60th anniversary of Universal Declaration on Human Rights: spotlight on the courage of human rights activists

The conference, which highlighted the courageous, often life-threatening work done by human rights defenders (HRDs), was a wide-ranging, multifaceted event. Apart from a wealth of speakers, films on human rights were shown and two well-known cartoonists, Jean Plantu and Ali Dilem, drew illustrations for the occasion that were projected onto large screens. A related event on European Day against the Death Penalty took place on Tuesday evening (see link below).

 

Among issues that arose repeatedly were the alleged tension between freedom of speech and freedom of religion, the universality (or otherwise) of human rights and possible human rights infringements caused by the EU "Return Directive" on illegal immigration.

 

 

The first speaker, Justice Commissioner Jacques Barrot, reviewing the EU's policies on human rights in third countries, pointed to special budget funding of €16m earmarked for HRDs for 2007-2010. But he also stressed that "the EU must set an example" by protecting fundamental rights within its own borders. French minister of state Rama Yade announced that two priorities for France's presidency of the EU were women's rights, especially violence against women, and worldwide decriminalisation of homosexuality, since "ninety countries around the world criminalise homosexuality, with six imposing the death penalty".

 

Parliament's Vice-President for Human Rights Luisa Morgantini (GUE/NGL, IT) highlighted "domestic violence, with its gender imbalance against women", the issue of "multinationals trampling on people's rights" and "the need to defend sexual and reproductive rights".   

 

A passionate speech was given by 90-year old former ambassador Stéphane Hessel, who was involved in drafting the Declaration in 1948. Recalling that it was written in the aftermath of World War II, he argued that today it was time "to breathe new life into the Declaration's principles", saying "no progress has been made on economic, social and cultural rights".   Souyer Belhassen (International Human Rights Federation) was among the critics of the EU's "Return Directive", saying "the voice of human rights is ignored here".  

 

 

Hélène Flautre (Greens/EFA, FR), chair of the EP Human Rights Subcommittee, introduced the working session on HRDs, saying that while the EU "on paper has a lot of good instruments, they need to be properly implemented". She added "We need to ensure there are no double standards due to the geo-strategic importance of our partners".  For the Council of Europe, Ulrika Sundberg argued that "there is no room for complacency when it comes to human rights, even on the European continent".  The UN Special Rapporteur on HRDs, Margaret Sekaggya, had earlier said "it is human rights defenders who in their daily work make the ideals of the Universal Declaration a reality".

 

On an optimistic note, Kenneth Roth (Human Rights Watch) argued that the human rights movement was "gaining energy". "By shining a spotlight on governments, we shame them" and "force them to change their practices".  He stressed that HRDs are "our key partners", as they are "at the frontline, putting their life at risk".  He also highlighted Uzbekistan as a country where the EU was failing to take the right action and he was backed up in this by an HRD from Uzbekistan, Vasila Inoiatova.  Among other HRDs, Evita Gosa from Latvia spoke eloquently about homophobia in her home country, while Claudia Samayoa from Guatemala described human rights abuses in her country and the impunity enjoyed by the perpetrators.

 

Mary Lawlor outlined the work of Irish NGO Frontline, which seeks "to help HRDs at risk, through a fast flexible response, including temporary relocation in emergency situations". She spoke of the courage of "HRDs who never know when they get up in the morning what the day will bring and whether they will be alive that evening".  

 

 

On Wednesday the conference turned to the role of journalists in defending human rights, thus emphasising the right to freedom of expression. Argentinian journalist Horacio Verbitsky described the traumatic situation in his country under the junta, the efforts by journalists at that time to circulate information underground and the savage oppression meted out by the authorities.  Mexican journalist Lydia Cacho Ribeiro told how she had been imprisoned and tortured for writing articles exposing the trafficking of young people for sexual exploitation by highly placed people in Mexican society. "Mexico is plagued by fundamental human rights problems", she said. 

 

Lebanese journalist Ali al-Atassi depicted the plight of journalists in Syria and Lebanon and asked for "more recognition, more solidarity for third world dissidents, as this encourages and helps them"; he pointed to the EP's Sakharov Prize as a valuable instrument in this field.  Lastly, Andrey Lipsky, of Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta, said "journalists are in the vanguard of the fight for freedom of expression" and, referring to Russia, "for an authoritarian regime, the most dangerous thing is transparency".

 

 

In a closing speech, Parliament's President Hans-Gert Pöttering described the 1948 Declaration as "a major victory of our civilisation" but added that "unfortunately the 60th anniversary is a time to sound the alarm", since "last year at least 1252 people were executed in 24 countries, while torture and restrictions on freedom of expression are widespread".  The EU, the UN and NGOs must all work together, he stressed, adding that the EP was endeavouring to mainstream human rights into all its work. 

 

 

The conference's keynote speech was given by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanethem Pillay, who argued that "the principles underpinning the Universal Declaration can be found in virtually all cultures and traditions". Conversely, "at all latitudes tyranny abhors the free expression of the human spirit".  Stressing the "centrality" of the role of HRDs, she underscored in particular the role of defenders of women's rights and that of advocates for migrants' rights.

 

Turning to freedom of association and expression, she described these as "fundamental tenets" of the Universal Declaration but said that in many countries there was "a worrisome trend" to adopt laws "that aim at curtailing civil society's scope of action".  She emphasised that "Although the roles of human rights defenders and the press are different, both are crucial to sustaining healthy checks and balances on those who hold power".

 

Mrs Pillay also voiced concern that "freedom of expression has recently been denounced as antithetical to freedom of religion or belief". In her view, "freedom of religion cannot exist in an environment where freedom of expression is not respected" and "It is crucial to protect the rights of religious minorities and of non-believers".

 

Another issue was how to respond to terrorism, which represents a "severe threat and a profound challenge to human rights". While "states have a duty to protect their populations against terrorism", some have "expanded executive power at the expense of those of the legislature and the courts".  She cautioned against such tendencies.

 

Concluding, Mrs Pillay underscored that "a global culture of human rights is predicated on the universality of human rights and their connection with security and development and welfare for all.  We should never accept the argument that some rights fit the traditions of certain cultures, but are antithetical to other customs".