Friday, December 18, 2009

European Parliament resolution of 26 November 2009 on the human rights situation in Laos and Vietnam

Texts adopted - Thursday, 26 November 2009 - Laos and Vietnam - P7_TA-PROV(2009)0104
The European Parliament recently passed several resolutions on 4 countries, regarding their human rights situations. A quick extract of Laos and Vietnam from the press release below.
Laos
MEPs welcome the recent ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights by the Laotian Government.

The resolution repeats the demand for the immediate release of the leaders of the "Student Movement of 26 October 1999" and of all those arrested during the attempted peaceful demonstrations on 2 November 2009.

Parliament also calls on the Thai authorities to release 158 Lao Hmong refugees currently in detention and allow them to resettle in Thailand or in the United States, Canada, the Netherlands or Australia, which have already agreed to take them in.

Vietnam
MEPs condemn the reported violent expulsion of more than 150 monks and nuns from monasteries and call for an end to all persecution and harassment of Buddhists. They also demand the unconditional release of Thich Quang Do and a re-establishment of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam and of its dignitaries.

The Vietnamese Government is urged to curb its violations of freedom of expression, freedom of religion and freedom of assembly. Moreover, the resolution requests a binding and unambiguous clause on human rights and democracy to be incorporated into the current negotiations on the new Partnership and Cooperation Agreement with Vietnam.

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