Human rights: breaches in Gaza, the Philippines and Belarus | WPN World People News

● Israel and Palestine urged to de-escalate violence, so as to prevent further deaths

● Philippines must stop extrajudicial killings

● Belarus authorities should protect civil and political rights

MEPs call for de-escalation of violence in Gaza, an end to extrajudicial killings in the Philippines and protection of civil and political rights in Belarus.

Gaza Strip: prevent any further escalation of violence

MEPs urge Israel and Palestine to use non-violent means and respect human rights, in order to prevent further deaths and achieve a peaceful two-state solution. They appeal for an “immediate and unconditional end to the blockade and closure of the Gaza Strip”, to facilitate efforts to remedy the humanitarian crisis there.

They condemn Hamas for instigating violence and for its terrorist activities on the Israel-Gaza border and call on all parties involved to respect the human rights of detainees and prisoners.

The European Parliament appeals to all protesters in Gaza to refrain from using rhetoric that instigates violence, and to prevent the unnecessary loss of lives. It also urges Israel to address its territorial concerns with proportionate measures.

The resolution was passed by 524 votes to 30, with 92 abstentions.

Philippines should stop extrajudicial killings on the pretext of a “war on drugs”

MEPs urge the Philippines authorities to stop extrajudicial killings and condemn them for trying to justify these murders with falsified evidence.

They call for human rights defenders to be removed from government's list of terrorists, which includes Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples.

The resolution also condemns the intimidation and the abuse of human rights defenders, activists and journalist, and urges the government to stop the reintroduction of death penalty, which is against Philippines' international obligations, such the GSP+ scheme and the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement.

Belarus urged to protect civil and political rights

MEPs condemn the mass arrest of dozens of peaceful protesters, opposition figures, civil activists and journalists, during a march on the 25 March Belarus Freedom Day, as well as the unjustified imprisonment of opposition leaders Mikalai Statkevich and Uladzimir Niakliaev, and call for their release.

Restrictions on political parties should be lifted, registration procedures eased, and proposed amendments to the Law on the Media, which would limit freedom of expression, should be abandoned, they add

The European Parliament also urges the Belarus government to abide by international standards on human rights, to ensure respect for civil rights, such as the right to association, expression and peaceful association, and to provide a safe framework for free media.

The resolutions on Philippines and Belarus were approved by a show of hands.

Source: European Parliament