Brussels, 13/02/2014 (Agence Europe) - Following a report by Human Rights Watch (HRW), published on 11 February, on the trafficking and torture of Eritreans in Sudan and Egypt, MEPs from the ALDE Group have called on the EU to discuss human trafficking and torture with Egypt. Olle Schmidt (Denmark) urged High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton to add the Egyptian authorities' fight against trafficking - particularly in Sinai - to the agenda of the EU dialogue with Egypt. “The EU cannot remain silent and must push the Egyptian authorities to end these inhuman crimes”, said Marietje Schaake (Netherlands), also wanting the issue to be discussed at the European Parliament plenary session at the end of February. Judith Sargentini (Greens, Netherlands) had alerted the EU to this issue back in November 2012 (see EUROPE 10733).
“We are following the matter and we have always raised our concern with Egypt's Ministry of Foreign Affairs”, Ashton's spokesperson, Michael Mann, told EUROPE on 13 February. He added that “we are also requesting that the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organisation for Migration get full access so they can pursue their mandate”. “Our involvement is increasing and the issue has to be tackled through a regional approach”, he continued. Mann stated that, on a practical level, the EU is supporting governmental and non-governmental partners to protect migrants' human rights along the East African Road.
The HRW report describes inter alia how, since 2010, Egyptian traffickers have tortured Eritreans for ransom in the Sinai Peninsula, and have raped, burned, and mutilated their captives in order to put pressure on their families. (CG/transl.fl)