Brussels, 23/11/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 22 November, MEPs urged Libyan authorities to protect all foreign nationals, whatever their status (workers, asylum seekers, refugees), against any form of violence, exploitation, threats, intimidation or abuse. In their common resolution, they call on Libya to adopt an appropriate legislation and instructions for the protection of human rights of all those living in the country, and especially on the recognition of a legal status for migrants and refugees in Libya, and to meet their international obligations. The Parliament also calls on the EU and on member states to act accordingly when negotiating future cooperation or migration control agreements with the new Libyan authorities. The EU, the Parliament explains, must be willing to provide technical and political aid in terms of human rights protection and border controls.
Ethnic violence in Burma/Myanmar.
In another resolution, MEPs voice concern about the ethnic violence in the state of Rakhine, Burma, and call on the authorities to tackle, as a matter of urgency, the intra-community violence and its consequences. They urge the authorities to step up their political and civil rights reform efforts, and call on them to put an end to their discriminatory practice against the Rohingya minority. The Parliament calls on the EU and on member states to provide humanitarian assistance and to support the Burmese government in its efforts to stabilise the situation and to implement reform programmes more speedily.
Human rights in Iran.
In a last resolution, MEPs call for European sanctions to be stepped up against Iran, while expressing concern about the impact that this will have on the population. Parliament calls for a thorough inquiry to be carried out on the death of the blogger, Sattar Beheshti, while in prison. It calls on the Iranian authorities to release all political prisoners and prisoners of conscience, including 2012 Sakharov Prize winner Nasrin Sotoudeh, and requests that both Nasrin Sotoudeh and Jafar Panahi be allowed to collect their Sakharov prizes in December 2012 in Strasbourg. MEPs also expressed concern about human rights in Iran, about the widespread practice of torture, unfair trials and many executions, including of minors. (CG/transl.jl)