that can’t be used in this Parliament? As a new MEP, I ask this question because yesterday a colleague was reprimanded, indeed humiliated, for using the word ‘rubbish’ in his speech, which seemed rather disproportionate, especially when we have seen people wearing garments with far more offensive words. I ask this genuinely. Has this Parliament got a secret list? Because in the name of fairness and free speech, new MEPs like me need to get the ‘verboten’ word list, so we don’t make any more mistakes in the future.

(Applause)

  President. – I know that there are more new Members then old in the House, and I think as one of the old ones, we’re flexible and we won’t get upset about words. However, I do admit that there was a former colleague here from the United Kingdom and we had a frank exchange of views when he would use the word ‘rubbish’ in just about all his sentences. So we will see if there is a list and we certainly will provide it, but to the best of my knowledge, I have not been provided with one. I think we all know as adults, though, when words are offensive, and perhaps if we use our own judgment that might be best.

(Applause)

  Romeo Franz (Verts/ALE). – Frau Präsidentin! Ich beziehe mich auf Artikel 39 der Geschäftsordnung, in der das Parlament sich verpflichtet, auf die Einhaltung der Menschenrechte zu achten. Der italienische Innenminister Matteo Salvini will erneut die ethnische Erfassung von in Italien lebenden Sinti und Roma durchführen. Dies verstößt gegen das Recht und Gesetz. Wir wissen alle, wessen Instrument diese Art der Erfassung war und welche Ziele damit verfolgt wurden. Salvini setzt unschuldige Menschen, Frauen und Kinder auf die Straße, nur aus dem Grunde ihrer ethnischen Zugehörigkeit. Ich fordere das Parlament auf, wesentlich stärker gegen Antiziganismus und solche Rechtspopulisten, wie Salvini es einer ist, vorzugehen und sie zu verurteilen. Diese Politik ist ein Angriff auf die europäischen Werte und eine Schande für Europa. Das ist purer Rassismus!

(Beifall und Protestrufe)

  President. – Mr Zanni, you’d like to respond, I’m sure.

  Marco Zanni (ID). – Signor Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, è vergognoso che un parlamentare pensi di utilizzare il regolamento per attaccare un governo legittimamente eletto dai cittadini italiani. Vergogna!