Strasbourg, 13/09/2012 (Agence Europe) - During a debate on Tuesday 11 September and also on Thursday 13 September in a joint resolution on the political use of justice in Russia, the European Parliament criticised the “recent developments” which “have moved in the opposite direction to the reforms necessary to improve democratic standards, the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary in Russia”. In an adopted text, the MEPs express their deep concern regarding politically motivated trials. The Parliament asks Russia for independent and credible investigations into various trials and to “to put an end to the omnipresent impunity and pervasive corruption”. The MEPs highlight the “recent upsurge in the politically motivated intimidation and prosecution” and they ask Moscow “to refrain from using laws arbitrarily for the purpose of clamping down on members of the opposition”. The MEPs are concerned about “the deteriorating climate for the development of civil society in Russia” and also about “the law on extremism in terms of the wide discretion in interpretation”.
Recalling that “a modern and prosperous society needs to recognise and protect the individual and collective rights of all its citizens”, the Parliament calls on the EU to “to exert constant pressure on the Russian authorities” to meet the OSCE standards on this.
High Representative's firmness. During a debate on the political use of justice in Russia which took place on Tuesday, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton and MEPs criticised the situation in Russia. “Taken together, the package of legislation limiting the freedom of assembly, restricting NGOs, curtailing the freedom of the internet, the Pussy Riot case, an upsurge in prosecution of opposition activists including Alexei Navalny and the sentencing of Mrs Osipova, the dismissal of an opposition-minded Duma deputy and a continuous lack of progress on the Magnitsky case - this constitutes a trend that is of very serious concern to the European Union”, Ashton said. “This trend raises serious questions as to the state of the rule of law in the country, in particular the use of legal and law enforcement structures and other instruments for political purposes rather than for protecting and safeguarding the rights and freedoms of the citizens of Russia”, she added. (CG/transl.fl)