EU Human Rights and Democratisation

The European Union's Human rights & Democratisation Policy - activities of the EU relating to human rights.

Crucifix-wearing British woman wins European court case — 15 January 2013, 17:49 CET

A British Airways employee banned from wearing a crucifix said she felt "vindicated" after she won her case at the European Court of Human Rights on Tuesday.

EU 'dismayed' at Saudi beheading of Sri Lankan maid — 10 January 2013, 11:18 CET

The European Union expressed dismay Thursday that Saudi Arabia had beheaded a Sri Lankan maid convicted of murdering her employer's baby, despite repeated appeals for a stay of execution.

EU wants dialogue with Gambia — 09 January 2013, 22:54 CET

The European Union insisted Wednesday that it wanted dialogue with Gambia after President Yahya Jammeh charged that it was trying to destabilise his country by insisting on respect for human rights.

Jammeh accuses EU of trying to destabilise Gambia — 09 January 2013, 00:10 CET

Gambia's President Yahya Jammeh on Tuesday accused the European Union, which has urged him to respect human rights, of trying to destabilise his country and blackmail him "with chicken change."

Bahrain condemned for 'harsh' activist sentences — 08 January 2013, 21:37 CET

The United Nations and the European Union on Tuesday slammed a decision by Bahrain's highest appeals court to uphold lengthy prison terms against opposition activists.

Iran slams Sakharov prize honours as 'political' — 16 December 2012, 21:51 CET

Iran on Sunday slammed the European Parliament for its "political" selection of two Iranian rights activists jailed in the Islamic republic for its prestigious Sakharov prize.

Sakharov prize honours those 'standing up for better Iran' — 12 December 2012, 21:34 CET

The European Parliament roundly condemned Iran as it awarded its prestigious Sakharov prize to lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh and film-maker Jafar Panahi, who are both detained back home.

EU concerned about high-profile Gambian arrests — 11 December 2012, 13:44 CET

The European Union in Gambia expressed concern Tuesday about the "arbitrary detention" of a renowned lawyer and rights defender as well as an outspoken religious leader who criticised government.

Ukraine deputy prosecutor 'banned from entering US' — 11 December 2012, 17:06 CET

Ukraine's deputy prosecutor general, a key figure in the legal campaign against jailed former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko, said Monday that the United States had cancelled his five-year entry visa.

Russia hits back at EU with own human rights report — 06 December 2012, 21:59 CET

Russia, a target of regular criticism from Europe over human rights, hit back Thursday with a report on the rights situation in the European Union, saying it was plagued by racism, police abuse and neo-Nazism.

Exasperated EU moves towards reintroducing Balkan visas — 06 December 2012, 11:10 CET

Exasperated EU states have made progress in moves to allow some members such as Germany to reintroduce visas for Balkan EU candidate nations so as to curb soaring unfounded asylum requests.

Jailed Iran rights lawyer ends hunger strike — 05 December 2012, 11:43 CET

A prominent jailed Iranian human rights lawyer, Nasrin Sotoudeh, has ended a hunger strike in Tehran's notorious Evin prison after 49 days, according to a lawmaker on Wednesday.

Women's groups urge EU ban on prostitution — 04 December 2012, 22:46 CET

Around 200 women's groups on Tuesday urged the European Union to make paying for sex a crime on the grounds that prostitution violated women's rights.

Iran committee to probe rights lawyer's situation — 04 December 2012, 12:55 CET

An Iranian parliamentary committee will probe the situation of jailed rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, who has been held in solitary confinement and is reportedly on a hunger strike, Iranian media reported Tuesday quoting a lawmaker.

Britain could maintain prisoners' voting ban: minister — 22 November 2012, 18:46 CET

Britain's justice minister told lawmakers on Thursday they could vote to maintain a ban on prisoners voting, defying a European ruling.

Leaders praise Australia PM for sexism speech — 07 November 2012, 00:26 CET

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard said Wednesday that world leaders congratulated her at the Asia-Europe Meeting in Laos on her now famous misogyny speech, which went viral on the Internet.

Mistreatment of activist makes Iran 'look worse:' watchdogs — 31 October 2012, 16:48 CET

Iran's "mistreatment" of prominent rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh makes Tehran look worse in the eyes of the world, Nobel peace laureate Shirin Ebadi and six rights groups said on Wednesday.

EU urges Vietnam to step up human rights reform — 31 October 2012, 13:18 CET

International pressure mounted on Vietnam Wednesday to uphold human rights when the EU raised the issue after the jailing of two musicians on charges of anti-state propaganda in the communist nation.

Iran lawmaker blames Euro MPs for trip cancellation — 27 October 2012, 16:39 CET

A top Iranian lawmaker blamed Euro MPs for making an "irrational request" of meeting two jailed winners of 2012 Sakharov awards that led to Saturday's cancellation of their visit to Tehran.

Euro-MPs cancel Iran visit in row over rights prize winners — 27 October 2012, 21:57 CET

A planned visit to Iran by five Euro MPs was called off Saturday after Tehran refused to let them meet a jailed activist lawyer and a filmmaker, just a day after the two were awarded a prestigious European human rights prize.

UAE denounces EU human rights criticism — 27 October 2012, 12:12 CET

The United Arab Emirates on Saturday denounced a European Union resolution which criticised the human rights situation in the Gulf country, saying it made unfounded accusations against it.

Amnesty warns over health of Iran's jailed Sakharov winner — 26 October 2012, 17:52 CET

Iran's jailed activist Nasrin Sotoudeh who won a European human rights prize on Friday has been on hunger strike and in ailing health in protest at the authorities' refusal to allow face-to-face meetings with her children, Amnesty said.

Sotoudeh: Iran's key jailed rights lawyer — 26 October 2012, 13:49 CET

Lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh who was awarded the Sakharov prize on Friday is a leading figure in the defence of human rights in Iran, where she is serving a jail term for her work alongside Nobel peace laureate Shirin Ebadi.

Panahi: Iran filmmaker feted abroad, banned at home — 26 October 2012, 12:17 CET

"Why should it be a crime to make a movie?" The question of filmmaker Jafar Panahi, who jointly won the Sakharov Prize on Friday, after his arrest sums up his commitment to freedom of expression.

Prestigious Sakharov rights prize to Iran's Panahi, Sotoudeh — 27 October 2012, 11:40 CET

Iranian rights activists, lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh and film-maker Jafar Panahi, on Friday won the European Parliament's Sakharov prize, just days after the EU tightened sanctions against Tehran.