Press room 

On Monday, MEPs dealing with human rights and women’s rights will debate the treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan following the Taliban’s takeover.

MEPs have shortlisted WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange, the Ukrainian people and their representatives and the Colombian Truth Commission for the 2022 Sakharov Prize.

MEPs in the Subcommittee on Human Rights will debate the human rights situation in Belarus following the disputed presidential elections of 9 August and subsequent demonstrations, on Monday.

MEPs in the Subcommittee on Human Rights express their strong solidarity with the people of Belarus and call for broader sanctions against regime officials involved in human rights abuses.

As the security situation in Afghanistan changes rapidly, Maria Arena, Chairwoman of the Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human Rights, issued the following statement.

MEPs express their deep concern over the death threats made against the Congolese human rights defender Dr. Denis Mukwege and calls for all measures to be taken to ensure his security.

Statement by leading MEPs following the decision by Chinese authorities to sanction the Subcommittee on Human Rights and other European entities and officials.

The award ceremony for this year’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, conferred upon the brave people of Ukraine, will be held on 14 December at noon.

Against the backdrop of continuing human rights violations in China, MEPs renew their call for tough EU action, including an import ban for goods made with forced labour.

Seven nominees for the European Parliament’s 2014 Sakharov Prize for freedom of thought, chosen by political groups and groups of MEPs, will be presented at a meeting of the Foreign Affairs and Development committees and the Human Rights Subcommittee on 23 September, at 16:15.

The democratic opposition in Belarus, Guapinol activists and Berta Cáceres, and the Archbishop of Mosul were shortlisted for the 2020 Sakharov Prize on Monday.

In a report adopted on Wednesday, the Foreign Affairs Committee criticises the EU and some EU countries for overusing informal agreements on the return and readmission of irregular migrants.

Joint statement by FEMM and DROI Chairs:

MEPs will be presented with the nominees for this year’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in a joint committee meeting on Monday afternoon.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, Parliament will organise a series of events to shine a light on the dire situation faced by women in Afghanistan.

On Wednesday afternoon, MEPs and prominent guest speakers will debate the alarming human rights situation in Egypt ahead of the COP27 UN climate summit in Sharm El-Sheikh.

On Monday afternoon, the Subcommittee on Human Rights will assess conditions for foreign workers in Qatar ahead of the FIFA World Cup.

Ukrainian movement EuroMaidan, Congolese gynaecologist Denis Mukwege and Azerbaijani human rights activist Leyla Yunus are the three finalists for this year's European Parliament Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, as voted jointly on Tuesday by the Foreign Affairs and Development committees.

Dr Denis Mukwege, the 2014 Sakharov Prize laureate, described political problems in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and his difficulties in tackling the problem of sexual abuse of women and even small children, in a Human Rights Subcommittee debate on Thursday. MEPs discussed how the EU could best support Dr Mukwege’s work, and some called for legally-binding rules on trade in conflict minerals.

On Tuesday, the Foreign Affairs Committee adopted a resolution welcoming the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime while calling for corruption to be included as a punishable offense.