The Diplomat
Amnesty International (AI) has warned that the Summit between the European Union (EU) and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), which begins tomorrow in Brussels, must “urgently address the most pressing human rights issues on both continents.”
“At a time of sustained global backsliding on human rights and increasing repression of those who defend them, Amnesty International calls on Latin American and Caribbean and EU states to jointly defend universal human rights in both regions and across the globe,” the organization warned in an open letter to leaders attending the Summit.
Among the “most pressing” issues, AI cites the situation of human rights defenders, civil society space, the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and peaceful protest, the human rights of refugees and migrants, violence and discrimination against women and girls, and upholding human rights achievements and the international human rights system.
“All summit outcomes and commitments should publicly outline strategic and concrete steps to ensure that human rights remain at the heart of EU-LAC relations and are mainstreamed into all areas of those relations, from trade to digital to climate change, to the highest level,” continues AI.
“This is a critical moment for Latin America and the Caribbean,” warned Erika Guevara Rosas, Amnesty International’s director for the Americas. “Millions of people are forced to flee human rights crises and environmental disasters in their home country in search of international protection,” she continued.
In addition, “the region is the most dangerous place in the world for human rights defenders, but instead of addressing these problems, many states have decided to repress protests and militarize their borders and public policies,” she denounced. “This summit offers the opportunity to make a significant change” and, therefore, “the leaders of the region must work with their European counterparts to seek solutions and defend human rights and justice for all people,” she added.
“We hope that EU leaders will use this summit to raise human rights concerns with their counterparts in Latin America and the Caribbean,” said Eve Geddie, Director of Advocacy at Amnesty International’s Office to the European Institutions.
“But they also need to look inward and confront the human rights violations taking place in the Union, including violence against those seeking security at its borders and the increasing limitations imposed on independent civil rights organizations,” she warned. Therefore, she stressed, “this summit offers EU leaders an opportunity to recommit to rights, and we hope they will seize it
.”
