Brussels, 16/05/2013 (Agence Europe) - On 15 May, human rights campaigners - including Chen Guangcheng from China - called on the European Union to take more action for human rights in China (see EUROPE 10842). Guangcheng asked that the leaders responsible for violating the human rights of members of his family - in retaliation for his departure for the United States - be forbidden visas within the EU and have their assets frozen. “They should pay the price and be responsible for what they have done”, he told the European Parliament. “We must continue to fight for freedom”, he added, saying that the Chinese authorities take notice of what the world says about them, and that awareness of civil society and civil rights is growing in China.
In the opinion of Lotte Leicht from Human Rights Watch and Nicolas Berger from Amnesty International, the EU must be more “vocal”. “The EU whispers when it speaks about human rights with Beijing”, Leicht criticised. In her view, the EU should speak with a single voice so as to have real clout. “The EU should give a common message and have a collective approach at the highest level”, she said, calling for conclusions from the Foreign Affairs Council, in June, a year after the adoption of the EU strategic framework on human rights. “An official can give a message but the authorities are not concerned about this because they know that it's not a common message”, she stressed.
Leicht also asked the EU to be more transparent about campaigners - for whom she is concerned - and she asked the EU to exert more pressure for their freedom. “Each member state should adopt a few people on the list (of campaigners about whom the EU could ask for news) and collaborate with the European institutions” for their freedom (our translation throughout).
The campaigners recalled their torture, arrest, imprisonment, house arrest and the threats in China - which continues to be the country that most uses the death penalty. (CG/transl.fl)