On Thursday, the European Parliament adopted two resolutions on the respect for human rights in Afghanistan and Venezuela.

The repressive environment in Afghanistan, including public executions and violence against women

MEPs are gravely concerned by the humanitarian and human rights crisis in Afghanistan. The Taliban have, they say, dismantled the judicial system, ordered judges to fully implement Sharia law and have virtually eliminated women and girls from public life. This amounts to gender persecution and gender apartheid, according to MEPs, who call on the Taliban to immediately restore the full and equal participation of women and girls in public life, particularly access to education and work.

Parliament urges the de-facto Afghan authorities to abolish capital punishment and to immediately halt public executions and the barbarous persecution and discriminatory policies in particular against women, LGBTIQ+, ethnic and religious minorities.

MEPs insist that any EU engagement with the Taliban can be maintained only under strict conditions set by the Council and in accordance with the UN Special Rapporteur’s recommendations.

Parliament supports Afghan civil society’s call to hold the de-facto authorities accountable for their crimes, particularly via the International Criminal Court investigation by establishing an UN Independent Investigative Mechanism, and by expanding EU restrictive measures.

The resolution was adopted by 513 votes in favour, 9 against and 24 abstentions. For further details, the full version will be available here. (14.03.2024)

The case of Rocío San Miguel and General Hernández Da Costa, among other political prisoners in Venezuela

Parliament strongly condemns the Maduro regime in Venezuela for imprisoning hundreds of political prisoners held in conditions that fail to meet the United Nations standard minimum rules for their treatment.

Demanding their immediate and unconditional release, Parliament exhorts the regime to cease repressing and attacking civil society and the opposition. MEPs want the EU to increase sanctions, including on high-level officials, members of the security forces, members of the regime’s Supreme Tribunal of Justice and Maduro himself.

They urge the International Criminal Court to include ongoing human rights violations and arbitrary detentions in its investigation into alleged crimes against humanity committed by the Maduro regime. Parliament calls on the international community to support a return to democracy in Venezuela, particularly in view of the elections, in which the leader of the opposition to the regime, María Corina Machado, shall fully participate.

MEPs also urge the Chilean authorities to investigate fully the murder of Ronald Ojeda, a former political prisoner who escaped the Maduro regime, and urge the Venezuelan authorities to re-establish the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and guarantee their access to prisons.

The resolution was adopted by 497 votes in favour, 22 against and 27 abstentions. For further details, the full version will be available here. (14.03.2024)

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