Activities of Leonidas DONSKIS related to 2011/2185(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Human rights in the world and the European Union's policy on the matter (debate)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on the Annual Report on Human Rights in the World and the European Union’s policy on the matter, including implications for the EU’s strategic human rights policy PDF (418 KB) DOC (261 KB)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on the Annual Report on Human Rights in the World 2010 and the European Union’s Policy on the matter, including implications for the EU’s strategic human rights policy
Amendments (28)
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 7 a (new)
Citation 7 a (new)
- having regard to the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, the activities of the Special Representatives of the UN Secretary General on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders as well as the EU guidelines on Human Rights Defenders,
Amendment 6 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 9 a (new)
Citation 9 a (new)
- having regard to the EU Guidelines on the protection of the rights of the child and the guidelines on children and armed conflict, as well as many previous European Parliament resolutions touching on these issues,
Amendment 11 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Notes that the 2010 Annual Report on Human Rights in the World does not include a specific section on development; stresses, especially after the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty and given the current integrated strategy on human rights, that a thematic sec vital relation should be devoted to ‘human rights and development’ip between development and human rights should be stressed much more systematically and visibly in the Annual Report;
Amendment 33 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G a (new)
Recital G a (new)
G a. whereas different EU Member States have unique experiences to offer in terms of overcoming authoritarian regimes in their own past, and whereas this transition experience should be better utilised in the Union's relations with partner countries in strengthening democracy and human rights;
Amendment 37 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Stresses, too, that the Union's policies must not onlyshould be consistent, but also exemplary, in order to maximise its moral authority globall and exemplary; insists that a clear indication that the recommendations made in the 2007 Fava report on the transportation and illegal detention of prisoners will be implemented, and welcomes the initiative to draw up a follow-up Parliamentary report;
Amendment 45 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Regrets that, despite the explicit call made by the European Parliament in the 2007 Fava report, a number of EU Member States have failed to fully and openly address their complicity in the worldwide violation of human rights that took place in the context of the US rendition and secret detention programme, and the domestic human rights violations that accompanied this; believes this situation to be a grave and serious impediment to the EU's promotion of human rights in the world and claims to moral authority; urges EU Member States to take action to fully shed light upon, acknowledge, repair and prevent in the future these human rights violations, and calls on the EU institutions to maintain pressure on Member States for full and open investigations;
Amendment 48 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3 b. Calls on the United States to honour its pledge to close the detention facility at Guantánamo Bay; urges EU Member States to step up efforts to resettle non- European detainees released from Guantánamo who cannot be repatriated to their home states as they are under threat of death, torture or cruel and inhumane treatment;
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Emphasises the crucial role played by civil society in the protection and promotion of democracy and human rights; stresses that EU contacts with civil society should be built on a genuine partnership, including systematic and regular dialogue on an equal footing; encourages the EU to intensify its efforts to reach out to civil society and include their recommendations in its decision-making wherever feasible;
Amendment 68 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7 a. Believes that the promotion and support of non-violence reflects an international value that should constitute a priority for the EU's human rights and democracy policies, particularly considering that the non-violent methodology offers an effective and appropriate means and outcomes in terms of the prevention of conflict and support for democracy, rule of law and civil society around the world;
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. InvitUrges the HR/VP in her drafting of future Annual Reports to consult actively and, systematically and in a transparent fashion with Parliament, and to report on the way that Parliament's resolutions have been taken into account; asks the HR/VP to more regularly provide information on the stage of preparation of future Annual Reports whenever requested to do so by Parliament;
Amendment 90 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13 a. Further recommends that, whenever a gross breach of human rights occurs by a partner country with which an international agreement such as a PCA has been concluded, the EU takes bolder steps in carrying out the appropriate sanctions as stipulated in the human rights clauses of the agreement, including possible temporary suspension of the agreement;
Amendment 101 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Welcomes the adoption by the UN General Assembly of resolution 65/276 on the participation of the EU in the work of the UN as a modest start to a greater endeavour to upgrade the EU role in the organisation; stresses that speaking with one voice should not come at the expenseresult in an even stronger emphasis ofn human rights concerns and, on the contrary,in the world and effective action to tackle these problems; considers that the EU must now vigorously insist on exercising its rights and put its enhanced status to work in order to pursue an ambitious human rights strategy;
Amendment 138 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Takes note of the plans to establish a European Endowment for Democracy (EED); underlines the Endowment's potential function as a flexible and expert tool to support actors striving for democratic change in non-democratic countries and countries in transition; urges the Council to ensure that any such tool complements the activities of existing instruments, in particular the EIDHR, without creating new bureaucratic structures wherever these are not necessary; stresses that the EU's contribution to the EED budget must be genuinely additional and must be delivered in full conformity with financial rules, respecting the right of the budgetary authority to monitor and scrutinise;
Amendment 150 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Calls upon the Council and, the Commission and the EEAS to develop a political strategy in relation to each EU election observation mission, followed up by an assessment of democratic progress two years after the mission, to be submitted during Parliament's annual human rights debate with the HR/VP;
Amendment 161 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. Calls for all contractual relationships with third countries, both industrialised and developing, and including sectoral agreements, trade and technical or financial aid agreements, to include clearly worded binding clauses on human rights and democracy, without exception;
Amendment 167 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35
Paragraph 35
35. Stresses that the application of the clause as it currently stands , for example with the Colombia/Peru Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) due to come before Parliament, provides an opportunity for the European Parliament itself to explore the potential for setting human rights benchmarks in advance of ratification, in order to achieve concrete and verifiable progress in respect for human rights; encourages the Commission to draft a new ‘model clause’ referring to the parties' international obligations, comprising a procedure for consultation and specifying political and legal mechanisms to be used in the event of a request for cooperation to be suspended on the grounds of repeated or systemic human rights violations in breach of international law; recommends that a clear system of sanctions short of suspension be developed; insists strongly on the need for Parliament to be a joint decision-maker with the Commission and the Council in this respect;
Amendment 186 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40
Paragraph 40
40. Emphasises the crucial importance of active civil society participation in and contribution to processes of governance, and insists that, in future, civil society must be engaged so as to contribute directly through an institutionalised ‘civil society monitoring mechanism’; ; strongly supports greater engagement with civil society in these processes, both in terms of ever-greater outreach and a stronger emphasis on including the views of civil society in policy-making;
Amendment 204 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 49 a (new)
Paragraph 49 a (new)
49 a. Welcomes the Commission's decision of 20 December 2011 to amend Regulation (EC) No 1236/2005, and thereby tightening export controls on certain drugs that can be used for executions and equipment that can be used for torture; calls on the Commission to tackle the remaining loopholes in the Regulation by introducing an end-use catch-all clause that would prohibit the export of any drug that could be used for torture or executions;
Amendment 230 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 57 a (new)
Paragraph 57 a (new)
57 a. Is concerned that in Egypt, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) has failed to conduct an investigation into reports of sexual assault of female protestors, including the so- called 'virginity checks' and death threats against female protesters;
Amendment 231 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 58
Paragraph 58
58. Welcomes the indefatigable championingemphasis put ofn women's empowerment by the HR/VP and calls on her to institutionalise the EU Inter- institutional Informal Task Force on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) by providing it with a full- time chair, who will also act as the gender focal point in the EEAS, as part of allocating adequate human and financial resources to its task;
Amendment 276 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 66 a (new)
Paragraph 66 a (new)
66 a. Recommends initiatives for EU legislation to ensure attention is paid in EU human rights policy and instruments of cooperation to eliminate caste discrimination, and action in caste- affected countries, including Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Yemen;
Amendment 284 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 68
Paragraph 68
68. Stresses that freedom of expression and media, both offline and online, independence and pluralism are essential elements of a sustainable democracy, maximising the involvement of civil society and empowering citizens; calls and are therefore indispensable for ensuring transparency and accountability in public life; calls for increased support in the areas of promoting the freedom of media, protecting independent journalists and bloggers, reducing the digital divide and facilitating Internet access; unrestricted access to information and communication and uncensored access to the internet (digital freedom);
Amendment 286 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 69
Paragraph 69
69. Notes that the Iinternet has become one of the most important vehicles through which individuals exercise their right to freedom of opinion and expression, and that it has played a crucial role in promoting human rights, democratic participation, accountability, transparency and economic development; notes however that ICTs can also be misused to violate human rights and fundamental freedoms;
Amendment 292 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 70
Paragraph 70
70. Welcomes the Commission initiative on the ‘No Disconnection Strategy’; invites the Commission to submit a proposal for regulating the export of products and services aimed at blocking websitessmart regulatory proposals, including increased transparency and accountability for EU (based) companies, in order to improve the monitoring of the export of products and services aimed at, but also custom- made for, blocking websites, mass surveillance, monitoring all internet traffic and (mobile) communications, breaking into private conversations and transcribing them, filtering search results, and intimidating internet users including human rights defenders; believes telecommunications and internet service providers and software developers must learn the lessons of past mistakes, such as Vodafone's decision to give in to demands from the Egyptian authorities in the last weeks of the Mubarak regime to suspend services and to disseminate pro- government propagandaand should engage with policymakers, NGOs and activists in an open dialogue in order to set common minimum standards for human rights impact assessments and increased transparency;
Amendment 294 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 71 a (new)
Paragraph 71 a (new)
71 a. Welcomes the inclusion of a ban on the export of technologies and services in the EU's restrictive measures against the governing authorities in Syria; notes that this ban should become a precedent for future restrictive measures against other repressive regimes, in particular towards Iran; notes however that EU policies should be precise to be effective and not to hurt human rights defenders;
Amendment 295 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 72
Paragraph 72
72. Notes that new technologies also allow witnesses and human rights defenders to collect information and share documentation of human rights abuses which may later be used to secure justice for victims; calls on the EU to work with the Global Network Initiativewelcomes multi-stakeholder initiatives and codes of conduct such as the Global Network Initiative; notes however that democratic oversight and the defence and promotion of fundamental rights are core tasks of government; calls on the Commission to support the development and dissemination of digital security technologies to empower human rights defenders through secure collection, encryption and storage mechanisms for such sensitive records and the use of ‘'cloud’' technology to ensure such material cannot be discovered and deleted; calls in particular on the Commission to examine and support the development of open- source technologies such as that developed by the Martus Project supported by the US State Department;
Amendment 313 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 79
Paragraph 79
79. Reiterates its appeal to the Council and the Commission to systematically take up Parliament's resolutions and other communications, responding in a substantive manner; proposes that Parliament consider establishing a systematic mechanism to ensure a more effective and tangible follow-up to its decisions;
Amendment 314 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 80
Paragraph 80
80. Recognises the need for human rights concerns to be mainstreamed through the work of all parliamentary committees and delegations dealing with external relations; recommends that Members of the European Parliament systematically meet with human rights defenders during official missions to third countries, including with imprisoned activists wherever possible, to provide the latter with greater visibility; welcomes the decision to augment the resources available to the Subcommittee on Human Rights in the light of the changes arising from the Treaty of Lisbon;