23/03/2015 (Agence Europe) - EU calls again for release of human rights defenders. On Monday 23 March, the European Union again called on the Chinese authorities to release five female human rights defenders immediately, who had been arrested when campaigning against sexual harassment on International Women's Day (see EUROPE 11273). The women's arrest and detention “violates their right to demonstrate peacefully”, said the spokesperson for High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini in a press release. “We urge China not to restrict the activities of human rights defenders promoting the human rights of women”, Mogherini's spokesperson added, reiterating that the United Nations is preparing to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the 4th World Conference on Women and the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform of Action. (Camille-Cerise Gessant)