Human rights: Rohingya Muslims, Ilgar Mammadov, rule of law in Russia 

Pressemeddelelse 
 
 

Parliament passed three separate resolutions on Thursday condemning the grave violations of human rights and the violence perpetrated against Rohingya Muslims in Burma/Myanmar; calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Ilgar Mammadov in Azerbaijan; and expressing its serious concerns about the recent repressive laws and their arbitrary enforcement in Russia.


Rohingya Muslims in Burma/Myanmar


MEPs urge the government and the whole of Burmanese/Myanmar society to act immediately to end the human rights abuses against the Rohingya Muslims and to bring the perpetrators of the violent attacks and other related abuses to justice. They repeat their calls for an investigation into the allegations that members of Burmese security forces participated in the violence.


While recognising the steps to introduce democratic reforms over the past year, MEPs urge the government to continue implementing solutions to the underlying causes of the tensions, including measures to address the status of the Rohingya. They also urge the Commission to monitor closely the progress made by the Burmese authorities in respecting the conditions for Burma/Myanmar's recently reinstated preferential trade status under the EU´s Generalised System of Preferences (GSP).


The case of Ilgar Mammadov in Azerbaijan


MEPs strongly condemn the detention of Ilgar Mammadov and urge the Azerbaijani authorities to investigate the charges against him in a speedy, fair, transparent and independent manner. They also call on the authorities in Azerbaijan to respect the freedom of the press and media and to secure freedom of expression, to reform the country's defamation legislation and to fully respect the freedom of assembly of the population.


Rule of law in Russia


MEPs express deep concern at Russia´s failure to observe its international legal obligations to protect freedom of association, expression and assembly. They are disappointed by the bill granting "foreign agent" status to Russian non-commercial organisations engaged in political activities and financed from abroad and are concerned by the negative consequences of the adoption of a federal law on "homosexual propaganda".


Parliament welcomes the recent re-opening of prceedings in the case of the murder of Anna Politkovskaya but shares the concerns that the question of who ordered the murder is unlikely to emerge from the case. It deplores the allegedly politically motivated nature of Alexei Navalny´s prosecution, and urges Russia to commission an independent inquiry into the Bolotnaya Square violence, in particular into the alleged excessive use of force against demonstrators.